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The 9 Best Air Fresheners For Pet Odors

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by Tiana Crump
Updated: 
Originally Published: 
Amazon/Bustle

We love our pets but cleaning up after them can be a real chore — especially when it comes to unwanted odors. So, for foul smells including urine, poop, and other accidents in the house, you will need to use one of the best air fresheners for pet odors to get the job done. These deodorizers are specifically made to tackle difficult pet odors effectively and safely.

There are a variety of air fresheners for removing pet odors. To choose the best option of you, consider the type of pet you have and the kind of odors you’re trying to eliminate. For a natural, all-around deodorizing option, consider air purifying bags with charcoal. When it comes to cat litter boxes, fresheners you can sprinkle onto the litter add an extra dose of deodorizing power, while air purifiers placed near boxes are also effective in removing odors from the air.

With urine and poop accidents on floors and furniture though, you’ll want to eliminate the odor at its source. For that, sprays with natural enzymes work best (and can often help remove stains, too). According to Dr. Karen Shaw Becker, an integrative wellness veterinarian, pet owners should avoid many aerosol sprays or scented plug-ins because they can contain toxic chemicals and compounds that can cause problems for your animals.

To keep your home smelling fresh and clean all year round, here’s my roundup of the best air fresheners for pet odors. All of these options come highly rated on Amazon and are effective at defeating foul smells.

1The Overall Best Pet Odor Eliminator

The Moso Natural air purifying bags are the perfect air freshener to put near your cat’s litter box or any other area where odor is a problem. This organic air freshener uses 100% activated bamboo charcoal and is free of chemicals and fragrance so it naturally removes pet odor while still being safe for use near both cats and dogs. The standard bags cover about 90 square feet each, and you get three with this set. The bags last two years and can be revived by simply setting them out in the sun. As an added bonus, they help absorb excess moisture in the room, making them ideal for the hot months.

What fans say: "I'm surprised this has worked so well. We have three cats and at times their litter boxes would smell even though they are emptied 2-3 times a day. This works so well to absorb any odors, I would highly recommend it.”

2The Best Air Freshener For Cat Litter

If you specifically want to tame odor from your cat’s litter box, NonScents Cat Litter Deodorizer is a top pick. With more than 1,300 five-star reviews and a 4.4-star rating overall, this two-pack of litter box odor eliminators are a favorite for freshness and ease of use. It has a unique natural zeolite formula that neutralizes litter odors at the source while also being safe to use around cats. This deodorizer is also fragrance-free so it can be used with any cat litter without overpowering your feline. Applying it is simple; just sprinkle a layer over your cat’s litter, and you’re done. Plus, reviewers also say this powder also works for dog and other animal odors.

What fans say: “This product is an absolute lifesaver. Even though I clean the box twice a day, you can’t avoid odor buildup. NonScents odor control works beautifully. It’s a quick and long lasting solution to a ‘heated’ litter box. My cat doesn’t notice any difference but my nose does. I wish I’d discovered this long ago.”

3An Ozone-Free Air Purifier That Also Helps With Hair & Dander, Too

To get rid of strong smells from dogs, cats, and more, the MOOKA air purifier helps with dander, hair, and dust while clearing the air of odors. With a HEPA filter and an activated carbon filter, the air cleaner works for 360 degrees without emitting any ozone. In quiet mode, it only makes 35 decibels of sound, about the same as a whisper so you can leave it on all night long. There are two fan levels to choose from, and there's also an optional nightlight function. However, with this one, you'll want to swap out the filter every three to six months.

What fans say: “My room smells clean and fresh after just a couple of hours running! No dog dander smell!”

4This Gel Freshener That Sucks Odors From The Air

This gel air freshener is a great value at just $1 (you read that right), and sucks pet odors from whatever room you’re in. While this does have a scent as well (its “pure breeze” which reviewers say smells like , you can adjust the top of the nozzle to change the amount of scent and the amount of odor absorbing you’d like in your space. And because its in a small container that you can place anywhere in your room (or even buy a few and place them around the space), these are easy to keep out of the hands of pets.

According to one reviewer: “I bought this to put in the kitchen by my dog's kennel. It smelled great for almost a month! Highly recommend it if you have a dog in the house.”

5The Best Spray For Spot-Treating Pet Odors

For dog and cat owners who need to spot treat smelly areas, Rocco & Roxie's stain and odor eliminator is a one-step treatment that tackles both stains and pet odors on hardwood floors, carpet, tile, upholstery, and even laundry. This is also helpful to have on hand for small spaces including cages and carriers. Just spray, let it soak, and vacuum. It's strong enough that it even works on urine.

This spray features enzymatic bacteria that feeds on ammonia and organic matter eradicating odors. There are no harsh chemicals like chlorine or residue left behind, making it safe to use around your pets. With more than 6,500 five-star reviews, this stain and odor eliminator is a fan favorite.

What fans say: “This stuff works WONDERS!!! Right away, it destroys the odor, then the more you work at it, this will get even OLD urine stains out.”

6A Pet Odor Eliminator Candle

To add a lovely scent to your home while removing pet odors, the One Fur All Pet House Candle comes in more than 10 different fragrances from lavender to blackberry tea. This 100% soy wax and cotton wick candle is free of dyes, paraffins, and allergens, while also being packed with an odor neutralizer to leave your home smelling clean but still safe for pets. It's recommended to light them in rooms where your cat or dog sleeps or frequents the most, but be sure to watch the candle while it burns to avoid it getting knocked over. Each candle lasts up to 60 hours.

What fans say: “These candles are fantastic! They smell great, and do a great job of eliminating any odors in your house, not only those from pets. They do work best if you burn them for 1-2 hours at a time, but will get rid of the smells of wet dog, fecal smells, urine odors, and I’ve even found them useful for cooking odors.”

7A Non-Aerosol Room Spray That’s Non-Toxic

This air-freshening room spray is popular with pet parents, and isn’t an aerosol spray, which Dr. Becker cautions to avoid. In fact, this one is non-toxic and works to neutralize pet odors while refreshing your room with a light lavender green tea scent. This also comes in four other scents, including evergreen forest, fresh citrus, mango peach, and “sunwashed” cotton, so you can pick your favorite. But, best of all, it comes with an 100% money-back guarantee should you run into any issues.

According to one reviewer: “It's not overpowering at all, but still helps in getting rid of those odors for a little while. I don't spray it near the animals, but have noticed that if they walk in the room a few minutes after it's been spritzed in the air, it doesn't seem to irritate them at all which is good. No sneezing or coughing from my cat, who is allergic to a lot of things.”

8A Carpet Odor Eliminator That Absorbs Smells & Stains

From the experts at Arm & Hammer, this carpet odor eliminator is super simple to use: Simply sprinkle the powder onto carpet and let it sit for 30 minutes. Then run your vacuum over and it will suck up the powder and the smells, leaving your carpet and your air way fresher. This value pack of three is an incredible deal, and it has won over thousands of Amazon reviewers who swear by it.

According to one reviewer: “This smells wonderful, makes the entire house smell clean with a fresh scent that lasts for weeks. It does a terrific job of masking carpet pet odors and I am glad I tried it. I will be a repeat buyer.”

9A Remote-Controlled Air Purifier With HEPA Filtration

This remote-controlled air purifier is a favorite of pet parents, who say it makes a huge difference in the air quality of their households. And, while the smaller air purifier on this list is It removes pet dander, dust, and hair from your air so you can breathe fresher. You can sit it vertically or horizontally on any countertop, and it even comes with a remote so you can control it from across the room. It also has a HEPA-grade filter that the manufacturer says removes up to 99.7% of pet dander, dust, and dust mites from the air.

According to one reviewer: “I bought this because it is supposed to zap dust and pet hair up out of the air and I can tell when I use it and when I don't. It makes a huge difference in keeping my house dander free and it helps my allergies 200%. Worth every penny.”

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