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Health & Fitness

5 Ways to Hide Cat Pan Odor from Guests

One of the more un-glamorous things that a Realtor®, showing a home to prospective buyers, can come across is cat pan odor.

Sometimes the homeowner is unaware there is a smell because they live with it. But when someone walks through your door for the very first time, it'll hit them.

Unpleasant litter box odors in your house are the last thing you want during showings and open houses. Or when you have guests come over.

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I know there a lot of realtors and home stagers out there who will tell you to find new temporary boarding for your pet while your house in on the market. I am not one of those home stagers.

My pets are my babies (yes, I'm one of THOSE people) and I consider them to be part of the family just as much as I would my brothers. I will never ask a client to put their pet up in a kennel.

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The stress of relocation on a pet is just as stressful as your own pending relocation. And since we're not relocating your pets, I thought I'd share some tips for keeping the litter box area smelling fresh during showings and avoid the awkward "What's that smell?"

1) Clean the litter box just before you walk out of the front door. This should be a no-brainer, but make sure before any showings and open houses that you do it. It's okay if the box gets used during showings, you can't avoid it, but not before they even start. There's no excuse to leave the house with a dirty litter box.

2) Use a litter that has order absorbing crystals, much like baking soda or carbon. The more they scratch to cover up their mess the more the scent gets absorbed.

3) Use plug in air fresheners that eat order like Febreeze plug ins. But scents that are CLEAN, floral and fruity can be overpowering. Scents like clean linen, ocean breeze or meadows and rain are a good choice. Make sure you buy a couple of refills so if you have a last minute showing, you're not stuck with a used up freshener. 

4) Use a new emergency air freshener. Airwick Freshmatic Ultra Odor Detect will automatically release fragrance in the air when it detects unpleasant odors. Talk about technology! Perfect for right after your pet uses the litter box. 

5) Use a covered litter box.  No one wants to see that your pet used the litter box, let alone smell it. A lot of covered litter boxes also have built in carbon filters to help absorb order.

If you follow these tips, your pet's litter box area won't bring any questions of "What's that smell?” Be on top of it, be prepared and have the proper supplies. 

Have related questions? You can always reach me via my web site or by emailing me, your 38-year, experienced real estate broker, at Debbie@DebbieFerrari.com. You can also call me at 949-463-4111. And if you need info on homes, my brand new South Orange County real estate web site gives you 100 data layers of information on every Southern California home.

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