Our lovely pets and dangers they carry! How to get rid of unpleasant odors and protect yourself from harmful airborne particles?

Like many other pleasurable activities, the love to furry pets has its side effects. Dogs and cat owners themselves or anyone who has ever stepped foot in a house with a pet are familiar with them. Therefore, the question of how to remove the smell from the pets in the apartment worries all pet owners without exception.

Let us share some tips on how to eliminate the smell of a cat or dog, with the help of folk remedies and modern technology. Not many modern household remedies are able to eliminate the smell completely, without traces of it.

General causes of pet odors

Pet odors quickly become persistent in the interior of the living apartment. Therefore the first step should be an examination of its source - the pet. Next step is to check the home environment: the items used by the pet and the furniture itself, soft carpets and corners under sofas and beds, etc.

Odor formation can be due to a variety of causes:

1. The breed's predisposition to smell;

2. Lack of regular hygiene procedures for the pet;

3. Improperly selected pet shampoo;

4. Diseases of the pet;

5. Unsanitary condition of the dog bed;

6. Tidbits hid away by the pet;

7. The dog has littered in the wrong place;

8. Physiological reasons: the bitch's heat, metabolic disorders, and other malfunctions in the animal's body;

9. The litter box is not periodically treated with a disinfectant solution;

10. The litter in the litter box is not replaced in a timely manner;

11. Obstruction of the pet's perianal glands;

12. Hot summer weather can cause a pet to sweat.

Luckily, there are ways to combat bad pet odors.

How can we protect ourselves from pollution?

A healthy and well-groomed pet should not give off an unpleasant strong odor. In order to take care of your pet properly, it is necessary to follow the obligatory hygienic procedures, which include:

• Water procedures. The pet should be washed regularly, the frequency of bathing for a pet is enough to set one to three times a month, depending on the soiling. In addition, you should wash the pet at least partially (paws, belly, muzzle, and under the tail) after every walk. 

• Drying the pet after washing. It's important to take care of his fur proper and complete drying, to prevent skin diseases. To prevent the active growth of bacteria and to avoid the formation of a pungent smell from wet hair, the pet should be towel-dried or dried with a hairdryer (but not too hot). 

• Ear cleaning. If this procedure is neglected, wax deposits in the ears form a persistent unpleasant smell. In the advanced case of otitis media, the smell is no longer comparable to that of wax and is even more unpleasant. The ear canals should be inspected daily and cleaned as they become soiled. Some breeds have their ears cleaned once a week. If you find swelling, discharge, or redness, you should see your veterinarian.

• Teeth brushing, removal of tartar. You should brush your pet's teeth every day. Ideally, brush his teeth at least as often, as you do for yourself. You should use a special brush and special toothpaste for brushing. Your veterinarian can teach you how to do it properly. You can also buy special toys for brushing teeth at pet stores, which help remove plaque and massage the gums. If tartar has formed, it can also be the cause of bad breath from the mouth. Anesthesia can be used to remove tartar from the teeth at the veterinarian's office.

• Proper nutrition. An unbalanced, irregular diet can lead to gastrointestinal problems, allergies, hair and skin problems. Your veterinarian should be able to help you find the right food.

• Brushing. Regular brushing helps to get rid of the undercoat, which causes retains moisture, and as a result, produces an unpleasant odor. The regularity of brushing varies depending on the breed: from daily to twice a week.

• You can shorten the hair under the tail so that the pet's waste does not stick to it. Dogs require regular cleaning of their rectum to avoid stagnation and skin diseases, as a result of this. 

• Regular preventive examinations at the veterinarian and taking tests. The doctor will advise on how to properly care for the pet, and in case of health problems pick up the correct treatment.

If a pet still smells foul when hygiene procedures are followed and the diet is balanced, this may be a signal that her health is deteriorating. This could be dermatitis, blockage of perianal glands, liver disease, metabolic disorders, and other abnormalities. In this case, you should not put off going to the vet.

How to fight the smell in the apartment

Simple hygienic measures will help to eliminate odor in the apartment:

• Regular laundering of dog bedding. Do not wait for persistent contamination and odor formation, it is necessary to change the bedding for a fresh one. Washing products can be done with laundry detergent (if the pet is not prone to allergies), soap, or detergent for children's clothing. If you do not follow above recommendations, replace pet's bedding at least ones per 4-5 months. 

• Daily washing of toys, bowls, and other items used by the pet.

• If a pet has done its “business” on the carpet, the results of its activities should be removed immediately. If you delay with cleaning, the odors embedded in the carpeting or other interior items will only intensify over time. When cleaning the carpet you should use special cleaning tools, but can also suit the means that are at hand for any housewife: the usual table food vinegar, baking soda, and hydrogen peroxide, a solution applied to the spot, covered with a little soda and rubbed with a brush on the carpet. Next, a solution (a small amount of water with hydrogen peroxide added) is added to the carpet and left for 10-15 minutes. At the end of the time, the stain is washed with water.

• Puddles from a hard surface are easier to clean. An ordinary table vinegar in a 1:6 ratio with water will help with this task.

• If using a household litter tray it should be rinsed after each use or timely change of the litter. Disinfecting the litter tray should be done at least once a week.

• After cleaning and to create a pleasant aroma, you can add your favorite essential oil to a sprayer with water and sprinkle the liquid in the room.

• Regular airing of the room.

But remember, the main condition for the absence of odor is the proper care of the pet and keeping the home clean. Consider another modern device - a powerful air purifier equipped with an air filtration system.

Air purifier for pet odors

As a matter of fact, air purifiers can minimize the severity of the pet odor  problem. What's more, a purifier will prove to be a useful purchase not only for you but also for your pets, especially brachycephalic dogs. We know that cute dogs with short faces often have trouble breathing, and they could use some quality fresh air. Purifiers are indicated for people and animals prone to respiratory diseases, with weakened immune systems, and allergies. Also, note that people and pets at age have higher requirements for air quality.

Any purifier, even those that use filters, is much preferable to all kinds of chemical sprinklers and fragrances, which mask odors rather than fight them.

Remember, there are a lot of purifier models on the market, from simple to advanced. The best air purifiers come in different capacities depending on the size of the room. It is better to choose products that work quietly, consume little electricity, are filterless, have a remote control, "night" mode, sanitation mode, etc. 

Most of the popular air purifiers have the possibility to get equipped with the ionizer. Main brands understood a long time ago that even this combination dramatically improves the effectiveness of multi level filters. But please pay attention to filterless air purifiers with ionizers and ozonators. Although some of scientists are not so categorical in its effectiveness. We recommend not going into the theory, but check it practically. Bet you will feel the difference after its use, especially when there are pets in the house. 

You can find some producers offering filterless air purifiers by yourself, or check the leading company in air purifiers with ozone and ionisation at the webstore of EcoQuest.