How to Get Rid of Ferret Odor in a Room: Kill the Stink!

How to get rid of ferret odor in room

Ferret ownership can be very rewarding, but let’s not sugar coat the one thing that isn’t so pleasant: how ferrets stink up a room and house. The smell of a ferret can permeate around your home until there’s no escape from it. Thankfully there are some ways in which you can get rid of the ferret smell in your house – learn how to to do it below.

How to get rid of ferret odor in room

Follow my tips and tricks on getting rid of ferret smells in your house, bedrooms, carpets, and furniture. Then lower down I also explain steps you can take to prevent the ferret odors in the first places. Once you’ve got rid of the odor today, then follow the preventative measures immediately afterwards.

How to get rid of ferret smell in house           

Is there already a ferret odor in the room? Then it’s time to start doing some deep cleaning. Start with cleaning out your ferret’s cage and litter box. Remove all ferret items from the room and then follow these steps: 

  1. Wash your walls and windows: yes, honestly. Use antibacterial spray in walls and wipe down with tissues. 
  2. Vacuum your carpets or floors thoroughly: and better still, wash the carpets to get the ferret odor out. 
  3. If you have carpets, it’s time to wash them:  use or hire an industrial carpet cleaner. Pour the recommended water ratio into the reservoir tank and then add a cup of white vinegar and a drop of carpet shampoo. Begin cleaning your carpets. 
  4. Wash out your ferret’s cage and clean all bedding and litterbox: you should be doing this more regularly than you think if you truly want to get rid of the ferret odor in your room.
  5. Once the carpet is dry you can place all your ferret’s items back in the room: now follow the preventative measures I’ve laid out below.

Handy Hint: You might have heard about descenting ferrets. I believe this to be a cruel and unnecessary practice, here’s why.

How to prevent ferret smells in your house

Preventation is better than cure. If you can reduce the smell, you won’t need to work as hard to get rid of ferret stink the next time around. If you know why your ferret stinks, you should be able to stop the ferret smell in your house form being so bad.

How to get rid of ferret smell in house
Make sure your ferret’s cage is cleaned regularly to help prevent the smell in your home or bedroom (Credit: https://unsplash.com/photos/PzN5QTx59O0)

You may get used to the natural musky smell of your ferret but after a while, the room can start to emit an unpleasant odor that can waft into the rest of your house. 

Here are tips to help reduce or stop ferret odors in a room: 

  • Litter boxes: Ferrets are smart creatures so you can train them to use a litter box instead of doing their business on the floor. 
  • Clean litter boxes: once you’ve trained your ferret to use a litter box, it’s important to keep it clean. So empty and wash out the litter box every day. 
  • Clean ferret cages: If your ferret lives in a cage you should clean it out thoroughly once a month. If you have more than one ferret you may have to clean out the cage once every two weeks.  
  • Wash ferret bedding: Wash your ferret’s bedding once a week with natural odor eliminating products such as vinegar and baking soda mixed with water. 
  • Get a vet to neuter or spay your ferret: Castration or a vasectomy is said to greatly reduce the distinctive ferret stinky odor in a house.

If you find that your ferret has pooped or peed on your floor, clean it up immediately and spray the area with odor eliminating products that are safe to use around pets. 

One product that’s quite popular is this Pet Odor Eliminator on Amazon. People who have reviewed it say it’s brilliant at getting rid of a ferret smell in a house.

Keep your ferret clean to get rid of ferret odor in room

Grooming and keeping your clean ferret will help to reduce odors and stinks in a room. You’ll need to wash your ferret before you allow your pet back into the room you’ve just cleaned. Here are some tips: 

  1. Use pet-friendly ear cleaners to remove wax from your ferret’s ears. The wax has a strong musky scent that can cause some mild odor to occur in the cage. Don’t push a Q-tip into the ferrets’ ears. Gently clean the outer part of the ear with a moistened Q-tip. 
  2. Bath your ferret but only do this once a month. Over bathing your ferret can cause the odor to become worse as it strips the natural oils from their skin. 
  3. Don’t use odor neutralizers on your ferret’s fur. Some vets advise owners to use Ferretone that promotes a healthy coat and skin. 

Handy Hint: I’ve also written a guide which explains how often you should be bathing your ferret

Will an air purifier help with ferret smell?

Some people recommend you use an air purifier to eliminate ferret odors in a room. But not all air purifiers will work. There are specific air purifiers that have specific technologies that will rid a room of unwanted ferret odors. 

High-quality air purifiers work by sanitizing the air. These machines remove harmful allergens, toxins, pollutants and odors. There are air purifiers that have HEPA filters that trap dirt and toxins when air runs through them. 

These air filters are 100% safe to use in your ferret’s room. You may want to find a product that’s suitable for the size of your room.

On the other hand, the best air filters to eliminate ferret odors are Hathaspace Smart True HEPA Air Purifier (on Amazon) and LeVoit Air Purifier For Home (also on Amazon)

How to get rid of ferret smell in a carpet? 

To prevent long term ferret odors and damage to your carpet it’s important to clean and wash out ferret messes as they occur. If your ferret messes on your carpet you can spot clean it with Oxiclean. Then apply rubbing alcohol to the affected area and blot it dry with a paper towel. 

If the entire carpet was used as your ferret’s toilet, then you’ll want to use a carpet cleaner to wash your carpets. First, sprinkle baking soda over the carpet and leave it to sit for 30 minutes. The baking soda will absorb any moisture and odors from the carpet. Vacuum up the baking soda. 

Then you’ll want to neutralize any odors left behind by pouring 1-part water and 1-part white vinegar into a spray bottle. Spray your carpet with the solution. Then take a carpet cleaner and pour a cup of white vinegar and the recommended ratio of carpet cleaner into the machine with water. Thoroughly wash your carpets and then wait for them to dry before you allow your ferret back into the room. 

How do you get the ferret smell out of furniture?

You can get rid of the ferret smell in your furniture by using any of the products and methods I’ve already mentioned, particularly if you have upholstery that stinks of ferret. 

Did You Know? The unique ferret odor is said to scare rats away.

Products not to use near a ferret to get rid of odors

When cleaning your ferret’s cage, bedding or any part of the room it’s important to use natural products that are not toxic to your pet. That’s why it’s best to use white vinegar when cleaning your ferret’s living space because it’s an all-natural product and it helps to eliminate pet odors. 

You should also avoid toxic litterbox products such as wood shavings. This product contains essential oils that your ferret may be allergic to. Corncob litter is also not an ideal product to use because it causes dust and mold growth which can be toxic for your ferret. 

What is the best way to keep your ferret’s bedding clean? 

One of the ways a room can become stinky is from a ferret’s bedding. You should wash your ferret’s bedding weekly in pet-safe detergent or with white vinegar and water. 

Additionally, you should have more than one bedding set for your ferret so you can rotate them. This will ensure your ferret always has clean bedding to sleep on. 

Simply put your ferret’s bedding in the washing machine and pour one cup of vinegar into the cycle. You should avoid using scented fabric conditioners or detergents because it can cause your ferret to sneeze. 

You can choose an unscented product such as Tide Purclean Unscented if you want to wash your ferret’s bedding with detergent. This is a plant-based laundry detergent that’s safe to use on your ferret’s bedding. 

Conclusion

Many ferret owners struggle to get rid of the odors left behind from ferrets. But the best way to control ferret odor is to prevent it from occurring in the first place.

So how do you get rid of ferret odor in a room? 

Well, the best way to prevent ferret odors in a room is to keep your pet clean and to clean its sleeping, eating, and playing area too.

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