Talk to me about lovely smelling houses

[lolbrador]

We are now the proud owners of a very very old dog and a puppy and I've become paranoid about the house being stinky.

I love when you walk into someones house and it smells gorgeous. How do you do it?

I hoover and mop daily. I have reed diffusers dotted around and a plug in in the kitchen.

I've been looking at an aromatherapy mist diffuser, are they good?!

Let me know all your lovely smelling secrets please

The secret is getting rid of the dogs 😏. I've not tried the mist diffusers, I just open the windows a lot as I have an old dog who quite frankly hums. Hoovering and mopping will also help. I also use febreze pets fabric fresher.

What about those scented tumble drier sheets tucked down the back of radiators (if you like the fresh washing scent)

Opening the windows as much as you can really helps. Obviously you won't get rid of dog smells completely because they live there, but airing every room will help.

Hah its a good job I really love my dogs!!!

Will try all of these tips, tumble drier sheets sounds lovely!

Thanks

Wash the dogs?

If the smell is off them that that's what needs de-smelling!! Maybe you could fashion a coat out of dryer sheets for them?!

Though seriously if you're cleaning your house daily it's as low a dog smell as you'll manage. Aside from when the windows are open.

Open windows, an air purifier and/or house plants let you keep the artificial scents to the minimum and keep things fresh.

I have an almond-scented Method floor cleaner (our place is mainly hard floors). The whole flat smells gently wonderful for a day or two after a mop and this alone compels me to do it, I loathe mopping. I do it twice a week.

Otherwise it's just vacuuming frequently and opening windows.

I have one reed diffuser that I occasionally buy refills for, but I've found unless I spend a lot they smell chemical and unpleasant. I took a punt recently on a £10 one from Amazon that smells like industrial pine disinfectant. It's like being in a gents' loo.

The most aroma diffusers do release a nice smell (well whatever smell you chose) but they are releasing a water mist so you'll need to dehumidify other wise things are a bit damp!! (In other words you'll have to open windows regularly anyway.

The tumble dryer sheets smell nice in drawers too,

I'm a big fan of wax melts.

House Doctor (remember her?) said she washed her dog weekly.

I've just moved into a house where the previous owner smoked 20 fags a day for years. I also have an ancient cat that is none too fussy about toilet hygiene.
I love her though.
I burn incense on charcoal from Starched in Glastonbury which will get rid of any cigarette smell.
You can't use it in the same room as the pets. It isn't good for their chests.
Plus stick incense and I buy party lite candles off my friend. They smell amazing but are much cheaper than diptique or similar. And I clean a lot.

Don't all those smells irritate the dogs?

I like the little incense cones, and you can store the packs with the clean laundry to make it smell even nicer. Cypress and orange and Palo Santo are favourites at the moment.

OP please be careful with all of these suggestions around your dogs, some of these are toxic to them (and probably you!) like the plug in. I find just cleaning the floors, dog bedding etc. works ok for us.

I'm pretty careful about what I use as air fresheners, that's why I was thinking a diffuser as essential oil diluted with water might be okay? I've googled and see there are certain ones to avoid.

Thanks for all the suggestions. The big one tends to get washed more than once a week as he likes to roll in poo. Maybe I need to look at the shampoo we use!

Bought some method floor cleaner today

Be careful with essential oils as they can be toxic for dogs. Ditto air fresheners.

I'd suggest regular hoovering, combined with nice home made bread and baking, and a great coffee. I do find plants in the room tend to absorb smells, and keep your curtains and soft furnishings clean and washed. Don't allow dogs on the sofa, give them their own bed with cheap covers and wash them regularly.

Method almond-scented floor cleaner is gorgeous!

Apart from what you're doing, opening windows and most importantly washing pet bedding frequently help a lot.

The floors have been mopped with method and I can confirm it smells gorgeous until tomorrow when it smells like wet Labrador again
Thanks all

At the risk of repeating a lot of what's already been said , definitely the best ways to keep pet smells to a minimum is regular hoovering & mopping, washing their beds/bedding religiously and opening windows as much as possible. Also regular brushing of the dogs really helps, much more so than bathing too much as that's really not good for their coats and skin.

I’m sorry but dogs always stink. But as the owner you will get used to it and not smell it at all so it doesn’t really matter

Shortfeet I must politely disagree with you there. Yes, some dogs are a bit smellier than others but not ALL dogs stink.

Saying that though, as if to take the piss out of me insisting not all dogs are stinky; mine has just done a particularly ripe fart so yes right now, at this moment in time, he stinks. Window now open and he's looking at me in disgust at the breeze

I wash all my hard floors with lavender scented detergent in my Bissell Crosswave, sometimes put a capful of fabric conditioner in with the rug cleaning solution, use Lenor unstopables in my washer & leave the door open afterwards. I wipe all my window sills & radiators down with a damp cloth rung out in hot water, washing up liquid & a splash of fabric conditioner. I vape & it gets rid of the lingering smell. At night I leave all dishcloths, sponges etc in a bowl of hot water & fabric conditioner overnight, I give them half an hour in bleach after tea & then fill the bowl with the hot water & fabric conditioner, next morning after removing all the cloths & sponges I pour the water in the toilet & leave for an hour if I can manage it. I never buy expensive fabric conditioner, just cheap own brand but always try to get lavender scent.

Zoflora - Everywhere!

In loos, wiped on radiators, for mopping floor, cleaning surfaces, left in hot water in sinks etc, for final rinse on dyson filters.

Flipping love zoflora. Wish they did zoflora candles.