If you have pets, how do you keep the house smelling fresh?

[busywend]

If you find the right kitty litter for your cat, it should not smell. I can not use many of the brands because it just does not mask the smell like a couple others. I think every cat is different. Just find the right one for your cat.

 

[AnnieO]

LOL - we use the generic PetSmart stuff - 'cause Tidy Cats makes the WHOLE HOUSE reek - and the litter box is in the GARAGE.

 

[Star*]

I had rats......they smell (typically) worse than anything and were litter box trained. I found that Unscented Yesterdays news and Unscented Feline pine worked the best without gobs of odors. (you can't use odor based litter with rats it is caustic to them) I'm not sure why - but maybe Step 2 has a point with unscented litter.

Also - a cats DIET has a ton to do with it. Product in/product out. THere are foods you can feed that will cause your pets poo to smell less. No joke.

 

[AnnieO]

Ferrets are pretty bad too... I refused to let husband have them when we moved in together. When we got the house, I told him - one dog or one ferret, you choose - and mother in law wanted him to take the dog. Case closed. No ferrets. (I have a CAT that I call WEASEL as it is...)

And something Star said - about unscented - I never made the connection before but now that I think about it... Possum is allergic to the perfume in fabric softener, so why not the scent in cat litter?

Baking soda will help. OH I know what I was going to say!!! If you can get hold of eucalyptus candles or essential oil. Eucalyptus even kills the smell of cigarette smoke, smells fresh AND usually doesn't bother allergies too much!!!!! (Dad swears by it, and he's pretty much allergic to breathing.)

 

[emotionallybankrupt]

Baby wipes are my best friend. I go through many of them, especially in allergy season, wiping the dogs down when they come inside, until the baby wipe comes off clean. One of the most effective control measures I've found, though, is to fill a bucket about halfway with warm water, and "dunk" each doggie foot in the water and rub it good before I let the dogs in, after they've romped in the dust or mud. It seems that more "junk" comes in on their feet than any other way, and so that has worked very well! So...we have regular foot washings on the back deck!