As much as we love our pets, the truth is, they sometimes stink. Especially if you have many of them in one concentrated place such as a boarding facility, a pet hotel, doggy daycare, or a pet hotel. Though it’s also a plain truth that a lot of new and even loyal customers will judge the quality of a pet care facility by the smell that greets them at the door, as well as any other unpleasant odors they might encounter while doing something like taking a tour.
Of course, unpleasant odors are a salient reality for any pet care business and a little leniency is given by experienced pet owners. Though pervasive or otherwise strong odors will make even returning clients concerned about the quality of care their pets will receive at your facility. This goes beyond just run-of-the-mill pet owners and also includes strong chemical odors that might also irritate their pet’s nose.
Ideally, if you want to run a pet care facility that thrives in the long term, then you need a fresh-smelling facility. Not only is this a sign of quality care for animals and employees, but it also signals that you are a well-run business that cares about the little details at every level.
You can see evidence of this when you check online reviews for your competitors and other pet care facilities that have a modest to a low rating in their reviews. When you dig deeper into the words used by the critiques you will often see customers complaining about foul odors in some of the strongest negative comments.
To truly help you maintain a fresh-smelling and prosperous pet care facility, we are going to have to take a closer look at the things that can cause pet odors as well as how to eliminate them.
Common Causes Pet Odors & How To Deal With Them
There are a few different causes of common pet odors. The underlying source is a critical factor in selecting the best cleaning and deodorizing method.
Urine & Feces
An obvious source of animal odors, urine and feces are malodorous. Though simply disposing of them promptly might not be enough. Especially with cat urine which emits a strong ammonia odor into the air around it.
Choosing the right cleaning solution to eliminate urine and feces odors is key. This might include a vinegar-based cleaning spray or baking soda to eliminate the ammonia odor from cat urine. In the case of feces, you should also consider using a neutral scented disinfectant to make sure that all microbial traces have been eliminated from the affected surface.
Pet Dander
All cats and dogs have dander that is emitted into the air around them. Though some smell worse than others. Especially with dogs that line to swim in natural lakes and rivers. Using air purifiers with a HEPA filter in key locations such as kennels and sleeping areas will help capture dander before it can spread throughout your pet care facility.
Old Bedding
Some pets have a favorite blanket or bed. Though without frequent washing these soft sleeping areas can start to build up with pet odors, releasing them back into the air. You and the animals in your facility might become “Nose Blind” to the smells, but clients are likely to notice them, especially if they pick up their pet from their favorite bed or sleeping spot. Make sure to launder all pet beds and blankets at least once a week.
Cat Spraying
An unaltered male cat will frequently spray surfaces to essentially “Mark” his territory. If you are caring for one of these cats, make sure to keep a specially formulated odor neutralizer on hand. In a boarding or daycare facility, you might want to also consider giving unaltered male cats their own separate area apart from other animals.
Mold & Mildew
Some parts of a pet care facility are wetter than others, and mold or mildew that develops in these areas can spread bad-smelling spores throughout your pet care facility. The spores can grow on nearly anything as long as there is enough moisture to support them. So many are sure to dry all wet areas and disinfect them with hydrogen peroxide, which does a better job of killing mold & mildew roots than bleach. Also make sure to thoroughly dry all towels, blankets, and pet beds before use.
You might want to also consider installed dehumidifiers in key locations such as laundry rooms or pet washing areas. This will help capture steam and reduce the ambient humidity to levels that make it hard for mildew and mold spores to colonize.
Pet Food
Cat and dog food has its own distinctive odor, that might be appealing to animals to get them to eat it, but isn’t very appealing to the human nose. Make sure to keep all pet food in air-tight containers to limit the odors spreading throughout your pet care facility.
Improve Ventilation
Standard HVAC systems generally aren’t set up to handle the kind of concentrated pet odors that are produced at a pet care facility. Consider investing in system upgrades with special filtration, or take measures to have climate-controlled vents installed in common pet care areas. This will help move unpleasant odors out while bringing fresh, clean air in.
Professional Deep Cleaning
There are times when even the most diligent efforts cannot eliminate the unpleasantness of pet odors that can linger over time. If you have been struggling to keep your pet care facility smelling fresh and clean, despite your best efforts, then you might want to consider having a professional cleaning company perform a weekly or monthly deep cleaning.
At Building Services Inc., we have access to truly professional-grade cleaning products and state-of-the-art cleaning equipment. Our highly trained and experienced technicians can use industry-best practices to eliminate odors and restore the fresh smell of your pet care facility. We even offer a special green cleaning service that leaves behind natural odors instead of harsh chemical fumes.
