How to Get Rid of Dog Smell from Anywhere in Your House

Dogs are terrific companions, and while they’re pretty awesome roommates, they can be stinky and messy. Plus, they never clean up after themselves. If you live with a dog—or more than one—you’ve probably wondered how to get rid of dog smell. Before we dive in to whether you can get pet odor out of your house (spoiler: you can), let’s first find out exactly why your four-legged friend might have a less-than-fresh scent. After all, if there’s a medical reason your dog smells bad, you’ll want to know it.

What causes dog smell?

“Dogs can take on scents from the environments they inhabit,” says Alex Wojenski, resident sustainable cleaning expert at Grove. “Smaller dogs that spend a lot of time on our laps or on furniture may start to smell like the scents in our homes, whereas dogs that spend more time outdoors may pick up nature’s scents.”

Dog smells vary based on various factors, including breed, age, type of fur, health and medical conditions, amount of drool, outdoor activity and, perhaps most important, bathing schedule.

Getting rid of that characteristic dog smell can feel daunting, but there are easy ways to get rid of pet odor, and believe it or not, there are even proven methods to get dog poop out of carpet.

How do I keep my house from smelling like dog?

The most reliable ways to keep your house from smelling like dog include regularly cleaning all the places your dog hangs out and making sure the animal is clean and healthy. Those simple tasks go a long way toward ensuring your house smells like a home, not a kennel.

It’s also a good idea to invest in some cleaning tools and products. Reliable pet hair removers are essential, as is an enzymatic cleaner such as Angry Orange Odor Eliminator and a water-based, solvent-free carpet cleaner such as Folex Instant Carpet Spot Remover, which isn’t just for carpets and can also be used on clothes, drapes, upholstered furniture, dog beds and more.

How do you get rid of dog smell completely?

Dog owners often joke that dog hair and dog smells are constantly renewing resources, but there’s truth to the jest. If you live with dogs, it’s probably not realistic to try to completely rid your home of dog smell, just like it’s not possible to completely rid your home of the fragrance from your laundry detergent, the aroma of woodsmoke from your fireplace or the scent of savory dishes if you’re a regular home chef.

For more than 15 years, the folks at GetRidofThings.com have provided do-it-yourself guides to common problems, and pet odor is one of them. When asked how to get rid of dog smell completely, editor James Morgan said, “Get rid of your dog! Sorry to sound callous, and we are not suggesting you take extreme measures by actually putting your dog up for adoption. Our point is that if you have a dog, you need to learn to address the inevitable smell.”

That said, you can minimize the scent. Keep reading for eight actions you can take to give your home a fresher, less-doggy scent.