How to get rid of pet odor (dog and cat smell)

Step by step

1. 1

   Wash everything the pet lies on

   Wash pet beds, blankets, throws and fabric slipcovers in hot water, weekly if you can, following the care label. Adding baking soda to the detergent helps with pet washables.

   Why: These fabrics hold the hair, dander and skin oil that carry most pet smell.

2. 2

   HEPA-vacuum carpet and upholstery

   Vacuum carpets, rugs and furniture with a HEPA-filter vacuum, and use washable throw rugs where the pet spends time.

   Why: Hair and dander particles carry odor. A HEPA filter traps them instead of blowing fine particles back into the room.

3. 3

   Clean the litter box properly

   Scoop the box regularly, and empty it completely and wash it with mild soap and water every week. Replace a box that still smells after washing.

   Why: Old urine and feces in the litter, and residue scratched into the plastic, are a constant odor source.

4. 4

   Hunt for hidden accidents

   Darken the room and scan carpet, furniture, baseboards and walls with a black light. Treat every glowing spot with an enzyme cleaner made for pet urine.

   Why: An old urine spot is often the real source of a room's pet smell. Enzymes break down the residue that ordinary cleaners leave behind.

5. 5

   Deodorize dry fabrics with baking soda

   Sprinkle baking soda on dry carpet or upholstery, leave it several hours, then vacuum it up.

   Why: Baking soda absorbs and neutralizes leftover odor molecules. It's a finishing step, not a fix for urine.

6. 6

   Bathe the pet and filter the air

   Bathe and groom the pet regularly and dry it well. Run a HEPA air cleaner and use a good HVAC filter.

   Why: This reduces the oil and microbial buildup at the source. Wet fur releases more odor, so drying matters.

What causes dog and cat smell

General pet smell comes from skin oil, hair and dander, plus the compounds made by the yeast and bacteria that live in a healthy coat. Those deposits collect on bedding, upholstery, carpet, car seats and air filters, and keep releasing odor.

There's no single dog-smell molecule. A pilot study cited by a chemistry educator found that compounds such as benzaldehyde, phenylacetaldehyde, acetaldehyde and phenol increased when dog hair got wet, which is why a wet dog smells stronger. In cat homes, a dirty litter box and urine outside it cause the strongest smells.

When the smell is a health sign

A sudden, strong, rancid or yeasty smell from the animal itself can point to a skin or ear problem. Overgrowth of the yeast Malassezia pachydermatis, which normally lives on dogs' skin and ears, causes greasy, smelly skin and ear infections, especially in skin folds and long, drooping ears. Cleaning won't fix that. It needs a vet.

Pet smell in a house, couch, carpet or car

A house: wash, vacuum, clean the litter box, and black-light every room. See dog smell in a house.

A couch: check the cleaning code before using water, wash removable covers and treat accidents. See pet odor on a couch.

Carpet: baking soda and a HEPA vacuum for general smell; enzyme cleaner for urine spots. See pet smell in carpet.

A car: vacuum out the hair, wash seat covers and blankets, and treat any accident with an enzymatic cleaner. Air the car out with windows open or outside-air mode.

By situation

Dog smell

Dogs shed oily dander and hair onto everything they lie on. Weekly washing of their bedding, regular baths, and vacuuming usually bring it down quickly.

Cat smell

Most strong cat smell is urine, either in a neglected litter box or in spots outside it. Clean the box weekly, skip scented litter, which many cats dislike, and black-light for hidden spots. See cat urine for spot treatment.

Wet dog smell

Water releases the odor compounds in the coat. Dry your dog thoroughly after baths, rain or swims, and wash towels used on the dog promptly.

Pet allergies as well as smell

The same steps cut allergens: washing slipcovers and blankets weekly in hot water, running a HEPA air cleaner at least four hours a day, and HEPA vacuuming.

What not to do

• Don't rely on air fresheners or scented sprays. The hair, dander, oil and urine residue stay in place and keep producing odor.
• Don't clean pet accidents with ammonia-based products. Humane society guidance warns that ammonia-based cleaners can draw the pet back to the same spot.
• Don't ignore a sudden strong smell from the pet. Yeast overgrowth and ear infections cause odor and need veterinary treatment.
• Don't run an ozone generator in a room with people or pets. EPA says ozone irritates the lungs and doesn't remove odors at safe levels.

Other methods that work

Washable throws and covers

Covering the pet's favorite spots with washable blankets or slipcovers moves most of the oil and hair onto fabric you can launder every week.

Caution: Wash them often; a dirty throw becomes an odor source itself.

A new litter box

Plastic boxes get scratched over time and hold odor in the grooves. Replace one that still smells after a soap-and-water wash.

Stain still there?

The room still smells after a deep clean

Look for urine you haven't found yet with a black light, including on walls and furniture legs. Old spots need repeated enzyme treatment.

The dog smells bad again a day after a bath

A fast-returning smell, especially a yeasty or rancid one, can be a skin or ear problem. Ask a vet.

Safety

• Keep pets off floors and furniture you've cleaned until the product has dried, and follow the label.
• Never mix bleach with ammonia or acids; the combinations release toxic gases.

Never mix cleaning products; see chemicals you must never combine.

Questions

Get rid of pet odor in a specific place

• Pet odor in carpet
• Pet odor in a couch
• Pet odor in the house