Any advice on keeping your house smelling lovely 'n' fresh? Help getting rid of doggy smells??:-) We always have Windows wide open all over the house, 2 air wicks down stairs going off every 18 min's but was just wondering what you all do, my house smells okay to me but I'm not sure what visitors think. LOL :-D

I don't like artificial scents/fresheners - they just mask (poorly) existing pongs IMO :-D  I do use a little concentrated disinfectant (Zoflora) in my bissell which keeps the air smelling fresh for a week or so after cleaning up spills, stains etc

Keep all soft furnishings (including curtains) washed regularly, vacuum and steam clean fabric sofas, regularly vacuum and steam clean or shampoo carpets & rugs and, VITALLY!!!, keep the dog(s) clean and smelling nice :)

Having 3 double (long) coated dogs I'm super conscious about whiffs and always asking friends, family and visitors if they notice a smell and so far they've assured me they don't but it takes a bit of graft to keep on top of things and there's no getting away from the fact that wet coats smell like damp wool unless (like me) you ensure they're blasted dry if at all possible.

I use a good quality pro grooming spray to keep their coats smelling lovely and tangles at bay and so even when they've been in the sea they come out smelling rather nice LOL.  Lasts about 2 weeks at home and around 3-4 days at the coast.

HTH, Teri

I'm just like you LoisLane, I'm constantly worried about my house smelling even more so with a dog!  I'm a big fan of scented candles (Jo Malone lasts for ages but I know they are very very expensive!) for their smell & ambience they can create, esp during Winter.  I think some of the traditional air freshner companies do quite good scented candles! Oust is handy to have especially in the kitchen & bathroom as it gets rid of the smell rather than mask it as other do!  I tend to Fabreze the rug, curtains & dog bed too!!!  & have the windows open where ever possible!!!  I always love the smell of our bedroom after a good clean with fresh bed linen on, can't beat it!!

I do the same as you in the kitchen and lounge I have the airwick things that do 3 different fragrences. Vac every day, in the hall ways and bathrooms the reeds in oil smells lovely, oranges and always doors and windows open.
I have a cocker and a Border so not too bad, I have used febreeze and use Zoflora on the kitchen floor as they sleep in the kitchen/ Cant say we smell really doggie, and I do ask family members as I would loath a smelly house.

I do use candles in the winter on the hearth as it looks nice mainly vanilla and cinnamon - lovely.

Doggies do not come into the bedroom areas but do end up in the bath!! especially after fox pooh.

> use a good quality pro grooming spray to keep their coats smelling lovely and tangles at bay and so even when they've been in the sea they come out smelling rather nice LOL.  Lasts about 2 weeks at home and around 3-4 days at the coast.
>

Sorry to hijack your thread, can I ask what your spray is? :-)

Some great ideas there ;-) ;-). Glad to read I'm not the only person obsessed  with the smell of there homes :-D, every time some one comes over one of the first things I say is can you smell dog? They say No but I hope they are being honest and not worried about hurting my feelings, I'd rather know. My dogs only stay down stairs but they do have the run of the place. I Hoover and mop everyday, I have a scented smelly in the Hoover use Tesco flora disinfectant(Smells lovely). Have two air wicks that spray out and a plug in air fresher in kitchen over by the dogs bed, I also either sake n vac on  the rug or use a little bi carb as I was told it was good, but am always looking for new ideas and tips! :-) :-)

Ha ha thats okay Angels :-)

I use plug ins and use the carpet powder, also just bought a vax carpet washer, its great, i do only have three very little clean dogs though.

Angels 2 - it's HERE second from last on page, 'Magic Touch'

Smells fantastic, lasts for ages because it's dilluted by around 15:1 with water and keeps coats very easy to remain tangle free which is a bonus for long haired breeds that like water (surf, hale, rain, snow, freezing fog - Scotland then!) 

Thanks Teri :-)

We have a perfume type spray from a grooming parlour over here but it doesn't really last and it would be great to find something to help keep them tangel free!

:-)

An air purifier is brilliant.
It purifies the air and its only water that washed the air.
We add either essential oils and I would not be without one now.
You can buy them on ebay for about £20 or in Woolworths for £39.
Youll  not regret getting on.
Cinnamon at christmas is lovely.

Yankee Candle wax tarts smell wonderful throughout the house and there's so many fragrances to chose from!

All you need is an oil burner & a T-light!

I find it also helps if you can keep soft furnishings to a minimum i.e have leather sofas - hard flooring etc - rather than fabric and carpets.

My dogs have their own dog room and paved area where they spend most of the day -  they only come into the main part of the house in the evening so the mess and smells are kept to just one area - a real bonus in the Winter.

I also use Zoflora every day to wash the floors and scrub down the outside dog area every day to minimise smells but ....I do know that if the dogs have got wet then they will smell..no matter what any polite visitor may say !!!

Yvonne

the plug in smells make me feel sick. had a friend once who was always cleaning, house was spotless, then she got 2 tiny non moulting yorkies and the smell when you walk in was incredible!  imo dogs smell like dogs, we know that when we get them and if people dont like it- tough! (my house used to smell of babies-now its dogs instead)

I love Yankee candles too  :)  Only use them at Christmas (paranoid about naked flames LOL) but they're one of only a very, very few added scents that I think enhance the home rather than choke the residents!

I make sure I wash their vet beds daily, they also have beds which can be washed and I usually wipe these with colloidal silver every week, it takes away most smells.  I wash all the floors every day, windows open as much as possible and I do tend to shower my boys at least every 10 days.  And dyson most days too.  Only have 2 dogs but notice when they come in from the rain I have a very doggy smelling house.

Me too, I love Yankee Candles, there's a shop opened in Derby now so I don't have to rely on e-bay so much! My fave is the sunwahsed linen...such a lovely smell! Plus they seem to burn flat so there's no waster, I hate those candles that burn down the middle!! Pier are terrible for it!

where can you buy yankie candles i live in birmingham. ta

I think if you keep on top of the smell on the dog plus regularly wash dog beds etc, then the house shouldnt smell too much. I use a good shampoo if i bathe Freddie plus a deodarant spray if he gets a bit damp and whiffy. I LOVE the CK9 spray the groomer uses after hes been pampered and groomed. My Dad tells me he smells like a tarts handbag but i think it smells lovely-like doggy aftershave :-) :-) :-)

ebay do quite a few of them tessisbest!

> it's HERE second from last on page, 'Magic Touch'

Ooh Teri, that stuff looks nice. :) My muck monsters are pretty good at leaving the dirt on the floor when their done with it at the end of the day but this couldn't hurt.

TBH I feel sorry for dogs that live with those air freshener things. They get up my nose so I can only imagine what it's like for dogs to live with. But then I'm not too keen on heavy perfume or aftershave/cologne either.> it's [url=http://crownroyaleltd.net/products.htm" rel=nofollow]HERE[/url] second from last on page, 'Magic Touch'

Can def recommend it hun :)  Makes grooming much easier and reduces the damp wool whiffs too which is a massive bonus LOL 

Goody, something more to buy at Darlington! :)

oooh, we're going there too - what day you on? (on-line entry so dont have schedule!)

i have three of these Carolyn and they are really great.
The best thing i have found for keeping that yucky wet doggie smell away.
also vac every day and open windows whenever possable.
Also use a carpet vax 3-4 times a year.

Day after you Teri, Sunday. :( Want to stay for another day :) Almost everyone I know shows in working or pastoral. I never get to meet people (though I'm hoping I may meet some of the Exelby clan, haven't warned her yet though)

> where can you buy yankie candles i live in birmingham. ta

tessisbest, if you follow that link I put up, Yankee Doodle do mail order and they also keep up to date with the latest scents available in the US.   Some of this years fragrances are wonderful.  I don't go a bundle on the cinnamon type smells, I prefer the fresh outdoor type smells.

Oh where is the show at Darlington, thats where I work a couple of days a week.  Do you know if there will be any newfies there?

qvc sale yankee candles as well

> Some of this years fragrances are wonderful.  I don't go a bundle on the cinnamon type smells, I prefer the fresh outdoor type smells.

I find some of them really strong and overpowering but the ones like summers day, fresh linen and beach smells are lovely.  I bought a lavender and lemon air freshner for the car and it was too much for the first few weeks - even with the packet only cut a wee bit.

Hi sorry Darlington show is now held at Newby Hall, Ripon.

There is no doubt about it - Border Terriers smell, especially when they need stripping.  I've just discovered this Neutrodol carpet freshner which does work and I use febreze on the chairs as the covers don't come off (inherited these).  Still does smell a bit doggy though.  Vaxing the carpets helps and bathing the dog :)

CG

I once did Whistler 3 times in 4 days due to various obnoxious things he rolled in. I have a vax too but I still get a problem at the bottom on my chair where he lays on my feet all night.
Then they have a free for all every night behind the chairs and the sofa and I re-emulsion every month!! Good job its a leather suite as it washes off but the carpet at my feet is stained and vax isn't much good. Each summer Ha! I intended to have the carpet cleaners in but we didnt get any really dry forcasts to do it.
We have recarpeted since they were pups but its still a problem but buying a vax was a great idea.

I forgot i also use frebreeze and open windows!

87 newfs :)

can you buy the yankie candles from a store eg,selfridges? debenhams? thanks

Don't use any sprays etc. just steam clean the house, especially the kitchen where the dogs mainly are and it smells lovely and fresh almost straight away.  Don't believe in using chemicals and sprays and the house smells much better without them.

http://www.yankeecandle.co.uk/storelocator.asp - this might help!