By Cindy Aldridge – ourdogfriends.org
The relationship you have with your pet tends to get stronger the longer you spend time together. Sometimes, evidence of that time together can present a difficult dilemma when you’re staging your home. Thankfully, there are ways to present your home so it looks and smells brand new. These six easy tips can help you figuratively and literally clear the air.
Clear the Air
According to Psychology Today, studies have shown that smell is one of the most powerful ways to evoke a particular emotion or memory. Minimizing pet smells will be one of the most important things that you do while staging your home. When staging your home, you can use sprays or plug-in air fresheners to help brighten a room.
Make sure you neutralize the smell. Clean vents where animal hair tends to hang out. Clean the areas your pets frequent the most, as well as whatever toys or beds they may have.
Clean Your Carpet Carefully
While you’ll be able to do the easy stuff first, such as vacuuming and picking up toys, it might be worth investing in a professional carpet cleaner. If you want to do it on your own, make sure you have high-quality carpet cleaning tools. This can be useful in case your pet has an accident before showing your house. For stubborn hairs stuck in the carpet, an article in the Chicago Tribune recommends using a latex or rubber balloon to stand the hair on end so your vacuum can get it all.
Give Your Pet a Small Vacation
It’s okay to disclose to people that you have a pet when they look at the house. After all, some potential buyers might have pets of their own and can see that it’s pet-friendly. However, if you feel that it might be best for your own pet to not be in the house when you’re showing it, consider giving it a small vacation. You can have trusted friends or family members take care of your pet, or you can take it to a kennel for a short period of time.
Check the Yard
Sometimes a pet can leave a spot in the yard that’s more difficult to treat. To deal with spots left by pets in the yard, rake dead grass, treat it with limestone, and then plant some extra seed to regrow the grass. This might require changing up your pet’s outside routine, but it can make a huge difference in visual appeal.
Start as Early as Possible
If your pet has been living with you long enough for it to have left its own distinct scent in carpets or furniture, then it’s going to take time to clear out the smell. It starts with the tiny stuff like wiping down surfaces, rotating furniture, or vacuuming regularly. Make sure you do quick run-overs on spots that look clean but might still have particles.
Groom and Bathe Your Pet
Grooming and bathing your pet on a regular basis can prevent a lot of excess shedding. When you regularly clean your pet, you’re able to save time in the future. You can get rid of any excess dirt that might be in other places. Even just washing your pet with water will do the trick.
When you focus on clearing the air and thoroughly cleaning the house and carpets, you can make a huge difference in staging your home. Make sure you get rid of any excess toys or clutter that might be lying around. If you clean your pets regularly enough, you can save yourself work in the long run. Most people won’t be worried about you having a pet, either. They just want to make sure the house is in good shape.
After you’ve successfully sold your house and are ready to move in to your next one, make sure to check out our tips on transitioning your dog to your new home.