Pay no attention to the two stinky heathens luxuriating on the World's Ugliest Loveseat!

I’ve got to say that as much as I love my pets (I have SEVEN), I do not love the way they can make my house smell. And, really, who wants to have someone come over, sniff, and say, “oh, you have dogs, don’t you,” So I have devised a simple system to help rid your home of doggy-funk.

• Pay attention to your pet’s basic hygiene. Has Fido been bathed lately? Have you checked his ears and cleaned them? Is he due for a good tooth-brushing? Any chance he stepped in something gross in the yard the last time he went out?
• When was the last time you washed Lucky’s bedding? If his bed has a removable cover, lavender buds between the cushion and the cover can make a HUGE difference!
• Febreeze is your friend. Feel free to use it on upholstery, curtains, etc.
• Is Bowser, shall we say, unusually gassy these days? Adding some plain yogurt to his food or gradually switching to a raw diet with supplements (PLEASE talk to your vet first!) can really help!
• When was the last time you changed/refreshed the litterbox?
• Having a problem with piddling? It’s a never-ending cycle: you scrub and scrub and can’t get rid of the smell. Meanwhile, Fluffy keeps returning to the scene of the crime. It’s simple: Urine is a mild acid and cleansers are not designed to fight that. Meanwhile, Kitty wants to make sure that other animals know she lives there. Your best options are to either use an odor neutralizer (found in pet stores) or make your own with a combination of warm water and either baking soda or white vinegar.

Got pets? Hop on over to the Forums and tell me all about them!

Sara Barton is not a veterinarian, nor does she play one on TV. Instead, in addition to caring for all of those pets, plus her husband and kids, she also blogs at So Many Flavors, So Little Time!