If you’re like many pet parents, you know that selling your home is going to be a little more challenging with four-legged family members. So how do you remove pet odors from your home when you’re trying to sell? This guide gives you three simple options.
When you live in a home with pets, your house is bound to have odors – even if you don’t notice them because you’re immersed in them all the time. Your best bet is to ask your REALTOR® if your home smells like pets live there; otherwise, ask a trusted friend or family member the next time they come by for a visit. There’s a good chance that the answer is yes, and in that case, here’s what you can do:
- Hire a professional cleaner for carpets and furnishings
- Wash and dry all your pet’s items
- Sprinkle baking soda or spritz vinegar around areas that your pet frequents
Here’s a closer look at each.
Tip #1 for Removing Pet Odor: Hire a Professional Cleaner for Carpets and Furnishings
Bring in the big guns to deep-clean your carpets and upholstered furnishings by hiring a professional cleaner. Generally, professional carpet cleaning is cost-effective – though it does require you to move all your furnishings and wait for the carpets to dry. Many professional carpet cleaners also offer upholstery services, which means you can kill two birds with one stone.
If you don’t want to hire a professional, that’s okay too. You can typically rent professional-grade carpet cleaning equipment at your favorite home improvement store. Just make sure you spot-check before cleaning your entire carpet; you don’t want the chemicals you’re using to cause discoloration. And be cautious with furnishings, too – make sure you follow manufacturers’ instructions carefully.
Tip #2 for Removing Pet Odor: Wash and Dry All Your Pet’s Items
Your pet’s bed, cloth toys and other items are probably among the main culprits causing pet odors in your home, so give them all a thorough cleaning. Wash and dry everything (without scented soaps or fabric softener, which can irritate your pet’s skin and breathing passages).
Use these tips to wash your pet’s go-to gear:
- Wash everything at the highest possible temperature to kill off odor-causing bacteria
- Avoid strong smells, which can irritate your pet (or turn them off to their once-favorite items)
- Rinse items twice to make sure you get all the detergent out
- Air dry pet beds or put them in the dryer on the low-heat setting; anything else could cause them to shrink or become misshapen, or damage the materials inside
- Avoid using dryer sheets on your pet’s items
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Tip #3 for Removing Pet Odor: Use Baking Soda or Vinegar (or Both)
Baking soda and vinegar are natural odor neutralizers. You can sprinkle baking soda on nearly anything that’s affected by pet odor; simply vacuum it away after letting it absorb odor for at least 15 minutes.
Vinegar’s a little different. You can create a spray solution using 1 part vinegar and 3 parts water. If you spray this solution on your carpet or furnishings, make sure you’ve done a spot test first. Vinegar (and other liquids) can discolor or damage some items.
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