5 Ways to keep your house from smelling like a kennel

Keeping your home clean can be a struggle at the best of times, however if you share your WETCoast home with a 4 legged friend you likely have even more boxes on your cleaning checklist than most.

Whether you’re tracking in sandy paws from the beach or battling the spring/summer shedding season, these 5 easy tips will help ensure that your house doesn’t get mistaken for a kennel.

Groom your dog regularly
Most dogs love being brushed. This activity not only provides excellent bonding time with your pooch, it plays double duty by helping to keep debris and loose hair at bay, minimizing the likelihood of these unwanted items finding their way onto furniture and carpets. While it’s not necessary to bathe your pup regularly, keeping your dogs coat clean on an as-needed basis will help keep your house looking and smelling clean.
Furminate
Easier said than done, unless your dog is of the hairless variety, a key factor is keeping your home from smelling like a kennel is to remove dog hair from home furnishings. Consider purchasing a vacuum with a specialized pet attachment, or a swiffer type duster designed to trap in pet hair. Invest in an econo-sized package of lint rollers, and schedule time weekly to deal with flyaway pet hair.
Clean your air filters
Not only important for the proper care and maintenance of your furnace or air-conditioner, this is a crucial task in keeping your home smelling inviting. Change your filters monthly, or sooner if you have a heavy shedder or during season changes.
Wash your pet supplies
Those innocent little squeaky toys can not only harbor smells, but germs and bacteria too. Wash hard plastic toys in warm water with mild soap or pet friendly detergent, and soft or plush toys, bedding, and furniture covers in the washing machine. Spot cleaning can also be conducted where necessary. Keeping bedding clean will help eliminate the tracking of pet hair through the house and reduces the likelihood of pest contamination.
Eliminate odors
Don’t just mask pet smells, eliminate them with enzyme sprays or odor eliminating candles. Make sure that any organic messes are thoroughly cleaned in a timely manner. Enzyme cleaners will not only target odors, they’ll also help to ensure that the proteins and destroyed to help reduce the chance of your pet going in the same spot again.