Short answer: to get rid of pet smell at home, tackle the source first (bed, sofa, litter tray and pee spots) and then the air. Wash the animal's textiles, clean urine with an enzyme cleaner, air the home every day and neutralise the air with a nebuliser loaded with the BENDIS Aloe Vera neutraliser, formulated for the fatty acids and amines that cause dog and cat smell.
Why your home smells of pets (even when you clean)
Dog or cat smell is not dirt: it is chemistry. The animal's skin, fur, saliva and urine release fatty acids and amines, molecules that dissolve in fat, not water, and settle into sofas, rugs, curtains and mattresses. On top of that, people who live in the home get used to it and stop noticing: visitors smell it as soon as they walk in and you do not. We explain it in depth in fatty acids and amines: the science behind pet smell.
How to get rid of pet smell at home in 5 steps
- Find the source. The whole house rarely smells the same. Check the animal's bed, the sofa it climbs on, rugs, the litter tray and corners where it has ever peed.
- Wash whatever can be washed. Bed, blankets, cushion and sofa covers, at 60 °C if the fabric allows. Vacuum fur daily during shedding season, under furniture too.
- Clean pee with an enzyme cleaner. Enzymes break down urine residue that water and soap cannot remove. Do not use bleach or ammonia: they smell similar to urine and the animal tends to mark the same spot again.
- Air the home every day. Ten minutes with windows open on opposite sides renews the air and lowers humidity, which is what fixes the smell.
- Neutralise the air. A nebuliser with Aloe Vera neutraliser in the area where the animal lives acts on the odour molecules still in the air and those released later.
How to get rid of dog smell at home for good
Dogs smell more when wet, in summer and if their bed is not washed often. As well as the 5 steps:
- Dry them properly after a rainy walk or a bath. "Wet dog smell" is moisture plus bacteria in the fur.
- Brush them often, ideally outdoors. Less loose fur means less smell on the sofa.
- Bathe them as often as your vet advises. Bathing too much dries out the skin and can produce more oil and more smell.
- Wash their bed every week and keep a spare.
If you have lived with a dog for years and the smell is deeply set, the key is consistency: as long as the dog lives at home it keeps producing those molecules every day, so the neutraliser has to run continuously in the area where it spends most time, replacing the refill when it runs out. A one-off air freshener will never cope with that.
How to get rid of cat smell at home
In a home with a cat, the problem is almost always the litter tray:
- Scoop it every day and change the litter completely on a regular basis, washing the tray.
- Put it somewhere ventilated, not in a cupboard or a bathroom with no window.
- Do not put the diffuser right next to the litter tray or food bowl. Cats are very sensitive to smells and may stop using the tray. The neutraliser goes in the room, at a distance and at low intensity.
How to get rid of dog or cat pee smell
- Blot with kitchen paper, without rubbing, so you do not spread the stain.
- Apply an enzyme cleaner and leave it for the time stated on the pack.
- Let it air-dry and ventilate the room.
- If you do not know where it is, a UV torch makes old urine stains visible.
- Neutralise what remains in the air. For general pet smell, Aloe Vera. If the main problem is a corner or a bathroom with a strong urine smell, the Jasmine neutraliser is the one of the three that handles urine best.
Home remedies for pet smell: what works and what does not
| Remedy | Does it work? | What for |
|---|---|---|
| Bicarbonate of soda on rugs and sofa | Yes, on the surface | Sprinkle, leave a few hours and vacuum |
| Diluted white vinegar | Yes, on surfaces and in the washing machine rinse | Floors, trays and washable textiles |
| Enzyme cleaner | Yes, it is the best for urine | Pee stains, recent or old |
| Air freshener sprays, candles and reed diffusers | No | They mask the smell for a few minutes and mix with it |
| Ultrasonic diffuser with water | Not much | Adds a little scent, but does not neutralise animal smell |
| Bleach or ammonia on urine | No | They can encourage the animal to mark again |
| Odour neutraliser in a nebuliser | Yes, in the air | The smell textiles and the animal keep releasing |
Aloe Vera neutraliser for pet smell
Of the three BENDIS neutralisers, Aloe Vera is the most effective on pet smell, because it is formulated for that chemical family: fatty acids and amines. It is not an air freshener that adds perfume on top of the smell: it acts on the molecules that produce it and leaves a fresh, soft note. It is also the best option for tobacco, damp and fish smells, in case your home has several of them.
How to use a neutraliser at home with a dog or cat
- Low intensity. Their sense of smell is far more sensitive than ours. Start soft and only go up if needed.
- A ventilated room with the door open, so the animal can leave if it bothers them.
- Never on the animal, its bed, its food or its water. The neutraliser is nebulised into the air.
- With cats, even softer and away from the litter tray and food bowl.
- Watch. If the animal avoids the room, lower the intensity or move the unit. If in doubt with a puppy or kitten, an older animal or one with breathing problems, ask your vet.
More on scents and animals in scents and pets: what precautions to take.
How long it lasts and how much it costs
The Aloe Vera neutraliser costs €29.99 for 150 ml and €34.99 for 250 ml. Up-to-date prices are in the fragrances and neutralisers collection.
| How you use it | Approximate duration of 250 ml |
|---|---|
| Intensive, with the unit running 24 hours | 1 month |
| At home, normal use | 2 months |
| Soft and only a few hours a day (typical with pets) | 3 to 4 months |
You need a nebuliser to load it into. For a flat of up to 100 m² a LUME is enough; if the home is up to 120 m² or the smell is strong, FLOW gives more headroom. Many families combine both: neutraliser in the living room, where the dog sleeps, and a soft fragrance in another room. You will find more units in the home collection and in our guide to scent diffusers for the home.
If you run a vet clinic, a dog grooming salon or a dog day care, the approach changes because there are many animals at once. You may be interested in how odour is controlled in a dog day care, or email us at info@bendis.es.
Frequently asked questions
How do I get rid of dog smell at home for good?
There is no single trick: wash its bed and textiles every week, vacuum daily, dry it well when it gets wet and keep an Aloe Vera neutraliser running in the area where it spends most time. As long as the dog lives at home, the smell keeps being produced, so what works is consistency.
How long until I notice a difference?
If you have cleaned the fabrics first, the improvement in the air shows within a few days of continuous use. If the smell is embedded in a sofa or rug, it will keep coming back until that is deep cleaned.
How do I get rid of cat smell at home?
A clean litter tray every day in a ventilated spot, litter changed regularly, pee stains treated with enzyme cleaner and a neutraliser at low intensity in the room, away from the tray.
What is the best odour neutraliser for pets?
One formulated for fatty acids and amines, the molecules behind animal smell. At BENDIS it is Aloe Vera. If the specific problem is very concentrated urine, Jasmine handles urine better.
Can I use a fragrance instead of the neutraliser?
You can, but the fragrance mixes with the animal smell and the result is usually worse. Neutralise first; once the background smell is gone, adding fragrance makes sense.
Is it safe to use a neutraliser at home with pets?
It is used in the air, at low intensity, in a ventilated room and never applied to the animal or its food. With cats, even softer. If your pet has breathing problems, ask your vet first.
How do I get dog pee smell out of the sofa?
Blot without rubbing, apply an enzyme cleaner suitable for upholstery, leave it to work and air-dry, and wash the covers if they come off. Then neutralise any smell left in the room.
How long does a neutraliser refill last?
The 250 ml lasts about 2 months in a home with normal use, 1 month if the unit runs 24 hours at high intensity and up to 3 or 4 months if it runs softly a few hours a day.
Are there other smells in your home besides the pet? See the guide to choosing an odour neutraliser.
