Does your home smell like a wet dog, even after you wash the bedding? You love your furry friend, but that lingering odor can be tough to beat. Standard laundry detergents often just mask the smell instead of truly getting rid of it. This leaves you scrubbing blankets and clothes over and over, feeling frustrated.
Choosing the right detergent makes a huge difference. You need something strong enough for pet odors but safe for your family and fabrics. It can be confusing to know which ingredients actually work against that stubborn dog smell. Don’t waste money on products that fail to deliver!
This guide cuts through the confusion. We will show you exactly what to look for in a detergent that conquers dog odors for good. Keep reading to discover the best solutions for fresh-smelling laundry, finally giving you a clean home you can enjoy.
Top Laundry Detergent For Dog Smell Recommendations
- FEBREZE IN WASH PET ODOR ELIMINATOR: You will receive (1) 98 Fl Oz bottle of Febreze Maximum Strength In Wash Pet Odor Eliminator laundry detergent additive. Remove tough pet odors from fabrics and clothing in a single wash. Brought to you by Nehemiah Manufacturing.
- MAXIMUM STRENGTH LAUNDRY ODOR ELIMINATOR: This detergent additive removes even the toughest pet odors instead of just masking them. Ideal for removing odors from cat and dog beds, sofa covers, pet carriers, dog collars, pet urine and more!
- FOR BEST RESULTS: Pretreat hard-to-remove odors by placing the item in hot water, add 1 capful of Febreze In Wash Pet Odor Eliminator and soak. Continue with normal wash. For Light Odors use 1 capful. For Heavy, use 1 1/2 capfuls. For Extreme Odors, use up to 2 capfuls
- SAFE TO USE WITH LAUNDRY PRODUCTS: Febreze In Wash Pet Odor Eliminator is safe to use with laundry detergent pods, liquid laundry detergent, fabric softeners, and bleaches. Compatible with regular and high efficiency washing machines.
- SUBSCRIBE & SAVE: Never run out of Febreze In Wash Pet Odor Eliminator Laundry Additive when you add it to your subscriptions. Save with every purchase
- Concentrated Powder Detergent: ACTIVE Pet Detergent is a Powerful, High Efficiency Compatible Odor Destroyer & Stain Eliminating Detergent. Every Scoop has a Natural Cleaning Power to Handle any Mess, Stain, or Smell left behind by your pet.
- Suitable for all Pet Laundry: Including Pet Bed, Clothing, Leash, Harness, Blankets, Towels, Furniture Covers & More! ACTIVE is an All-in-One Laundry Detergent Compatible With All Fabric Types, Even Use on your own Clothing and Bedding that smells like your pet!
- Bio Based Enzyme Cleaner: ACTIVE Enzyme Laundry Detergent is Formulated to Target Pesky Stains and Odors, Including Pet Urine, Cat & Dog Pee, Vomit, Slobber, Dirt, Grime, Oils and Protein Stains. ACTIVE Enzymes even get rid of Wet Dog Odor, and others stubborn scents
- Natural & Fragrance Free: ACTIVE Pet Detergent is a Natural Laundry Stain Remover, Free of Harsh Chemicals and Gentle for Pets and Sensitive Skin. ACTIVE Actually Removes Odors rather than using scents to cover them up like some alternatives
- Best Value 64 Loads: Compare ACTIVE Dog Laundry Detergent to liquids that take up more space with less uses. Our Value Pack Comes in a Bulk 2 Lb bag so you can Keep Your Pet Laundry Taken Care Of!
- LAUNDRY BIO-ENZYMATIC FORMULA: Helps break down and destroy tough pet stains and odors, such as urine, feces, vomit, blood, grass and drool.
- GENTLE ON FABRICS: Perfect for use on clothing, pet beds and more—not for use on specialty fabrics, including washable silk, khaki, fluorescents, wool, suede and leathers.
- SAFE FOR PETS AND HOME: Formulated without phosphates, parabens, sulfates and bleach, this product is safe for use around pets and home, when used as directed.
- ODORCAPTURE 360 TECHNOLOGY: An odor neutralizing system from Nature’s Miracle, the brand you trust because it works!
- WORKS IN ALL MACHINES INCLUDING HE: Use in addition to your laundry detergent to help loosen and remove tough pet stains and odors.
- SCENT ADVENTURE: Formula designed to take your nose on a scent focused adventure with Super Fresh Blast fragrance
- 3 IN 1 PERFORMANCE: Liquid detergent made to help eliminate tough odors in wear while providing a strong clean and lasting scent
- MATCHES PLUS ODOR DEFENSE LINE: Liquid laundry detergent that matches with other Gain Plus Odor Defense products for one coordinated scent
- UNIVERSAL MACHINE USE: Washing detergent that works in many machines and water temperatures when used as directed
- SAFE ON ALL FABRICS: Laundry soap that is safe for use on all fabric types according to the label instructions
- Powerful Pet Stain and Odor Remover - best laundry booster for pet odors, remove dog smell from laundry, safe laundry additive for pets. Effectively removes pet stains and odors from bedding, clothing, washable pee pads, and more.
- Professional Strength - Skout's Honor Laundry Booster offers professional-grade cleaning power, providing deep cleaning to tackle even the toughest pet stains and odors. Non-toxic - No Added Fragrance
- Plant-Powered Cleaner - 3X concentrated formula breaks down odor molecules and lifts away stains, ensuring a clean and fresh environment. Enhances your regular detergent - simply add to each load (HE-washer compatible, up to 32 loads)
- Eco-Friendly and Cruelty-Free - Never tested on animals - Manufactured under the California Green Chemistry Initiative, making it safe for pets, family, and home when used as directed
- Paw Pledge - Together with their customers, Skout's Honor provides a day's worth of food to an animal in need, with every product sold (Buy a Bottle, Feed an Animal).
- One 100.5 fl oz bottle of ARM & HAMMER Plus OxiClean with Odor Blasters Laundry Detergent, Fresh Burst Liquid Laundry Detergent cleans 77 medium loads when used as directed
- Triple-power HE laundry detergent fights tough odors, blasts away stains and boosts freshness so your clothes look and smell their best
- With trusted ARM & HAMMER Baking Soda plus an odor fighter, this HE laundry detergent is formulated to deeply clean clothes and deliver lasting freshness
- Laundry stain remover forces out stubborn stains and nasty odors using OxiClean Stain Fighters to remove stains like food, grass, grease and more
- Odor Blasters fights tough smells like body odor, sweat and musty towels and leave clothes with a lasting Fresh Burst scent
- Use what Your Vet Uses: Thornell is an excellent provider of pet odor eliminator for home and laundry products to the veterinary industry in North America. Use what the pros use! This powerful dog and cat odor eliminator concentrate for laundry can be used safely on towels, bedding, blankets, clothing, and all other machine-washable items.
- Tough on Strong Odors: Use this pet odor remover laundry concentrate to permanently and immediately remove odors from the first application, saving you time and money. This concentrated laundry deodorizer for clothes penetrates the source of the odor whereas other pet deodorizers for home and laundry only treat surface problems.
- Easy to Use & Cost Efficient: Add L.O.E. animal odor eliminator clothes additive to the pre-soak or auto-soak cycle, or directly with the detergent. For moderate odors, use only ½ oz per load. Our 32 oz bottle of dog and cat smell eliminator is good for 64 loads of laundry!
- Not an Enzyme, Not a Mask: Our pet smell odor eliminator concentrate features a unique non-enzymatic formula that works regardless of what application you have used before. Odorcide L.O.E works where other odor absorbers for home laundry products haven’t and won’t.
- Safe for Small Pets & Children: No need to fear, pets and children can safely be around anything treated with L.O.E. pet smell and cat urine odor eliminator immediately after use. Our concentrated deodorizer odor eliminator is non-toxic, non-irritating, non-carcinogenic, and biodegradable.
- EXTREME ODOR & STAIN ELIMINATOR: Unlike laundry detergent alone, FunkAway Laundry Detergent Booster attacks trapped‑in odors and soils at the source, acting as a powerful laundry odor eliminator for gym clothes, pet bedding and everyday laundry
- WORKS ON ALL SMELLS: Eliminate sweat, mildew, smoke, skunk, food, and musty odors fast. Ideal as laundry scent boosters, pet laundry detergent odor remover, and smoke odor eliminator for anything you use for hard work and play
- REMOVES STUBBORN STAINS: When regular detergent isn't enough, add FunkAway laundry scent booster and stain remover to de-funk clothes. Our laundry odor remover helps lift and remove tough stains and odors without rewashing
- POWERFUL FORMULA: FunkAway’s exclusive OM Complex eliminates odors at the source instead of covering them up. Our odor eliminator laundry liquid is safe for all fabrics and compatible with regular and High Efficiency (HE) washing machines
- LIVE A FUNK‑FREE LIFE: Discover our complete collection of odor eliminators, including room freshener, smoke smell eliminator for home, and automotive air fresheners that help control odors in all parts of your life
The Ultimate Buying Guide: Conquering Canine Odor
Dog smell is a tough challenge for laundry. Regular detergents often just mask the odor. You need a special weapon. This guide helps you choose the best laundry detergent to permanently remove that wet dog smell or general funk from your pet’s bedding, towels, and clothes.
Key Features to Look For
When shopping, look for these important features. They make the biggest difference in odor removal.
- Enzymatic Formula: This is the most critical feature. Enzymes are tiny helpers that eat up the odor-causing bacteria. They break down the proteins and oils that cause the smell, rather than just covering them up.
- Odor Neutralizer Technology: Good formulas contain ingredients that chemically change the smell molecules into something odorless. Look for terms like “odor elimination” or “advanced odor removal.”
- Concentration Level: Highly concentrated detergents often pack more cleaning power into a smaller dose. You use less product, but it cleans better.
- Compatibility: Check if the detergent is safe for HE (High Efficiency) washing machines, which are common now.
Important Materials and Ingredients
The ingredients list tells you if the detergent can handle tough pet smells.
Good Ingredients:
- Protease and Lipase Enzymes: These are the workhorses. Protease tackles protein stains (like drool), and Lipase handles fatty oils (like those from dirty fur).
- Plant-Derived Surfactants: These help lift dirt and oils off the fabric. Plant-based cleaners are often gentler on sensitive skin while still being strong cleaners.
- Mineral Boosters (e.g., Borax or Washing Soda): These help soften the water and boost the detergent’s cleaning power, especially in hard water areas.
Ingredients to Avoid (or Use with Caution):
- Heavy Perfumes or Fragrances: Strong perfumes only hide the smell temporarily. They can also irritate sensitive skin on humans and pets.
- Bleach: Never use chlorine bleach on pet bedding or colored items. It damages fabrics and does not effectively break down organic odors.
Factors That Improve or Reduce Quality
The quality of your detergent depends on how it interacts with the smell and your machine.
Factors That Improve Quality:
- Cold Water Performance: The best detergents work well even in cold water. Cold water saves energy, but it requires stronger cleaning agents to fight odor effectively.
- Residue Removal: A high-quality detergent rinses clean. If soap residue stays behind, it can actually attract more dirt and odors later.
- Color Safety: Quality formulas protect fabric dyes, keeping your dog’s favorite blanket looking bright after many washes.
Factors That Reduce Quality:
- Over-Reliance on Brighteners: Optical brighteners make whites look whiter, but they do nothing to eliminate the actual smell. They are a sign the formula focuses on looks, not deep cleaning.
- Too Much Filler: Cheap detergents often use lots of water or cheap fillers. These dilute the active enzymes and cleaning agents.
User Experience and Use Cases
How you use the detergent matters just as much as what you buy.
Best Use Cases:
- Deep Soaking: For extremely smelly items (like a dog bed left out in the rain), pre-soaking the item in a solution of warm water and the enzyme detergent for 30 minutes before washing improves results dramatically.
- Tackling Accidents: Use the detergent directly on fresh urine spots if machine washing isn’t immediately possible. Blot first, then treat.
- Regular Maintenance: Washing dog towels and blankets weekly with this specialized detergent prevents the deep, set-in smell from ever forming.
Tips for the Best Experience: Always follow the dosage instructions. Using too much detergent can actually trap odors in the machine or on the fabric. Run an empty wash cycle monthly with just hot water and a cup of white vinegar to clean out any built-up residue in your washer drum.
10 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about Dog Smell Detergent
Q: Can I just use regular detergent plus vinegar?
A: Vinegar helps rinse away soap residue, but it does not contain the enzymes needed to completely break down the proteins and oils causing the deep dog smell. Specialized detergent works better.
Q: How much detergent should I use for a heavy dog smell load?
A: Check the bottle label for the “Heavily Soiled” or “Extra Strength” line. Usually, you use slightly more than the standard amount, but avoid overloading the machine.
Q: Is enzymatic detergent safe for my septic system?
A: Yes. Most modern enzymatic detergents are specifically formulated to be safe for septic tanks because the enzymes break down organic matter, which is what septic systems handle.
Q: Will this detergent fade my colored dog clothes?
A: High-quality formulas designed for odor elimination are usually color-safe. Avoid using them with chlorine bleach, which causes fading.
Q: How do I know if the detergent actually worked?
A: Smell the item immediately after it comes out of the dryer (or while still damp). If you smell nothing but clean fabric, the detergent succeeded.
Q: Should I wash pet items separately from my own laundry?
A: It is highly recommended, especially if anyone in the house has sensitive skin or allergies. This prevents potential cross-contamination of dander or strong odors.
Q: What if the smell remains after one wash?
A: Re-wash the item immediately. Pre-soak it for an hour in warm water mixed with the detergent before running the second cycle. Sometimes very old, set-in smells need two treatments.
Q: Are “natural” detergents effective against dog smell?
A: Only if the natural detergent explicitly lists enzyme ingredients (like protease). If it only lists essential oils, it will only mask the smell.
Q: Is hot water necessary for killing dog odor bacteria?
A: Hot water helps kill bacteria, but enzyme detergents work best in warm or cold water. Use the warmest water setting safe for the fabric, but rely on the enzymes, not just the heat.
Q: Can I use fabric softener with this detergent?
A: No. Fabric softeners coat fibers, which traps odors inside the fabric. Skip the softener when washing pet items to ensure the detergent works completely.