How to Make My Dog Cage Smell Good

Dogs may be man's best friends, but they can be smelly pals. Their cages can hold onto nasty odors if not cared for properly. Dog owners want their pets to be comfortable, so bedding is quite common in dog crates. Unfortunately, pet odors linger in bedding. The bottom line to treating and preventing dog odors is maintaining cleanliness. This can be done by setting up a dog cage cleaning routine and sticking to it.

Things You'll Need

  • Vinegar
  • Baking soda
  • Detergent
  • Pure lavender oil
  • Spray bottle
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Instructions

    • 1

      Prevent odors at the source by grooming your dog regularly, feeding your dog healthy food, and visiting the vet regularly for anal gland and dental maintenance. If your dog's odor is particularly pungent, consult with your vet for advice on treating it.

    • 2

      Wash the bars of your dog cage with a slightly damp cloth at least once a month.

    • 3

      Vacuum the pan at the bottom of the crate and under the cage weekly or biweekly.

    • 4

      Mix 2 tsp. of vinegar into a cup of water. Use this mixture to wash the pan and under the cage. Dry thoroughly before replacing any bedding or allowing the dog to use the crate.

    • 5

      Wash dog bedding weekly in cold water wash cycle. For extremely smelly bedding, put 1/2 cup of baking soda into the wash with regular soap or instead of soap.

    • 6

      Wash foam bedding once or twice a month. Foam bedding should be washed in a tub with warm water. Baking soda or vinegar can be added to the tub to clean the foam. Also, laundry detergent can be used to clean foam bedding, but detergent will make the foam soapy and you will have to remove all suds from the foam. Wring the water out of the foam bedding and leave foam to dry outside.

    • 7

      Put 12 drops of pure lavender and 2 cups of water into a spray bottle. Spray to freshen the dog cage and the bedding within the crate.