Recipes for Pet Odor Removal

Pet odors typically come in three varieties:

Wet dog, dog feces and cat urine.

Of the three, wet dog is the easiest to deal with. Cat urine, of course, is the most difficult. In fact, if cat urine has been allowed to dry in the carpet or upholstery, it's often impossible to remove.

Sometimes the only option a homeowner has is to rip out the carpet and pad or discard the furniture. But, before you resort to such drastic and expensive steps, you can first make your own pet odor remover and attempt to rid your house of the offensive smell.

Removing the Wet Dog Smell:

Water and oil don't mix, especially on a dog. The wet dog smell is caused by water coming into contact with the oils on your dog's skin. To reduce the wet dog smell on your dog and to prevent the smell from spreading to the rest of the house, grab a box of baking soda and follow these easy steps.

1. Thoroughly dry your dog after he's been swimming or out in the rain or snow
2. Depending on his size, sprinkle two to four tablespoons of baking soda over his body
3. Massage the baking soda into his fur with your hands
4. Brush him thoroughly

Dog Feces:

The smell of dog poop usually goes away once the feces is removed from the house. However, the smell can linger, along with bacteria and health dangers. To make your own pet odor remover for dog poop, you'll need white distilled vinegar and warm water.

• Mix one-part white distilled vinegar with one-part warm water
• While wearing the disposable gloves, dip the sponge in the vinegar and water solution
• If the feces was left on a tile or hardwood floor, wipe down the entire area
• If it was left on a carpet, rub the spot gently

Cat Urine:

Cat smells from urine that was left on a hardwood or tile floor can be eliminated the same way the odor of dog feces is eliminated. However, if your cat has urinated on the carpet or on upholstery, you'll need to add baking soda to the solution.

• Add one-half to three-quarters of a box of baking soda to the vinegar/water mix in order to make a paste
• Lightly spread the paste on the carpet or on the upholstery
• Let dry overnight and then vacuum

If the urine has penetrated the carpet pad or the upholstery stuffing, you might want to try steam cleaning. Cleaning carpets and upholstery is a fine balance between enough water and vinegar to remove the smell, but not so much that mold begins to grow.

The steam released from the steam cleaner will penetrate the fibers of the pad or the stuffing and will hopefully dissolve the enzymes that are causing the smell.