What are the Best Essential Oils to Neutralize Pet Odors?

If you have a pet, you know they become like family. Cats and dogs often provide families with love and companionship. They are there for you day in and day out. They brighten lives with cuddles, loyalty, and their funny antics. However, sometimes they are not as clean as you might prefer. Oftentimes, they can cause unpleasant odors. You’ve probably seen a lot of products marketed for removing pet odors. Most of them are made with harsh chemical ingredients that can be unhealthy for your pet as well as your family members. There is a more natural way of dealing with the problem. Here you’ll learn about the best essential oils to neutralize pet odors.

Safety Tips for Using Essential Oils Around Your Pets

Pets are smaller and have lower body weights which can mean they are more sensitive to essential oils. Their livers are not able to process toxins as efficiently as a human liver, so they are much more likely to suffer from over-exposure to essential oils. Here are a few guidelines to help when using essential oils around your pets.

• Pets Should Not Ingest Essential Oils.There are absolutely no exceptions! Giving a pet any essential oil, no matter how diluted, can harm them. Never feed pets EOs.
• Do Not Use Undiluted EOs on Pets. The skin on your pet is sensitive and essential oils that are okay to use on humans, like lavender EO or tea tree oil can be dangerous on their sensitive skin.
• Do Not Diffuse EOs in Closed Spaces.Pets may be irritated by strong scents, but they wouldn’t be able to express it. Diffuse just a few drops at a time and make sure the room is well ventilated. Leave a door cracked so they can leave if it begins to bother them.

How to Choose Essential Oils to Neutralize Pet Odors

When selecting essential oils to neutralize pet odors, you want them to have two properties. They should be anti-bacterial and anti-viral in nature. Antibacterial properties fight the germs and bacteria that often cause odors. Bacteria like this can also make your family sick, so it’s important to incorporate antibacterial oils which include:

• Eucalyptus EO
• Peppermint EO
• Lavender EO
• Tea Tree EO
• Bergamot EO
• Lemongrass EO
• Oregano EO
• Thyme EO
• Clove EO
• Rosemary EO

To effectively remove pet odors, you also want to use some essential oils with antiviral properties. Many EOs with antiviral properties also have antibacterial properties. This makes them an exceptional choice for removing unpleasant pet odors. Some of the antiviral oils include:

• Tea Tree EO
• Lavender EO
• Cinnamon EO
• Garlic EO
• Eucalyptus EO
• Thyme EO
• Clove EO
• Oregano EO
• Frankincense EO
• Lemon EO

Combatting Pet Odors with Essential Oils

Depending on the nature and source of the pet odors you can use homemade carpet and floor cleaning recipes that incorporate EOs. Once you have dealt with odor causing spots, you will want to purify the air to be rid of residual pet odors using a diffuser. Here are a few suggestions depending on the room you want to re-scent.

• Kitchen: Good choices for cleansing and freshening the air in the kitchen include citrus EOs. Lemon, lime, and bergamot are great choices for getting rid of pet and lingering cooking odors in the kitchen. You may want to go with something warmer like cinnamon EO or vanilla EO. These warm, homey fragrances create an ambience for a busy room.
• Bedrooms: For sleeping areas, use oils that also help you relax or sleep. Lavender EO, sandalwood EO, or chamomile EO are good choices. Other choices include romantic essential oils like jasmine, ylang-ylang, or rose.
• Home Office: If you are getting rid of pet odors in your home office, you want to choose oils that are energizing too. Peppermint EO, citrus EO, and lemon EO are nice options for this area of the home.
• Living Areas: It is likely you do most of your entertaining in a living area or family room. Choose cleansing oils that are not overwhelming but are softer. Creamy, wood scents are good options. Try sandalwood, cedar wood, lavender, or vanilla essential oils.

Recipes for Cleaners That Use Essential Oils to Neutralize Pet Odors

Make Your Own Carpet Deodorizer

You’ll need an 8 ounce glass bottle with a shaker top. Add all the ingredients, replace the top and mix it by shaking the jar. You’ll want to let it set about 20 minutes before using so the oils are absorbed into the backing soda. Then just dust the powder over the soiled or smelly areas. Allow it to sit for about 20 minutes and then vacuum it all up.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of baking soda
• 10 drops of lavender EO
• 10 drops of orange EO
• 5 drops of cedarwood EO

Diffuser Blend to Eliminate Pet Odors

You can make your own pet-safe EO blend to diffuse with this recipe. You’ll need an amber dropper bottle to put mix the oils. Pour the essential oils into the bottle and shake it to blend the oils. Then, use three to six drops of the blend in a diffuser. Here are the oils to use to make this odor busting blend:

• 30 drops of lavender EO
• 30 drops of orange EO
• 10 drops of eucalyptus EO
• 10 drops of peppermint EO

DIY Room Spray

You’ll need an 8-ounce spray bottle to make this non-toxic room spray. Mix all the ingredients in the bottle then close the lid and shake the bottle gently to mix them together. Spray the mixture four or five times around the room to freshen the air.

• ½ cup rubbing alcohol
• ½ cup distilled water or hydrosol
• 10 drops of orange EO
• 10 drops of rosemary EO
• 5 drops of lemongrass EO