Keeping your home smelling fresh when you have a young, untrained dog or cat can be a real challenge. Antonella Dési provides some helpful tips to make the job a little easier.

Pets very often carry viruses, bacteria and parasites into the house, which can be harmful to your health. Animals also have body odour, just as we do, and the bigger the animal, the stronger the odour may be. As such, the first rule of owning a pet is that you keep them clean and well washed at all times to allow you to live happily side by side. However, it is also important not to wash them too regularly, as this could have a nasty effect on the animal's skin, causing eczema, rashes and irritations. Most vets agree that giving your dog or cat a good wash once every two weeks should suffice. Also, if your pets are living indoors, it is essential that you conscientiously keep up with anti-tick and flea treatments as prescribed by your vet.

Prevention

Prevention is always better than cure, so try and limit the amount of time your pets are indoors and the areas in your home that they can access. Animals should be left outside to run around during the day while you are at work. This is not only good for your home, but it is healthy for your pets and will ensure that they get adequate exercise and exposure to the sun. Be sure however, that your pets have a comfortable and protected area outside for when it rains or when the sun gets too hot. There are a number of kennels for this, however the plastic igloo-type kennels are a preferred choice – they are very affordable, completely waterproof, exceptionally durable and are easy to clean.

Brush your pets regularly, to minimise the amount of pet hair that gets left behind on your carpets, drapes and furniture. Brush them outside, to prevent any hair from getting into the house. Even short haired animals continuously shed their hair, so no matter what kind of cat or dog you have, give them a good brush at least once a week – it will keep the loose dog hair down to a minimum, your pet will look better for it and will no doubt love the attention.

Cleaning carpets

If your pet has managed to urinate on a carpet, it is important to act immediately. The quicker you clean it up, the less likely that your home will smell of urine. Your odour and stain combat kit is made up of two spray bottles: one consisting of a mix of dishwashing liquid and water, while the other has a mix of one part vinegar and two parts water.

First off, spray the stain with the dishwashing liquid and rub the area gently with a rag until the stain is gone. Having removed the stain, it is now time to remove the smell with the vinegar mix – spray the area with the vinegar, as this helps to break up the urine and just also happens to be a bactericide. It contains agents that will kill the bacteria and remove the bad smells. If the stain and odour are stubborn, keep repeating the process until they are gone. Now, using paper towel, press down on the area until all the moisture is completely removed. Then, pour a lot of salt on the affected area and leave it until the area is completely dry. Once it is dry, vacuum up the salt and the carpet should be as good as new.

Cleaning tiled, paved or concrete surfaces

If your cat has managed to urinate onto a tiled, paved or concrete surface, wash it down with a cleaning liquid that has no ammonia in it. Once this is done, repeat the process and then dry the affected area. Now mix 10% bleach with water in a spray bottle. Open all windows and doors and spray the entire area down. This must be left to stand for about five minutes and then wipe the area down with a damp rag. This should get rid of the smell once and for all. The animals will not be able to smell that they were messing there before, and so should leave the area alone.

Furniture and curtains

If you do have pets inside the home all the time, it would probably be wise to get the furniture, curtains and carpets professionally cleaned twice a year. You may not smell the animal odour in your home because you live with them all the time, but visitors definitely will. Also, the odour will encourage your pets to keep on using that area as a toilet.

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