My two dogs are a huge part of my family, life and cleaning regimen. There is “Louie the Wonder Beagle” and “Ziggy the Beast”. I am sure you can imagine their personalities based on their colorful names. Neither dog knows they are not human, so they love to be wherever I am in the house. They even occasionally steal a car ride when I am headed to work at my cleaning business. They seem to be everywhere in one form or another. On the couch, in the laundry room, and in the kitchen stealing snacks from my team on video shoots. Louie sheds hair like crazy, but Ziggy on the other hand is an Airedale Terrier and doesn’t share his hair nearly as much. In any case, I have become a cleaning expert at battling pet hair in my house. But I still have one area I fear: Pet smells!
My dogs, "Ziggy the Beast" and "Louie the Wonder Beagle" like to share their cuteness, pet hair and doggie aroma in the house! I use this DIY carpet deodorizer to keep that "cuteness" at bay!
Unpleasant dog odor can come from many places. Ziggy’s coat is oilier than many other dog breeds which causes it to be stinkier during certain seasons. But a dog’s coat isn’t the only culprit - pet odor can seep into your carpets! Our house is primarily hardwood floors but the living and family rooms do have carpet rugs - which just happens to be the places my dogs like to lounge the most! These are also the areas of my home where guests tend to hangout.
One such time was when my mother-in-law was coming for a visit. Before she arrived, I was nervous there was a dog smell coming from the carpet in front of the television and around the couches. I knew my mother-in-law, or myself for that matter, would not appreciate the aroma welcoming her stay. Lighting candles wasn’t going to do it. So it was time to do a full on carpet deodorizer session in the Bates’ home!
Having pets means you need to use cleaning products that are safe and effective. Pet safe cleaning is a huge part of my cleaning regimen at home and in my cleaning business. But guess what?! You don’t have to spend a lot of money on deodorizer treatments to eliminate dog odor in your carpet! Here is my D.I.Y. cleaning tip on how to make pet-safe carpet deodorizer:
Ingredients and tools for pet-safe carpet deodorizer:
- ½ cup borax
- ½ cup baking soda
- Plastic container for mixing and storage
- 20 drops of essential oil of choice (a lavender blend is a good choice)
- Sifter
- Spoon
Mix the borax, baking soda and essential oil in a large bowl with spoon. You can then put it in a pretty mason jar with a lid but I never have time for that, so I leave it in a labeled plastic container. Find the carpet areas of your home where your pets hang out the most. For our home, Louie and Ziggy LOVE the carpet rug in the living room area, with direct view of my kitchen counters. They like to watch me cook as they chew on bones and snooze. Spoon the mixture through a sifter (to break up any big clots) and over the most trafficked areas. Wait 30 minutes and then vacuum up the carpet! It is completely pet friendly, natural and will leave your carpet and home smelling amazing!
Then, use these other cleaning tips between carpet deodorizer treatments to keep your home smelling great:
- Open the windows to let fresh air in at least once per day, for at least 10 minutes
- On occasion, vacuum the underside of area rugs to help minimize the dust and pet dander dogs create.
- Change your vacuum bag regularly
- Clean up pet accidents right away
- Use a blacklight to check for any accident spots you may have missed
- Keep your pets groomed
- Clean cages, crates and pet bedding regularly
- Have a lint roller and microfiber towel handy to rid furniture and lamps of pet hair in a hurry
- Check out these other great Clean-House Tips for Pet Owners from MarthaStewart.com