How to Get Rid of Dog Smell in Your House: 12 Fixes That Work
To get rid of dog smell in your house, clean the places where the smell lives: bedding, carpets, the sofa, the vacuum and your dog's coat. Then let fresh air in every day and add a light home fragrance last. Dog smell is mostly oil, dander and damp trapped in fabric, so scent on its own will only sit on top of it. Once the source has gone, a good home fragrance can make the room smell fresh and welcoming.
It usually hits you when a friend comes round. You open the front door, and for a second you smell your own hallway the way they do. We love our dogs, but we want the house to smell of home. The fixes below are the ones that work, in the order that makes the biggest difference.
This guide is about removing a smell you already have. If your home already feels fresh and you want to keep it that way, see our routine for making your house smell good with a dog.
Why does your house smell of dog?
Every dog carries natural oils in its coat, and those oils mix with yeast and bacteria on the skin to make the familiar doggy smell. It gets stronger when the coat is wet, and then it rubs off onto everything your dog touches.
The smell builds up in five places around the home:
- Soft things your dog lies on, such as dog beds, blankets, sofa throws, cushions and rugs.
- Carpets, where hair, dander and dirt sink deep into the fibres below the reach of a vacuum.
- Your vacuum cleaner, because a dirty filter blows stale dog smell back into every room you clean.
- Crates, bowls and toys, where food, drool and dirt go stale within days.
- The air itself, since dander floats, settles and floats again in a house with the windows shut.
You will be nose blind to most of this, because your brain tunes out smells it meets every day. A guest will notice it within a few seconds of walking in. Our guide to why your house smells different to guests explains how that works.
Could it be a health problem?
A healthy dog smells fairly mild between baths. If the smell is new, sudden or much stronger than usual, speak to your vet before you start cleaning. Vets link strong dog odour to a few common causes:
- Ear infections, which often have a yeasty or sour smell.
- Skin infections or allergies that make the skin greasy or sore.
- Dental disease, which shows up as strong bad breath.
- Full anal glands, which give off a strong fishy smell.
A smell that comes from your dog's health needs the vet, because cleaning alone will only mask it for a day or two.
What are the 12 fixes that work?
Start at the top of the list. In most homes, the first five fixes remove most of the smell on their own.
1. Wash every soft thing your dog lies on, every week
This single step does more than any other. Wash dog beds, blankets and sofa throws at least once a week, using the hottest wash the care label allows. If your dog lies on it, it belongs in the wash.
Dry everything outside when the weather allows, because fresh air and sunlight lift smells that a tumble dryer can seal in. It also helps to put a washable throw over your dog's favourite spot on the sofa, since a throw is far easier to wash than a sofa.
2. Keep your dog's coat clean
A clean dog makes for a fresh house, but more baths can backfire. Too many baths strip the natural oils from the coat, and the skin then works harder to replace them. Most dogs need a bath every few weeks rather than every few days, so ask your vet or groomer what suits your breed.
Between baths, brush your dog often to lift loose hair and dander before it lands on your floor. After wet walks, towel dry your dog in the hallway or utility room so the damp stays out of the living room.
3. Vacuum twice a week, and swap the broom for the vacuum
Hair and dander smell worse the longer they sit. Vacuum floors, rugs and the sofa at least twice a week, or more often if your dog sheds a lot, and lift the sofa cushions to reach underneath.
Vacuum hard floors as well. A broom throws dust and hair into the air, where it settles again a few minutes later, while a vacuum picks it up the first time.
4. Clean the vacuum itself
This is the step most people miss. A dirty filter holds hair, dander and dust, and every time you vacuum, air blows through it and carries the smell around your home.
- Wash or change the filter as the maker tells you. Many filters can be rinsed under the tap until the water runs clear, then left to dry fully before they go back in.
- Pull tangled hair off the brush roll once a week.
- Empty the bin after every clean, and wash it out if your model allows.
5. Mop hard floors every week
Paws carry in dirt, and dogs leave oil and drool on the floor that a vacuum leaves behind. Mop kitchen and hallway floors at least once a week to lift that film before it starts to smell.
6. Deep clean carpets two or three times a year
Carpets hold smell deep in the fibres, well below where a vacuum can reach. Shampoo them two or three times a year, whether you hire a carpet cleaner, buy your own or book a professional.
For accidents, use an enzyme cleaner made for pet stains. Enzymes break down the proteins in urine, while ordinary sprays only cover the smell and your dog may return to the same spot.
7. Clean the sofa
If your dog sits on the sofa, it needs the same care as their bed. Vacuum it every week and wash any covers that come off. For fixed cushions, use a fabric odour spray made for pets, and test it on a hidden patch first.
8. Wash bowls daily and crates weekly
Wash food and water bowls every day in hot, soapy water. Wipe out crates and crate trays once a week, because they collect food, drool and hair right where your dog sleeps.
9. Open the windows for 10 minutes a day
Fresh air carries stale smells out of the house. Open windows on two sides of the house if you can, so the air flows straight through. Ten minutes a day makes a real difference, even in winter.
10. Run an air purifier with two filters
A purifier helps with both hair and smell, as long as it has the right filters. A true HEPA filter traps fine dander, and an activated carbon filter absorbs odours. Many purifiers have both, so run one in the room where your dog spends most time and change the filters on schedule.
11. Use bicarbonate of soda on rugs
Sprinkle bicarbonate of soda over a rug, leave it for an hour, then vacuum it up. It absorbs smells from the top of the fibres, and it is cheap and safe to use around dogs once it has been vacuumed away.
12. Add scent last
Only now does home fragrance earn its place. Once the source has gone, a good scent makes the room smell fresh and cared for. Used on its own, it simply mixes with the dog smell.
Which scents work best with dog smell?
Fresh, clean scents work best in a dog home, because they lift a room without adding weight.
- Citrus. Our Kew Morning reed diffuser is mandarin, bergamot and vetiver. It leaves the kitchen or hallway feeling fresh and awake.
- Green and herbal. Our Hampstead Spa reed diffuser is lemongrass, pine and cedar. It suits bathrooms and bedrooms.
Heavy, sweet scents such as strong vanilla can mix with dog smell and make a room feel stuffy. Save them for rooms your dog stays out of, such as a bedroom with the door shut.
A reed diffuser works all day with no flame and no plug, which makes it a good fit for a dog home as long as you place it well. A candle is best for the hour before guests arrive. Light our Kew Morning scented candle in the room they will sit in, and blow it out before you leave the room.
Where should you put fragrance in a home with a dog?
- On a high shelf, mantelpiece or console table.
- Away from your dog's bed, bowls and favourite spots.
- Up off the floor and low coffee tables, where a wagging tail can reach.
- On a coaster or small tray, so any spills stay off the furniture.
Keep reed diffuser oil and spills well away from your dog, and call your vet if your dog licks or drinks any. Read our full guide to reed diffusers, candles and pets before you choose a spot.
A simple routine for dog owners
Daily: open the windows for 10 minutes, towel dry the dog after wet walks in the hallway or utility room, and shake out their blanket to air.
Weekly: wash bedding and blankets on a hot wash, vacuum sofas, rugs and under the cushions, and wash any toys that can go in the machine.
Monthly: wash sofa throws and cushion covers, sprinkle bicarbonate of soda on rugs for an hour before you vacuum, and wash harnesses and leads.
Tip: put a washable throw over the dog's favourite spot on the sofa. It is far easier to wash a throw than a sofa.
Quick answers
How do I get rid of dog smell in my house fast?
Wash your dog's bed and blankets, vacuum the floors and sofa, and open the windows. That removes most of the smell within a day, and a fresh scented candle helps before guests arrive.
Why does my house smell of dog even after cleaning?
The smell may be hiding in places you missed, such as the carpet fibres, the sofa cushions or the vacuum filter. If your dog itself smells strongly, ask your vet to check its ears, skin and teeth.
What absorbs dog smell?
Bicarbonate of soda on rugs and an air purifier with a carbon filter both absorb odours. Washing fabric removes more than either of them.
Do reed diffusers get rid of dog smell?
No product removes dog smell on its own. A reed diffuser keeps a clean room smelling fresh all day, so clean the source first, then place the reed diffuser high up and out of your dog's reach.
Find your scent
At IVNA London our reed diffusers and candles are handmade in England, in four scents. Each luxury reed diffuser is £58. Every product page lists the rooms the scent suits and where to place it, so you know what you are getting before you order.
Want the whole house covered? Our luxury reed diffuser home sets let you mix any scents, one for each room, and you can add a luxury scented candle in a matching scent.
More answers in our reed diffuser FAQs.
