We love our fur babies! Unfortunately, our furry friends can leave behind odors you may not even notice, but buyers certainly will. Even the most minor of pet odors can turn off potential buyers and keep your home from selling. Ask a friend for an honest opinion about whether your home has a pet smell or simply just error on the side of caution when selling your home.
Here are a few tips on how to get rid of the smell:
- Air Out Your House
While you are cleaning, open up all of the windows in your home to allow fresh air to circulate and sweep out unpleasant scents.
- Scrub Thoroughly
It is important to scrub bare floors and walls previously soiled by pets with vinegar, wood floor cleaner, or an odor neutralizing product from the pet supply store. A 1:9 bleach-to-water solution is great for surfaces it won’t damage, such as cement floors.
If you still find that you have stubborn pet odors covering a large area, you may want to consider hiring a service that specializes in tough stains.
- Wash Drapes and Upholstery
Believe it or not, pet odors seep into fabrics. Launder, steam clean, or dry clean your fabric window coverings and steam clean your upholstered furniture.
- Clean the Carpet
Shampooing your carpets and rugs can make an incredible difference in the smell of your home! You can hire a carpet cleaning professional or you can rent a carpet cleaning machine from your local Lowe’s Home Improvement Store, Home Depot, Wal-Mart, or H-E-B.
- Paint, Replace, or Seal Walls
When heavy duty cleaners are unable to eradicate smells in the drywall, plaster, or woodwork, add a fresh coat of paint or stain. On brick or cement, you can apply an appropriate sealant for the surface. This may be able to smother and seal in the odor, keeping it from reemerging.
- Control Urine Smells
If your cat uses a litter box, make it a point to replace the kitty litter daily, rather than scooping the used litter clumps. It is also important to sweep up around the litter box on a daily basis. Don’t forget to hide the litter box prior to a showing!
If you have a dog that is still potty training, make sure to clean up any accidents immediately. If your dog uses indoor pee pads, put down a new pad each time the dog goes and throw them away outside in a trash can with a tight lid. Always remove pee pads from view before each showing, even when clean.
- Consider Temporarily Relocating Pets
If you have a trustworthy friend or family member, consider asking them if your furry friend can stay with them while you are selling your home. If your pet needs to stay, keep their belongings put away and remove your pet from the house during showings.
- Prevent Smells from Returning
While your home is on the market, you may want to put limits on where your pet is able to go in order to prevent smells from returning and to limit your amount of clean ups. Consider placing your dog in a crate while you are away and, if possible, limit pets to a certain floor or room.
Call Michele Harmon Team at 713-818-1330 for questions or more information about selling your home. We would love to hear from you and we are always happy to help!
