[dragonfly1234]

I know this sounds silly but I have a dog and cat and want to know druing the winter months how you keep your house smelling really good and not dog and cat?

I love my pets but also love the outdoor fresh. Would love suggestions that you all may have!

I hav

[rachelandbrad]

One word, Roomba. We have 2 dog's and they shed, the roomba is a robotic vacume that you can program to vacume everyday, and it really makes a big diffrence. I love it and will never go with out it, infact when we go out to my mom's, she has a dog also, I take it with me and use it at her house. If your looking for a way to cover up the smell, I put a few cinnamon sticks and an orange in a small pot, add water and let it simmer, it smells great but it's just a cover up.

Rachel

Roomba

[dragonfly1234]

Thank you for the ideas...Can't wait to try them

[DianeS]

Keeping the animals and their bedding clean is the most help, I've found. If the dog and cat don't smell bad, then there's nothing to spread to the rest of the house, KWIM?

Opening the windows on any semi-nice day is helpful, too. A couple hours of a cold house is nothing compared to the relief from the stuffiness of a closed up house. Especially if people have been sick, getting all the medicine smell blown out is great.

[Tudu]

Originally Posted by rachelandbrad

If your looking for a way to cover up the smell, I put a few cinnamon sticks and an orange in a small pot, add water and let it simmer, it smells great but it's just a cover up.

I love doing this but I will use any left over fruit like peaches and pears with a few drops of vanilla. It makes your mouth water all day.

[dragonfly1234]

Great ideas! I love when the windows are open for fresh air and try to do it when the weather is semi warm.

Tudu...love the idea of peaches, pears and vanilla! I usually tend to use alot of cinnamon and apples but I must try your combination.

[CaddoRose]

Vaccuming regularly; Frebreeze or other fabric refresher; a simmering potpourri pot. I have an electric pot that liquid potpourri goes in- change the fragrance with the seasons. The fabric refreshers are great too because the odors of pets get into the fabric and without cleaning them, the spray does the trick. It needs time to dry- I spray when I leave the house or when I go to bed. It must dry to take the odor away.

[momagain5]

i like to use the yankee candle plugins,you can chose the scents you want.once you have the units just buy refills.

[rachelandbrad]

I also sometime's spray my dog's with fabreze when it's snowing and they are wet but have to come in the house. They don't seem to mind and everywhere they go smells good.

[dragonfly1234]

I love fabreeze....so rachelandbrad what a great idea....I must try it!!!

[BZmom7]

I went out and bought some car fresheners. I got the ones that attach to the vents in your car....I put them on my vents, so anytime my heat kicks on....I get a fresh smell of vanilla!

[mrsred]

The first thing we do for the smell is keep the cat box under contrl. There is a big difference in the effectiveness of cat liter brands on odor control. We have two cats, and the only one I have found that works well to control litter is Scoop Away... I buy it in the huge size at Costco. The second thing is that the litter box needs to be screened at least every other day with new litter added. This job belongs to my two oldest. We went through a lot of different systems of taking turns (I did it last, no I did it last) befoer I finally just decided to go by the month. It is really easy to know whose job it is when they have the job for the whole month. If I notice a smell as I go up the stairs I immediately set someone to work.
As for the dog, she usually doesn't carry an odor as she is very short haired.
I do have a reed difuser right inside my front door, so the first scent (the one that is going to be noticed0 is always that one.

[dragonfly1234]

More great ideas guys....thanks so much!

[kdecrow]

Use an old saucepan, fill it halfway with water and add 1/4 cup liquid pinesol. Bring to a gentle boil. It will permeate the fabrics in the house and make the air smell fresh.

When I was little, my neighbor used to do this and it smelled like her house was always so clean!

Kim

[dragonfly1234]

Thanks for another great idea kdecrow!