Nowadays, it seems like everyone has a four-legged friend at home. Almost 70% of households in the U.S. own a pet, which according to the latest research is 86.9 Million US Households. They make great companions, they can reduce stress, and they can easily become part of the family overnight.
While there are countless benefits to having a pet, there are also some potential drawbacks. One of the biggest ones for pet owners is keeping things fresh, especially in a small space.
The last thing you want is your apartment to smell like a litter box or your small home to smell like a wet dog. Unfortunately, these odors tend to stand out more in small spaces and can make things feel stuffy or dirty.
Thankfully, there are things you can do to keep your small space feeling fresh when you have pets. Knowing how to keep odors from accumulating will make your small home smell clean and bright whenever you walk in the door. Let’s cover a few tips that will make life cleaner, fresher, and easier with your furry best friend.
Use Products You Love
Regular cleaning is a great way to keep your home looking and feeling great. Your home should feel like a haven and a place you can always turn to when you want to relax. A clean home makes that much easier. Studies have shown that a clean home can even help to reduce anxiety.
However, not all cleaning products are the same.
It’s important to use products that will establish a healthy environment in your home and a safe one for you and your pets. Some cleaning products contain harsh chemicals that could be toxic for your pets, harmful to the environment, and even potentially dangerous for you and your family. Try using the following ingredients if you want to focus on green cleaning solutions that will deodorize and keep things fresh.
- Vinegar
- Baking soda
- Hydrogen peroxide
- Lemon juice
When dealing with fine fabrics, it’s always best to refer to the professionals when accidents happen. The ingredients listed, when combined, can cause permanent damage to some fibers. Some ingredients may complicate the chemistry of stains on soft fibers and can actually decrease cleaning potential. It’s often best to apply stain protection before accidents happen.
You can also use certain essential oils to create a specific atmosphere in your home and give it a signature “scent.” However, make sure you read labels on all essential oils and do your research ahead of time – not all are safe for dogs or cats.
Deodorize the Air
If you have a pet, you already understand how much their smell can linger. That’s not exactly something you want to come home to each day, and certainly not something you want your guests to experience.
While regular cleaning is a great way to keep odors from lingering on surfaces, it doesn’t always get rid of the smells in the air or the ones that “latch” onto things like carpet and furniture.
However, there are things you can do to not only deodorize the air in your home but make it cleaner and easier to breathe for the people who live there. If you or someone in your home has respiratory issues or conditions like asthma, cleaning the air can make a big difference.
You can start by regularly vacuuming your carpeted floors, rugs, and furniture. Pet hair and dander can easily get “stuck” in fabric and cause odors to linger. If possible, throw rugs, blankets, or throw pillow covers in the washing machine once a month for a deep cleaning to make everything smell fresher.
You can also filter the air in your home naturally by bringing in houseplants. Plants like English Ivy, Dragon trees, and Peace Lilies are all great for cleaning the air, and indoor plants are fantastic for reducing stress and boosting your mental health.
Open Up Your Home
When you live in a small space, it’s easy for rooms to feel cramped. While you can do things to make your space seem bigger, including decorating and arranging things a specific way, you can also improve the “feel” of a room and freshen it up by ventilating it as much as possible by:
- Opening windows
- Opening doors with screens
- Circulating air from one room to another
- Keeping your ventilation systems clean and updated
Almost nothing will keep your home smelling cleaner than natural fresh air. As a bonus, letting in light from open windows and doors will help to improve your mood naturally and can even cut down on energy costs since you won’t have to run your air conditioning unit as often. Whenever you have a nice day, take advantage of it by opening up as many doors and windows as you can!
Living in a small space with pets doesn’t have to mean your rooms are stuffy and stinky. You deserve to breathe easier whenever you walk in the door, and not deal with embarrassment or concern when you have guests over. By putting some of these ideas into practice, you can freshen up your small space, and enjoy several additional benefits along the way. That’s something everyone in your family – including the furriest members – will appreciate.
