We've all experienced it. You walk into someone's tidy home, but whew, it stinks. And you wonder how can someone who appears to be so clean let their home smell like a wet dog? It's called "nose blind." Your friend is blind to the odors because they're with them all the time. Which may bring you to the question, "are you nose blind?" Do you need to get rid of pet odors in your home?
Where do odors come from?
Let's start with the obvious odors—those you can see. With pets, that's the litter box or the "oopsy daisy" on carpets, rugs and upholstery. (Why is it that pets never seem to poop, pee or vomit on the tile floor where it's easy to clean?) These sources of odors must be thoroughly cleaned, or the odor will linger long after Fluffy's misdeeds have dried. Sometimes that means pulling up the carpet and treating the carpet pad underneath or blotting upholstery until you're blue in the face.
You'll need a strong cleaning solution that won't harm your pet or carpet and upholstery fibers. At SoRite, our solution is aptly named "PISS OFF+." There are others on the market which we'll discuss, but here's how PISS OFF+ works:
First, remove the source of the odor i.e. the poop or the vomit or blot up as much urine as you can using a roll of dry paper towels.
Second, saturate the offensive area with PISS OFF+ at full strength. Let the product dwell for 10 minutes.
Third, blot up the liquid using a clean paper towel each time. When it looks like the paper towel is coming up almost dry then I start putting the pressure on using my foot to blot up even more liquid.
Finish by putting down a layer of several paper towels and sit the bottle or some other heavy item on top of the towels and let the weight of the object wick up any remaining liquid. That takes about an hour. If after following these steps the spot still stinks, go back to the second step and repeat. It's usually not necessary, but in the case of very strong odors, a second dose of PISS OFF+ will remove the odor.
But what about odors that you can't see? Those usually come from pet dander or skin oils. Again, our first-hand experience is with PISS OFF. If you have pets, it's important to vacuum and mop often. You can use PISS OFF at a dilution of 10:1 to mop your floors after vacuuming. And while you can't "mop" your upholstery or carpet, you can use PISS OFF at a dilution ratio of 10:1 in your carpet extractor or fogger such as our PISS OFF+ fogger. When fogging, apply using a sweeping motion rather than saturating the fabric.
PISS OFF+ also works in the laundry. Use an 8 ounce cup in a top or front loader to eliminate odors in pet bedding.
What about some of the odor eliminating tools on the market?
Over the years, our team has experimented with a variety of so-called odor eliminators—odor absorbers (gels, blocks, pads), enzymes, air purifiers, diffusers, UV-C technology, ionic purifiers, etc. Some of these tools are simply masking the odors with fragrance. The best of the best work through oxidation which changes the DNA of the odor molecules. A word of caution though, some of these tools can be detrimental to your health, such as ozone machines, especially if you have asthma or a compromised immune system. Also, some of the air purifiers actually make ozone. I would read everything I could before buying a "filterless" air purifier to make sure it is right for your family and those who come into your home.
No matter what tool or product you buy to eliminate odors in your home, it's absolutely necessary to eliminate the source of the odor. Some places you may not think to look:
• The tops of your cabinets and appliances. Cooking oils from frying or sautéing go airborne with heat. They end up on the tops of your cabinets and the grease attracts dust and other odor molecules. Use your hood vent when cooking and clean the tops of cabinets with a degreaser on a regular basis, because grease stinks.
• About once a month, clean the rubber ring inside your washing machine with a disinfectant and microfiber cloth to kill bacteria and mold. Saturate the cloth and wipe the top of the ring as well as underneath. The bottom side is where you'll likely find mold and mildew.
• If there is a musty smell in your home, then there is mold or mildew. To eliminate the odor, you must find the source. Before tackling any type of mold removal, especially black mold, please read the information on this website from the Environmental Protection Agency. If using a disinfectant to kill the mold, make sure you read the label and allow the proper amount of dwell time to kill the mold effectively.
• If you're a pet owner, there are several things you can do to keep your home odor free. Brush or comb your pet often to remove dander. If the pet stinks, it's time for a bath no matter how much they put up a fuss. Wash their bedding often. Vacuum carpets and upholstery several times a week. Have carpets and upholstery professionally cleaned on at least an annual basis.
• Sometimes making your home smell fresher is as simple as taking out the trash. Every time I empty my indoor trash receptacles, I give them a spritz of PISS OFF+.
The Clean Truth
At The SoRite Company, we’re a little obsessed with education. We don’t just make disinfectants — we teach people how to clean smarter, faster, and safer. When you know better, you clean better.