Short answer: to get rid of dog smell in the house, stop covering it up. Wash their bed and the fabrics they lie on every week, clean urine with an enzymatic cleaner, air the house daily and treat the air with a diffuser loaded with a neutraliser formulated for animal odour, such as BENDIS Aloe Vera, at low intensity.
Some homes with a dog go through a can of spray a day and still smell of dog. It is not that they clean badly. They are fighting the smell with the wrong tool.
Why spray does not work
Dog smell comes from the oils in their skin: fatty acids and amines that cling to the sofa, the rug and the curtains. An air freshener adds another layer of smell on top. For ten minutes the room smells of lavender and dog. After that, just dog.
Neutralising is something else: acting on the molecules that cause the smell so they stop smelling, instead of competing with them. We explain it in more detail in how odour neutralisation works.
What works and what does not
| Method | Works | What for |
|---|---|---|
| Washing their bed and blankets every week | Yes | Removes the main source |
| Vacuuming daily when they shed | Yes | Less hair, less smell on the sofa |
| Enzymatic cleaner on urine | Yes | Breaks down urine residue |
| Bicarbonate of soda on rugs | On the surface | Sprinkle, wait and vacuum |
| Sprays, candles or reed diffusers | No | Cover it for a few minutes and mix with the smell |
| Bleach or ammonia on urine | No | Can encourage the dog to mark again |
| Neutraliser in a nebulising diffuser | Yes | The smell that stays in the air every day |
Step by step to a home that does not smell of dog
- Find the source. The whole house rarely smells the same: it is usually their bed, the sofa or the hallway.
- Wash at 60 °C whatever the fabric can take, and keep a spare bed.
- Dry them well after rain. Wet dog smell is damp plus bacteria in the coat.
- Bathe them as often as your vet advises, no more. Bathing too often dries the skin and can make it produce more oil.
- Neutralise the air where the dog spends most hours, continuously and on a schedule.
Which diffuser and which neutraliser
Of our three neutralisers, Aloe Vera is the one for animal odour (it also works well with tobacco and damp). It costs €29.99 for 150 ml and €34.99 for 250 ml, and a 250 ml refill lasts about 2 months at home.
To use it you need a nebulising diffuser. For a flat of up to 120 m², the FLOW (€79.99, battery or mains) is the one we recommend most. You will find everything together on the remove dog smell from the house page, with ready-made packs.
Sensible use with your dog around
- Start at the lowest intensity. Their sense of smell is far keener than ours.
- Never point it at the dog, their bed, their food or their water.
- Air the room and leave the door open. If the dog avoids the room, lower the intensity.
- With puppies, older dogs or dogs with breathing problems, ask your vet first.
Frequently asked questions
Why does my house smell of dog if I clean every day?
Because the smell is in the fabrics and in the air, not on the floor. And because you get used to it: visitors notice it and you do not.
What is the best dog odour neutraliser?
One formulated for animal odour and used continuously. At BENDIS, that is Aloe Vera. If the problem is an area with a lot of urine, Jasmine works better on urine.
How do I get dog urine smell out of the sofa?
Blot without rubbing, apply an enzymatic cleaner suitable for upholstery, let it air dry and wash the covers if they come off.
Does the neutraliser bother the dog?
At low intensity and away from the dog, it normally does not. Watch them for the first few days and adjust.
How long before I notice a difference?
With clean fabrics, within a few days. If the sofa or rug is soaked through, the smell will keep coming back until they are deep cleaned.
If you also have a cat or small rodents at home, see our guide to pet odour at home. And if you want to know more about safety, read whether air fresheners are safe for pets.
