We have a slang term to describe a physical condition known as anosmia. The condition is one typified by a temporary loss of the ability to smell. We call it being ‘noseblind’ in the vernacular. It is no laughing matter when the condition is caused by an underlying medical problem. When it is just a matter of getting used to certain smells, it’s not a big deal.

We say all that to say this: it is pretty common for pet owners to become noseblind to the smells their animals produce. Just like a sanitation worker no longer smells the garbage in his truck, pet owners can get to a point where they are no longer cognizant of the litter box or the wet dog smell that accompanies walks in the rain.

So what do you do when your noseblindness suddenly ceases? What do you do when you come home from a three-week vacation and suddenly realize just how bad your house smells?

Pull Out the Vinegar

There is no shortage of commercial cleaning products you can use to address pet odors. Unfortunately, not all of them are actually safe for your pets. For example, you really shouldn’t clean the box with bleach. There are more natural solutions that will not harm your pets. Vinegar is one of them.

Let’s say you are getting ready to put the dog bed into the washing machine. Run a rinse cycle with a half cup of vinegar first and you’ll discover that the bed comes out odor free. You may need to rise and wash twice if it has been a while since you last put the bed through the wash.

Vinegar is also an excellent option for cleaning the litter box. Vinegar works very well to cut odors caused by urine, feces, and vomit. Just empty out the litter box, rinse it well, and then clean it with straight vinegar. Rinse it again and you’re all set.

Activated Charcoal and Baking Soda

You may still smell pet odors even after washing thoroughly with vinegar. That is because the smells are in the air. The solution is to absorb the odors with either activated charcoal or baking soda. Some people even use coffee grounds.

Baking soda is especially helpful if you have odors trapped in the carpet. Just sprinkle baking soda on the affected area and leave it overnight. Vacuum it up in the morning and you should notice the smell is either gone or significantly diminished.

Turn to Essential Oils

Cleaning and absorbing pet odors should make an enormous difference over time. But even the most thorough cleaning will not prevent your pets from producing additional odors just through their daily routines. So for those issues, turn to essential oils.

According to Zephyr, makers of the Zephyr Fresh whole-home diffuser, essential oils are exceptionally fragrant because of the volatile compounds they possess. Those volatile compounds evaporate rather easily at normal temperatures. That makes them ideal as their fresheners.

A whole-home diffuser system distributes essential oils throughout the home using the air circulation of the furnace or air conditioner. Whole-home diffusion is one of the easiest ways to freshen the air in every room of the house without having to buy multiple plug-in or solid air fresheners.

That moment you suddenly realize your house smells like your pets is not pleasant. But you do not have to stick your head in the sand and hope others don’t notice. You can do something about pet odors with the strategic use of vinegar, charcoal, baking soda, and essential oils.