How to Get Rid of Dog Smell in the House: Find the Source, Then Clean It

To get rid of dog smell in the house, find where it lives before you reach for a spray. It is usually soaked into the dog bed, blankets, couch and rugs, helped along by a damp coat and unwashed bowls. Wash what’s washable, deodorize and vacuum the rest, dry your dog properly and let fresh air through. A dog who smells strongly again soon after a bath needs a veterinarian, not more cleaning.

Short answer: find the source, wash what’s washable and dry the dog

1. Sniff, don’t guess. Check the dog bed, couch, rugs and crate pad up close.
2. Wash the fabric. Bed covers, blankets, throws and towels, dried completely.
3. Deodorize and vacuum the rest. Baking soda on carpet and fabric upholstery, then a slow vacuum.
4. Dry your dog after wet walks and baths, before they reach the couch.
5. Clean the small stuff: bowls, toys, collars and the floor under the food.
6. Air the house and check the furnace filter.

How to get rid of dog smell in the house, room by room

Your nose soon stops noticing your own home’s smell, so hunt after an hour or more outside, and sniff the fabric, not the air.

• Living room: your dog’s couch cushion, throws and the rug by the sofa.
• Bedroom: the dog bed, your bedding if your dog sleeps on it, and the carpet beside it.
• Entryway: the door mat, the paw towel, the collar, harness and leash.
• Kitchen: the bowls, the floor under them and the food container.
• Crate and corners: the crate pad, plus chews and soggy toys stashed under furniture.

If the car is the worst, see our guide on how to get dog smell out of a car. A urine patch needs an enzyme cleaner made for pet urine, used as its label directs; this guide covers everyday smell, not accidents.

Beds and blankets first

Your dog presses skin oils, dander and loose hair into their bed every night, so it is usually the biggest source. Vacuum off the hair, wash the cover as its label says and dry it completely; our guide on how to wash a dog bed, including beds that don’t unzip has the full method.

How to get dog smell out of blankets

1. Shake them outdoors, or tumble them on a no-heat dryer setting for about 10 minutes to loosen hair.
2. Wash in the warmest water the care label allows, with fragrance-free detergent at the normal dose and an extra rinse; detergent left in the fabric holds smell.
3. Dry them completely; a blanket put back damp soon smells musty.
4. Keep two sets, so one is on the bed while the other is in the wash.

A bed you can actually wash

A bed that can’t be washed holds smell, so check the care label before you buy. For cats and small dogs, the Armarkat Ultra-Plush Cuddler Bed is machine washable on a gentle cycle, though hand washing is recommended to keep the plush at its best. It has a water-resistant, skid-free base and comes in Small (22 × 22 × 8 in) and Medium; you’ll find it with our other beds for cats and small dogs. For a bigger dog, choose a bed with a removable, machine-washable cover.

Couch, carpet and rugs

Upholstery and fitted carpet can’t go in the machine, so take the hair out, deodorize, then vacuum.

How to get dog smell out of a couch

1. Remove the hair, which holds dander and oil; see our guide to getting dog hair off a couch, fabric by fabric.
2. Check the cleaning code on the tag before using anything wet: S means solvent cleaners only and X means vacuum only.
3. Wash removable covers only if their label allows it.
4. Sprinkle baking soda thinly on fabric after testing a hidden spot. Leave it a few hours, or overnight for a stronger smell, with your dog kept off.
5. Vacuum it up with the upholstery tool, crevices included.

On leather, skip the powder and wipe with a leather cleaner. If fabric still smells, use an upholstery cleaner that suits the code, as its label directs, or book a professional clean. Keep a washable throw on your dog’s spot and wash it with the blankets.

How to get dog smell out of carpet and rugs

Hair deep in the pile holds smell, so vacuum slowly in two directions, then lift the rest with a rubber rake or a damp rubber glove; our guide to getting dog hair out of carpet and rugs shows how.

For odor, sprinkle a thin layer of baking soda over dry carpet, brush it in lightly and leave it a few hours or overnight with pets kept out, then vacuum it all up and empty the vacuum outdoors. Machine wash small rugs if the label allows. A smell that keeps coming back may be in the pad, often from an old accident; a carpet shampooer or a professional clean is the next step.

Wet dog smell: drying after walks and baths

A damp coat smells stronger than a dry one, and a dog who shakes off on the rug and curls up on the couch leaves the damp, and the smell, in the fabric. So a wet dog smell in the house is mostly a drying problem.

1. Set up a drying station by the door: a mat, two towels and large pet wipes.
2. Keep the leash on, let your dog shake on the mat, then press-dry paws, legs, belly and chest before the back and sides.
3. Settle your dog on a towel in a warm, draft-free room, not on the couch or their bed, until the coat is dry to the roots.
4. Hang the towels to dry or wash them straight away; a damp towel in the hamper starts to smell too.

After a bath, rinse until the water runs clear, then dry the same way. Use a hair dryer only if your dog is relaxed about it, on a cool or low setting, kept moving and away from the skin.

Between baths: wipes and less loose hair

A brush and a wipe-down keep the coat fresher; see how to clean a dog without a bath for a five-minute routine. Mr. Peanut’s Naturals Pet Wipes come 150 to a container, each 6 × 10 in, made in the USA with natural ingredients, for paws, ears, coat and around the eyes.

Loose undercoat matters too, because shed hair carries oil and dander onto the sofa. The JESPET De-Shedding Tool has a stainless-steel edge that lifts loose undercoat from dogs and cats with a double coat. Use light, short strokes the way the hair grows, two or three times a week in shedding season.

None of these removes odor; they simply leave the smell less to cling to.

Bowls, toys and walking gear

Old food film and crumbs under the dish add a stale note. Wash the water bowl and dry-food bowl daily, and a wet-food bowl after every meal; our guide to how often to wash dog bowls covers the slimy film.

• The floor: wipe up spills after meals, or use a washable mat under the bowls and wash it weekly.
• Soft toys: machine wash them if the label allows, dry them completely, and throw out any with soggy or exposed stuffing.
• Hard toys and chews: scrub rubber toys in hot, soapy water, and pick up half-eaten chews, including stashed ones.
• Collars, harnesses and leashes: wash fabric ones as the care label directs, or by hand in warm, soapy water, and dry them fully.

Air it out: ventilation and a weekly reset

When the weather allows, open windows on opposite sides of the house for 15 minutes a day, and run the bathroom fan after baths. Hair and dander clog furnace and air conditioner filters, so check yours monthly and replace it on schedule, or sooner if it looks dirty.

For odors, an air purifier needs an activated carbon filter; HEPA alone targets particles such as dander. Skip ozone generators, which the EPA warns can damage the lungs.

A weekly reset keeps the smell from building back up:

• Wash blankets, throws and paw towels, and the bed cover every week or two.
• Treat your dog’s favorite carpet spot with baking soda, then vacuum floors, rugs and the couch.
• Brush or de-shed your dog, then give a wipe-down.
• Clear stashed chews and soggy toys.

For more routines, see our home and cleaning guides.

When the smell is coming from your dog: ask your veterinarian

Sometimes the house is clean and the smell is your dog. A mild doggy scent is normal, but watch for a smell that is back within a day or two of a bath, one that is new or stronger than usual, one that seems to come from one spot, or one that comes with scratching, licking or head shaking. Any of these calls for your veterinarian, not more baths or a stronger spray.

Dog smell FAQ

Why does my house still smell like dog after cleaning?

Usually something was missed: the filling inside the dog bed, the carpet pad, the crate pad, stashed chews or a clogged furnace filter. If the house is truly clean and your dog still smells soon after a bath, ask your veterinarian.

Does baking soda get rid of dog smell?

It helps with mild, everyday odor on dry carpet and fabric upholstery. It won’t reach a smell soaked into a carpet pad or sofa cushion, and it isn’t for leather.

Does vinegar get rid of dog smell?

Diluted white vinegar is a popular home remedy for washable fabric and hard surfaces, and its sharp smell fades as it dries. Test a hidden spot, check the floor maker’s care advice before using it on wood or stone, and never mix it with bleach, which releases a toxic gas. For urine, use an enzyme cleaner made for pet urine.

Do air fresheners get rid of dog smell?

No. They cover it for a while, and the source stays put. Be careful with fragrance, too: the ASPCA warns that concentrated essential oils can harm dogs and cats, and advises running a diffuser only briefly, in a room your pet can’t get into, and avoiding one if your pet has breathing problems.