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Housekeeping

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Original poster

If you have a dog but your house doesn't smell of dog...

58 replies

wheresmymojo · 04/03/2023 09:49

We've had a dog for a year now and I bloody love her.

She's not the worst smelling dog at all...definitely not that 'wet dog' or musty smell but nonetheless there is an odour.

She only has a bath (shower) 2 or 3 times a year because she's not the kind of dog that needs to be groomed and I keep reading how bad it is for their skin to be bathed as it strips all the natural oils out.

I do spray her now and then with some 'natural' spray but it only lasts a day and makes her skin dry too.

We have LVT floors so that's fine. But we have large area rugs in the living room and kitchen that I don't want to get rid of.

We have fabric sofas but keep them covered with throws (ours) and a mattress protector (hers) unless we have guests over. Obvs I wash these regularly.

She sleeps on the bed which is changed weekly. Her own beds get washed but probably need to be done more regularly - fortnightly?

The carpet up the stairs and in the bedroom is the worst I think even though I'm forever Vax-ing the damn thing. Hoping to have this taken up and replaced with LVT upstairs and wood/a runner on the stairs.

I've started using 2 x Febreeze plug ins which obvs help but are basically masking a smell rather than getting rid.

What else can I do?

(I also have 3 cats but they're not smelly)

OP posts:
Original poster
wheresmymojo · 04/03/2023 11:07

Workinghardeveryday · 04/03/2023 10:19

i will get backlash from this but… our chihuahua has a bath every 7-10 days. He loves it and loves being clean after.

I wash him with baby shampoo and he always smells of baby’s not dogs. His coat is beautiful and skin fine.

Always hair dry after a bath or he would smell doggie.

his bed and blankets washed every time he has a bath.

Our living room fabreezed every other day.

Floors mopped weekly.

I agree most people who have pets are nose blind so I am extra paranoid about it. My friends often comment how lovely my home smells

She hates showers!

She finds them almost traumatising I think even though I'm in the shower in my swimsuit with her...

Plus, I suspect showering a German Shepherd cross is a bit more of a chore than a Chihuahua Grin

Our en suite is a state after with dog hair and water everywhere.

Unfortunately I can't take her to a groomers as she's a rescue with separation anxiety after her first family gave her up after 7 weeks (she can be left in her own home but panics if left somewhere else).

OP posts:
LookingOldTheseDays · 04/03/2023 11:09

gloriousnamechangesgalore · 04/03/2023 10:04

Yes I'm sorry - but dog=house smelling of dog.
You become nose blind to it yourself, but the smell remains no matter what you do.

Agreed. I've never visited house where a dog lives that didn't smell of dog. People don't realise, but it's very noticeable to everyone else.

Original poster
wheresmymojo · 04/03/2023 11:09

sugarspices · 04/03/2023 10:26

You can buy carpet powder that you sprinkle on, leave for 10 minutes and then hoover up. You could use that on the rugs/carpets once a week. I really notice the fresh smell! Although my house is 80% carpet so it makes a huge difference! You can get it from most supermarkets and honestly I've found that the more expensive stuff is no better than the cheap stuff you can get at home bargains

Yes I've been using this a bit though you can't use it with our Dyson as it breaks them.

I put a bit down once a week before Eufy goes around.

I think possibly it could be the sofa that smells most as it's fabric and five years old. You can't wash the cushion covers because they have some kind of fire retardant lining and they said it wasn't washable.

I'm planning on recovering though as it is light grey and stained now so maybe I'll just take a risk and give it a go with one cushion cover.

OP posts:
Original poster
wheresmymojo · 04/03/2023 11:10

ToBeOrNotToBee · 04/03/2023 10:45

Are her ears pongy.

If the ears need to be cleaned, the smell definitely lingers more than normal.

Definitely not her ears

OP posts:
MaitlandGirl · 04/03/2023 11:14

We use NoVac spray on soft furnishing and rugs. It contains the same odour neutralising chemicals as professional carpet cleaning products.

We wash the tiled floors twice a week, Hoover the carpets, rugs and sofas daily and use NoVac once a week. We also bathe the dogs once a month.

We rent and have 3 toy breed dogs in the house - our property manager would be the first to tell us if there was a doggy odour and she’s never said anything.

Original poster
wheresmymojo · 04/03/2023 11:15

Thanks for all the comments, what I'm going to try...

  • See if I can find a shampoo that doesn't give her dandruff and do monthly showers
  • Wash her bed and throws weekly instead of every couple of weeks
  • Use the shake and vac stuff more often
  • Try washing one sofa cushion to see if it's okay or a disaster

We're changing foods to try tails.com next week for a month so will see if that makes any difference.

She has her vaccinations next week so she'll get a vet check then but her teeth, breath, ears are perfect and no signs of gland issues.

OP posts:
Original poster
wheresmymojo · 04/03/2023 11:15

MaitlandGirl · 04/03/2023 11:14

We use NoVac spray on soft furnishing and rugs. It contains the same odour neutralising chemicals as professional carpet cleaning products.

We wash the tiled floors twice a week, Hoover the carpets, rugs and sofas daily and use NoVac once a week. We also bathe the dogs once a month.

We rent and have 3 toy breed dogs in the house - our property manager would be the first to tell us if there was a doggy odour and she’s never said anything.

Will look into NoVac!

OP posts:
Amybelle88 · 04/03/2023 11:15

I have a beagle so not sure if that makes a difference, but my house doesn't smell one bit like dog and I'm not nose blind - people comment on it regularly.

Only time I notice a whiff is if her bedding needs a wash or if she's been out in the rain.

I have oil burners, hoover and mop every day including any soft furnishings and just generally have a very clean house. Not sure if her breed is one that doesn't particularly smell, too.

Original poster
wheresmymojo · 04/03/2023 11:16

MaitlandGirl · 04/03/2023 11:14

We use NoVac spray on soft furnishing and rugs. It contains the same odour neutralising chemicals as professional carpet cleaning products.

We wash the tiled floors twice a week, Hoover the carpets, rugs and sofas daily and use NoVac once a week. We also bathe the dogs once a month.

We rent and have 3 toy breed dogs in the house - our property manager would be the first to tell us if there was a doggy odour and she’s never said anything.

Where do you get the NoVac spray?

OP posts:
Emanresu9 · 04/03/2023 11:18

I have the omelet dog beds with zip on washable covers. I wash the cover 3 times a week. It’s SO easy and the best dog bed I’ve ever had for washing.

not sponsored sadly

i have the large which is roomy for my Labrador. And then 2 covers to swap on and off. They dry really quickly tho. www.omlet.co.uk/shop/dog_products/luxury-dog-beds-topology-uk/

JanusTheFirst · 04/03/2023 11:20

All houses with dogs or cats smell of the animal. The owners just don't notice.

Abzs · 04/03/2023 11:46

Some dogs just stink. My sister's cocker is the stickiest dog I've ever met. It even made our house smell after two nights sleeping in the porch (it didn't come in the house because of our cat). My friend's mum has two cockers and no where near the smell of dog in her house compared my sister's. My sister is not a total slattern with a dirty house, the dog just stinks.

Maireas · 04/03/2023 11:54

Botheredland · 04/03/2023 10:02

Every single house I've been to that has a dog, smells of dog. Even the most pristine house and owner.

I grew up with a dog in the house and never noticed a smell but I was probably nose blind.

This.
I can even smell it on dog owners' clothes at work.

Kissedbyfire1 · 04/03/2023 11:54

gloriousnamechangesgalore · 04/03/2023 10:04

Yes I'm sorry - but dog=house smelling of dog.
You become nose blind to it yourself, but the smell remains no matter what you do.

Agree with this. Not only that, but some dog owners also smell of dog because the smell gets onto their clothes. I worked with a woman who had a dozen dogs and she stunk the office out.

Kissedbyfire1 · 04/03/2023 11:55

X-post with @Maireas !

Gincan · 04/03/2023 14:39

I also have never been in a house with a dog that doesn't smell of dog. The previous owner of our place had a dog and the smell took weeks and weeks to get rid of, even after shampooing all the carpets. It's part of owning a dog isn't it?

I plan on getting a cat soon and am fully aware that my house will smell of cat, but I don't care 🐱

openingbat · 04/03/2023 15:07

I was washing everything in sight trying to get rid of the smell, and it turned out to be the dog toys. All the cuddly toys and rope tug toys stunk when I gave them a sniff so I chuck them in the machine inside a laundry bag, I also wash her bed cover and blankets regularly.

Tumbleweed101 · 05/03/2023 09:46

Some dogs do smell more than others. Our lurcher never smelled and the house never smelled of dog. Her coat was very light though. My cavalier spaniel has a much more obvious dog smell.

ShutUpBaggyTits · 05/03/2023 10:59

I've got a dog. My house probably smells of dog. I don't really care to be honest.

My house is thoroughly cleaned weekly and spot cleaned throughout. So it's not dirty.

If anyone came into my house and turned their nose up, they wouldn't be invited back!

PritiPatelsMaker · 05/03/2023 11:34

My suggestions are washing her bedding at 69 degrees to kill of any bacteria and getting rid of the plug ins and opening the windows for a while each day instead Wink

fizzyfood · 06/03/2023 14:40

Cleaner here. The houses I clean where dogs are allowed on sofas smell of dog, even when they use throws. Houses where the dog isn't allowed on the sofa don't smell of dog.

PritiPatelsMaker · 06/03/2023 17:12

fizzyfood · 06/03/2023 14:40

Cleaner here. The houses I clean where dogs are allowed on sofas smell of dog, even when they use throws. Houses where the dog isn't allowed on the sofa don't smell of dog.

My house must obviously smell very foggy then 🤦‍♀️🤣

MrsPerfect12 · 11/03/2023 20:41

Do you allow the dog wet/damp on the carpets/furniture?

GuyFawkesDay · 11/03/2023 20:50

Some dogs and houses do smell more. I've had people confirm my house doesn't smell doggy but I do:

Keep dog (spaniel) clipped relatively short
Have washable ikea sofa where you can wang the covers in the machine regularly.

Ruggable washable rug

Wood floor downstairs

Baby gate to keep the dog downstairs and off carpets etc

mydogisthebest · 11/03/2023 21:09

It's totally untrue that all houses with dogs smell. It depends on the breed. Some breeds do not smell.

I have lots of friends with dogs, quite a few with the same breed. The ones with one particular breed do not smell whereas all the others do.

We used to have cats and lovely MIL delighted in telling us our house smelt of them. Then when we only had dogs she actually said she could not understand why our house did not smell.

Believe me if our house had smelt of dog she would definitely have told us

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