How to Get Rid of Dog Smell in the House

You stop noticing it after a while. Then a friend walks in, pauses for half a second, and says "oh, hello" to the dog a little too brightly. That's when you wonder what your house actually smells like.

A home with a dog will never smell of nothing, and it shouldn't have to. But a strong, lingering doggy smell usually comes from a handful of places you can deal with, rather than from the dog itself.

Where does dog smell in the house come from?

Air fresheners and candles only cover a smell. To get rid of it, find the source. In most homes it's one of these:

• The dog's bed and blankets, the number one culprit.
• The sofa and cushions where your dog lies.
• Carpets and rugs, where hair, dander and dirt build up deep in the pile.
• The washing machine, if the dog's bedding goes through it and the machine never gets a hot clean.
• The car, especially after wet walks.

How do you get rid of dog smell in the house?

1. Wash the bedding every week

Wash the dog's bed covers and blankets weekly, as hot as the care label allows. Shake them outside first, so the hair goes in the garden rather than the drum.

2. Get the hair out of fabrics

Hair and dander hold onto smells, and a hoover alone leaves a lot of it woven into carpets and upholstery. Rake or brush the sofa and the rugs first, then hoover. Our guides on getting pet hair off a sofa and the fur your hoover can't reach explain how.

3. Bicarbonate of soda on carpets

Sprinkle bicarbonate of soda over the carpet or rug, leave it for a few hours (overnight is better), then hoover it up. It absorbs odours. Ideal Home and Cleanipedia both recommend it. Test it on a hidden patch of delicate rugs first.

4. Let the house breathe

Open windows when you can and keep internal doors open so air can move. Smells disperse much faster in a house that isn't sealed up.

5. Clean the washing machine once a month

If your clean washing smells faintly of dog, the machine is holding on to it. Run an empty wash at 60°C or above, wipe the folds of the door seal and clear the filter. Which? recommends a hot service wash once a month. Full routine: why your washing still smells of dog.

Could the smell be coming from your dog?

• Brush regularly, ideally outside: less loose hair and dander around the house. See our weekly deshedding routine.
• Dry them after wet walks, with a towel by the door. Wet dog smell is strongest when the coat stays damp.
• Bath with a dog shampoo when they need it, not too often: over-bathing can dry out their skin.
• A sudden or unusual smell is worth a vet visit. Ears, teeth and skin problems can all cause it, and no amount of cleaning will fix those.

Which Meoggy tool helps?

Smell follows hair, so most of our tools are about getting the hair out of the house: the Cuddle Glove for the dog, the All-Surface Tool for carpets and the sofa, and the Fur Wiper for beds and throws. The Whole Home Kit adds Machine Tablets for the monthly hot wash. Everything comes with 30 days to try it at home, with a full refund if it doesn't work for you.

Sources: Ideal Home, How to get rid of dog smells in the house · Cleanipedia, How to get rid of dog smell in your home · Which?, How to clean a smelly washing machine.