We all LOVE our furry friends! But if you’ve had a dog in your home for a while it can lead to odors that might turn off potential home buyers. Today we’re going to look at a few tips for pet owners looking to sell.
Can Pet Odor Really Kill a Home Sale?
Absolutely! Just ask an experienced Realtor. And what’s worse is that you’re probably “nose blind” to those odors since you live with your furry friend all the time. You’re desensitized to it, but even potential buyers with their own pets will probably notice the smell. If your agent brings up the smell, don’t get offended. They are just doing their job, and you want a good agent who won’t pull any punches. After all, you hired them to do everything in their power to sell your home for the best price possible.
Where do Pet Odors in the home come from?
If I wanted to be snarky, I’d just say “It’s the DOG dummy!” but the truth is your dog is just the source of an odor that’s permeated your entire house over the months or years. Here are just a few of the areas that probably harbor pet odors:
- Carpets
- Drapes or curtains
- Drywall
- Clothes
- Linens
If you’re serious about selling your home, you need to address the pet odor both at the source and also throughout your house.
Start with the Odor Source
Take your dog to the groomer or give them a bath yourself. If it’s a long-hair breed, consider getting their groomer to give them a short, summertime haircut. If you’ve already bought or rented your next home, consider keeping your dog there or with a friend for a few days. Once you’ve dealt with the source, it’s time to move on to a thorough cleaning.
Cleaning up Dog Odor
It might make the most sense to start with the carpet, but I would recommend you start up high and work your way down. Remove all your curtains and throw them in the wash if the tag says it is safe to do so. The same goes for bedding, both yours and the dogs. Then you can move on to a thorough vacuum and shampoo of the carpets and rugs. If your pet isn’t 100% housetrained, a quality spot cleaning product might be in order. I would also go ahead and change out the air filter for your central AC unit at this time. It probably needs to be swapped out anyway since you’re showing your home to potential buyers.
Extreme Dog Odor Cleanup
Okay, so that didn’t work and your agent still smells Fido when she walks in the door. What now? Remember our list of possible places the odor might be hanging out? If you followed my steps in the past paragraph and the odor is still present, you’ll have to focus on those other areas. A fresh coat of paint will help attract a qualified buyer while also preventing the drywall from smelling like a wet poodle. Or if you think the carpet shampoo didn’t do the trick, it might be necessary to call in a flooring pro and replace the carpet.
I hope you found these tips helpful, and best wishes on the sale of your home!
Related: Why FSBO Deals Fall Through
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