Freshen a Home
Living with pets brings love, companionship and joy. To freshen a home with pets can feel impossible at times, despite all of the love and joy.
It can also bring fur on the furniture, mysterious carpet spots and the occasional smell that makes you wonder whether something crawled behind the couch and died.
My toy Pomeranian, Polly Pocket, is approximately six pounds of fluff. Yet she can distribute enough fur to suggest that I own several large dogs.
Fortunately, keeping a pet home fresh does not require filling every room with heavy artificial fragrance. The best approach is to remove the source of the odor first and add fragrance carefully—if you use it at all.
1. Begin With the Source of the Smell
To really freshen a home, before reaching for a room spray, look for the actual cause of the odor.
Check:
- Pet beds and blankets
- Carpets and rugs
- Upholstered furniture
- Food and water bowls
- Collars and harnesses
- Favorite hiding places
- The suspicious corner Polly insists she knows nothing about
- Rotten potatoes or fruit
- Garbage that needs taken out
Covering an odor without cleaning its source is like putting perfume on a dirty sock. Now you simply have a dirty sock that smells like vanilla and sweat (yuck!).
2. Wash Pet Bedding Regularly
To Freshen a home wash pet bedding holds fur, saliva, dirt and body oils.
Follow the manufacturer’s washing directions. Choose an unscented or lightly scented detergent when possible, rinse everything thoroughly and make sure the bedding is completely dry before returning it to your pet.
The ASPCA recommends washing a dog’s bedding frequently to help keep its resting area clean.
If you use Young Living Thieves Laundry Soap, follow the current product label. Dogs with sensitive skin or fragrance sensitivities may benefit from an additional rinse.
3. Vacuum the Places Fur Likes to Hide
Vacuum carpets, rugs, furniture and baseboards regularly. Pay special attention to the places where your pet sleeps.
A rubber pet-hair tool or slightly damp reusable cloth can help collect fur from upholstered furniture.
Polly Pocket considers shedding a decorating style. I consider the vacuum cleaner my support animal.
4. Treat Pet Accidents Promptly
To freshen a home, clean recent accidents instead of rubbing them deeper into the carpet. Then use a cleaner made for that particular surface.
An enzymatic pet cleaner can help break down the substances that create lingering urine odors. Follow the product directions and test it on a hidden area first.
For other appropriate household surfaces, I use Thieves Household Cleaner diluted according to the current label.
When I clean around Polly Pocket, I:
- Keep her out of the room while I clean.
- Provide fresh airflow (turn on vented fans)
- Prevent her from walking across or licking wet surfaces.
- Wait until everything is completely dry before she returns.
- Store the concentrated cleaner where curious paws cannot reach it.
Never spray household cleaner directly on your pet, her bedding, toys, food or water bowls unless the product label specifically allows that use.
Also, never mix cleaning products. Certain combinations can release dangerous fumes—and no odor problem needs that kind of plot twist.
5. Let Fresh Air Do Some Work
To freshen a home, when the weather allows, open a few windows or doors to improve airflow.
You can also run exhaust fans or use an air purifier with an appropriate filter. Clean or replace the filter according to the manufacturer’s directions.
A filter packed with pet hair is not working at its best. It is simply storing a small replica of your dog.
6. Clean the Small Things
To freshen a home, sometimes the pet is not the smelly culprit. It is the pet’s belongings.
Regularly clean:
- Food and water bowls
- Washable toys
- Crate trays
- Leashes and harnesses (Polly’s harness gets stinky fast).
- Grooming tools
- Food-storage containers
Dispose of old treats and inspect toys that remain suspiciously damp after being chewed.
Yes, I know your dog loves that ancient stuffed squirrel. The squirrel may now qualify as a biological event.
7. Use Aromatic Products Carefully
“Natural” does not automatically mean safe for every animal.
Concentrated essential oils can cause problems if pets swallow them, walk through spills or get the oils on their coats. The ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center advises against directly applying concentrated essential oils to pets.
If you use a diffuser or aromatic household product:
- Ask your veterinarian whether it is appropriate for your pet.
- Follow the current product label.
- Use it in a well-ventilated room.
- Keep the diffuser where it cannot be knocked over.
- Make sure your dog can leave the room.
- Diffuse for short periods rather than continuously.
- Stop if your pet coughs, drools, vomits, becomes unsteady or acts unusually.
Extra caution is needed around cats, birds, young animals, older pets and animals with breathing problems.
What About Diffusing Animal Scents T-Away?
Young Living Animal Scents T-Away is an animal-formulated aromatic blend intended for emotional support. It is not an odor remover or household cleaner.
Some pet owners choose to use T-Away as one optional part of a dog’s calming routine. Ask your veterinarian whether it is appropriate for your dog.
If you receive veterinary approval:
- Follow the current label exactly.
- Begin with the smallest label-directed amount.
- Diffuse for a short period.
- Provide good ventilation.
- Allow your dog to leave the room freely.
- Stop if your dog appears uncomfortable.
Aromatic products should never replace behavioral support or veterinary treatment for anxiety.
For additional calming ideas, read: [How Do You Calm a Nervous Dog? Try This Simple Routine]
A Fresh Pet Home Does Not Need to Smell Strong
A truly fresh home usually smells like…not much of anything.
Removing fur, washing bedding, cleaning accidents and improving airflow should come before adding fragrance. A light, clean home is more comfortable for people and for pets whose sense of smell is far stronger than ours.
After all, Polly Pocket does not need the house to smell like an enchanted lavender forest.
She needs a clean blanket, a safe toy and uninterrupted access to whichever chair I was planning to use.
Download the Free Pet-Friendly Fresh Home Cheat Sheet
Want a fresher home without treating your pets like tiny chemical test subjects?
Download my free Pet-Friendly Fresh Home Cheat Sheet for simple cleaning reminders, odor-control ideas and important precautions to consider around your animals.
Curious about the household products I use around Polly Pocket?
[SEE MY PET-CONSCIOUS HOME FAVORITES]
For more on pets from a natural perspective, check out this post for a DIY stain remover.
This article is for educational purposes only. It is not intended to diagnose or treat an animal or replace advice from your veterinarian. If you believe your pet has been exposed to a potentially harmful substance, contact your veterinarian or animal poison control immediately.
