Recently someone asked me if the shedding was worth having a golden retriever. If you’ve been reading here, know me or have ever seen my five million dog posts.. you already know it was an immediate ‘1,000% YES’.
The only time we’ve ever had any sort of “problem” with the pups is when we had our house for sale and the realtor commented that our home smelled “doggy”. (We soon found out this was due to their dog food being stored in an open container near the front door, but more on that below)
Anyway, I soon became an expert on a fresh, not fake smelling home. Here’s a few of my favorite tricks:
– First, when we heard our home was ‘doggy’ we spent a full day cleaning, like hard core cleaning. We were so disappointed to hear the smell was still there. We soon realized that we stored the pups’ food right next to the front door, in an open container. When you walked in you got a huge wiff of dog food. Be sure you’re storing all food and treats in a sealed container. It made a HUGE difference.
– On the topic of cleaning, we also started using a Febreeze Air Purifier. It’s small, I keep it plugged in under the bar cart and you can’t see it! It does make a slight humming noise, but after a day you won’t notice it. Not only does it purify the air but it also releases scents. It’s nothing over powering just enough to refresh the air. It takes refillable cartridges that you can find at Walmart or Target. I also like this because we leaving it running 24/7 unlike candles or other things you won’t feel comfortable leaving going while not at home.
-When we are home we obviously love candles, but Anthropologie is my go-to for candles. Even though they’re pricier, they work SO well. Most candles you can smell when you walk in the room even if they aren’t lit. This is my all time favorite candle from them.
-I recently received this Stick Diffuser as a gift and it’s my new obsession, I’m definitely going to be buying more so I can place them in more rooms. I was skeptical on how well it would work but it’s amazing. We keep ours in our bedroom (which can become ‘doggiest’ first since the dogs sleep in there) and this keeps the whole bedroom smelling fresh.
-In addition to the candles and diffusers, we love love love a wax melter! You can purchase scents so many different places, including Walmart. I’m so excited for all the Fall ones, we just bought a Pumpkin Pie Wax from a shop on the Mountain this weekend.
-Another thing to remember is that fabrics can trap smells so easily. I like to use a fabric spray like Febreeze or Method Lavender Lilac Spray (from Target) on all fabric furniture, pillows, rugs, etc. I try to wash all blankets every other week and our sheets once a week. I recently purchased this detergent and the smell is heaven. A little goes a long way so if you try it be sure not to over use it in your load!
-We also like to spray the dogs down with this essential oil doggy spray. It keeps them smelling fresh in between baths!
-Finally, when you vacuum be sure to clean your vacuum out– replace filters, wash filters and removable parts, etc. If not you will just be recycling and spreading the dog smell around!
I wouldn’t trade these crazy fur balls for the world! So having to stock up on extra smell goods is so worth it. I love Fall because I love the warm, sweet scents that come along with it! SO many great options like Oatmeal Cookies candles, cinnamon pumpkin wax melts, and Fall baking filling up the kitchen- omg it’s making me so excited!
I will have so many Fall recipes coming to you soon, we’re finally getting settled & our couch is supposed to arrive today. If you ever have any post requests, let me know! I hope you week is great, I can’t believe this weekend is Labor Day weekend. xo
I have two shedding dogs myself and would love to hear how you keep your bedding clean! I cant imagine having white bedding or I feel like ours would be ruined. No matter how hard I try they drag in dirt pretty bad from their big paws…still love them tho!
(peezyyya on insta)
So we wash our sheets A LOT! We also try to brush the dogs often to cut down on hair. I love white but have settled for an off white color. It's still light and bright but does hide things better than actual white. We have a new bedspread and it's off white with lots of texture. I think the texture also camouflages the dirt some. I know some people think it's gross, but our dogs are our babies so we just accept that our bed is a little dirty hah! We're still alive so it can't be too bad right?! Also, if we do notice their paws get really dirty, we try to wash them off as soon as they come inside to cut down on stains.