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Some of the best things in life are pets. We enjoy their quirks and antics, and we love them for the love they show us. But as much as they love us, they do make mistakes sometimes. Maybe they’re threatened by a new addition to your household, and they mark their territory on your bed. Or maybe they get really excited and accidentally urinate on the carpet.
In these situations, you’re going to need the best pet odor eliminator around to clean up the mess and ensure that you’re not constantly reminded of the incident by any leftover smells.
Start Here: What Is A Pet Odor Eliminator?
Contents
A pet odor eliminator is just what it sounds like; it’s a chemical or organic solution that neutralizes rather than masks odors from pet urination and defecation, and sometimes even vomit and blood. The best pet odor eliminators are often combined with stain removers so that you can take care of all the aspects of a stain at one time. But even without any specific accidents, pets do tend to create a smell in homes, and there are many pet odor eliminators that simply help homes smell less like an animal lives there.
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What are the advantages?
Pet odor eliminators are great things to have if you want to have guests over. If your guest is not a pet owner, then they have not acclimated to pet smells and will probably immediately notice any of these odors. Needless to say, they probably won’t like these smells. The best pet odor eliminators will eradicate these smells and ensure that guests and visitors will enjoy their time at your home.
Some pet odor eliminators not only freshen up stains, but they also deter your pet from making a mess in that same spot again. This is a great way to help re-train your pet so that they learn the proper place to do their business.
What are the different types?
Most pet odor eliminators are very similar and do about the same job, but there are a few distinctions to make among them.
- Odor + Stain Remover. Some odor eliminators only deal with odor, but many also eliminate stains. But it’s not always stains that are causing the smell; sometimes it’s simply just living with a pet that creates odor, and then a two-in-one odor and stain remover would not be needed.
- Natural or Organic. There’s been a recent push to move away from chemical-based solutions and into natural or organic solutions. These kinds of pet odor eliminators use enzymes to break down natural substances like urine and feces to completely eradicate stains and smells. These products are also pet-friendly and better for the environment.
- Use on Fabric Only. Many pet odor eliminators work on all surfaces, including carpets, hardwood floors, fabrics like clothes and blankets, and furniture upholstery. But some only work on certain materials. Many only work on fabrics, but this is still a very broad category of materials that includes carpets, furniture, linens, and bedding.
- Sprays. Odor eliminators can be applied in several forms, and the most common is a spray. Some pet odor eliminators come in solid or powder forms that require different methods of application.
Things to Consider
Which pet odor eliminator you choose depends greatly on your preferences. If you’re worried about your impact on the environment or about how the product will affect your pet, then natural or organic options are the best pet odor eliminators for you. It’s also important to consider your pets and how often you expect them to have accidents. If these things happen all the time, it’s probably best to get an odor eliminator that also removes stains.
Top 3 pet odor eliminators on the market
RUFF Natural Plant Based Pet Stain Remover & Odor Eliminator
This pet odor eliminator prides itself on its lack of harsh chemicals and its ability to be safely used around pets and children. It clearly doesn’t need those harsh chemicals to do a good job, either. Its plant-based formula is effective and can be used on pretty much any surface, making this a versatile pet odor remover.
OxGord Organic Pet Stain & Odor Remover
This organic pet odor eliminator is all about natural enzyme action. Its specialty is removing urine stains and odors, but it will do the trick on other biological stains, as well. And it’s not just covering up the stains, it’s truly eliminating them, leaving a pleasant refreshing scent in its wake.
Febreze Fabric Refresher Pet Odor Eliminator
This product comes from a well-known brand that you can trust to get the job done. It works at the source to eliminate odors and refresh your fabrics, even the hard-to-clean ones. Its claim to fame is eradicating cat urine odors, but it truly works as a refresher for all kinds of pet smells.
Factors to Consider When Choosing
Price – Pet odor eliminators aren’t the most expensive products in the grand scheme of things, but it’s still important to consider how much you’re willing to spend on one. They do come in a range of prices, with natural/organic stain and odor eliminators costing the most and simple odor removers costing the least.
Ease of Use – Pet odor eliminators come in a small variety of forms, ranging from powders to liquids. Spray products are the most popular and usually the easiest to use, as you have good control over how much you use and where you use it.
Effectiveness – It’s important to know how well the product works, as well as where it will work, before you buy it. Make sure it doesn’t just mask the odor, but actually eliminates it. And check to see if it works on the surfaces you intend to use it on; many pet odor eliminators only work on fabrics like carpets and bedding, and are not necessarily meant to be used on hardwood floors or linoleum.
Helps Prevent Repeat Incidents – One great feature many pet odor eliminators offer is the prevention of more accidents in the same place. The smell or something else in the product deters your pet from using the same area as a bathroom twice, which will help you retrain your pet into the correct behaviors.
Price
RUFF Natural Plant Based
This pet odor eliminator is one of the most expensive ones on the market.
OxGord Organic
This is a higher-priced product that is a bit more affordable.
Febreze Fabric Refresher
This pet odor eliminator is one of the cheapest ones you’ll find anywhere.
Ease of Use
RUFF Natural Plant Based
This product comes in a spray bottle for easy application. It also comes with an e-book that gives guidance on how to use the product to tackle the toughest stains.
OxGord Organic
This pet odor eliminator comes as a liquid spray. All you have to do is shake well, spray directly on the stained or smelly area and let the material absorb the spray, then blot the area carefully with a cloth to clean up the stain.
Febreze Fabric Refresher
This pet odor eliminator is probably the easiest to use and comes in the familiar Febreze spray bottle. Just spray the refresher in a sweeping motion over your fabrics, like carpets and furniture, to lightly mist them.
Effectiveness
RUFF Natural Plant Based
According to reviews, this is one of the most effective pet odor eliminators out there. It works on all kinds of stains, even coffee stains. It can be used on many different surfaces, including hard floors like tile and wood, carpets, fabrics, and upholstery, and doesn’t leave a strong chemical smell from thorough cleaning that many other products do.
OxGord Organic
This pet odor eliminator uses essential oils and natural enzymes to lift stains and remove odors, and it does so with much success. Most reviewers found that it worked wonders on their pets’ stains and odors, and even those who didn’t see mind-blowing results did at least see some reduction in stains and smells. This product is meant to be used on furniture, upholstery, bedding, carpet, and rugs.
Febreze Fabric Refresher
This product is well known for its ability to not just mask odors but to totally remove them while also leaving a fresh pleasant scent behind. Most reviewers find that it actually works really well, especially on urine odors, but it’s important to note that this product is only an odor eliminator, not a stain remover. It’s also only for use on fabrics like curtains, furniture, bedding, and carpets.
Helps Prevent Repeat Accidents
RUFF Natural Plant Based
The product description states that it helps prevent your pets from re-marking the same area.
OxGord Organic
This product’s description doesn’t say anything about preventing repeat accidents, but a few reviewers did comment that it prevented their pets from urinating in the same spot. This pet odor eliminator does not specifically have this function, but it may perform it anyway, depending on your pet, why they’re having accidents, and how they react to the smell of the product.
Febreze Fabric Refresher
This pet odor eliminator is definitely not designed to prevent pets from making the same mistake twice. In fact, one reviewer said they used it to tell their pets where they could go, since the smell of the product became familiar to them and they learned that wherever the smell was, that’s where they were supposed to do their business. However, all pets are different and some may not like the scent of this product as much as others.
Conclusion: Pet Odor Eliminator Reviews
Best Cheap Brand: Febreze Fabric Refresher Pet Odor Eliminator
This is the best pet odor eliminator to use when you want to generally remove pet odors in your home. It smells pleasant and can be applied to all kinds of fabrics, giving your entire house a fresh, clean scent that will have your house guests thinking a pet has never lived there.
Pros:
Extremely inexpensive. Very easy to use, just spray in a sweeping motion. Works best on urine smells. Lingering scent is light and not overwhelming.
Cons:
Not really for use on specific spots—more of a general odor eliminator. Also not a stain remover and will not help prevent accidents in the same place.
Learn
Best for the Money: OxGord Organic Pet Stain & Odor Remover
If you’re looking to eradicate stains as well as smells, and are looking for an organic way to do so, look no further than this pet odor eliminator. And for not being one of the most expensive ones on the market, it’s surprisingly effective. Its very recent release may have something to do with this good value, but reviewers are already raving about its quality and how it’s finally destroyed their old stains and smells.
Pros:
Easy-to-use spray. All-natural formula and pleasant scent. Also removes stains. May help retrain pets by discouraging them from going in the same place again.
Cons:
Can only be used on furniture, bedding, carpets, and rugs, so no hard floors. On the pricier side.
Best Overall: RUFF Natural Plant Based Pet Stain Remover & Odor Eliminator
All-around, this is the best pet odor eliminator on the market today. It’s powerful and long-lasting. It’s worked where no other stain or odor removers have. It can be used practically anywhere and even works on stains and odors not caused by pets, all the while leaving behind a scent that is refreshing and easy on the nose.
Pros:
Easy-to-use spray. Plant-based natural solution. Works on all surfaces, from upholstery to hardwood floors. Removes both stains and odors. Comes with an e-book to help you with all your pet and odor problems. Helps prevent re-marking.
Cons:
One of the most expensive products on the market. Not exactly sure what the actual ingredients in the formula are.
Having pets is usually a fun, until it comes to the part where you have to clean up after them. It’s quite often not a very pleasant business, but the best pet odor eliminators out there will make your job a lot less painful.