11 Effective Ways to Keep your House Clean When Your Dog Is in Heat

Written by Lauren Novack | Edited by Hunter Rising

Last Updated: June 6, 2022 References

Do you have an unfixed female dog at home that has started her heat cycle? Dogs can go into heat as early as 6 months old, and the cycle lasts for 3–4 weeks. If you want to keep your home tidy and make sure your furry friend is comfortable, it’s really easy to take care of her when she’s in heat. Keep reading to learn the best ways to prevent a mess and clean up after your dog!

This article is based on an interview with our certified dog behavior consultant, Lauren Novack. Check out the full interview here.

1

Put your pup in doggy diapers.

Doggy diapers absorb blood before it can make a mess. During the first few weeks your dog is in heat, she may dribble blood on your floors. You can either get reusable doggy diapers that you can wash in between uses, or disposable diapers to get rid of the mess right away. Just put the diaper on your dog’s hind end and change it as soon as it’s wet or soiled.
- Ensure that you get doggy diapers made for the size of your dog. Bigger breeds need large diapers so they don’t fit too tightly and toy breeds need small diapers that are snug so they don’t fall off.

2

Contain your dog in a room with hard floors.

It’ll be easier to clean up messes from hard surfaces than carpet. Choose a room that’s not too isolated so your dog still feels like she’s close to you. Anywhere like a kitchen, dining room, bathroom, or uncarpeted bedroom works great. Keep the door closed or put up a baby gate so your dog can’t get out and leave a mess.^{[1]
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- Put your dog in a crate with a solid bottom when you’re sleeping or away from home to help contain the mess.

3

Put covers on your furniture.

The extra layer of protection from a slipcover prevents stains. If you don’t have a room with hard floors or just want to let your dog get cozy on the couch, you can find waterproof slipcovers for any piece of furniture so they don’t absorb any blood into the upholstery. Just slide the slipcover over the furniture before letting your dog on it. If your dog dribbles a little blood, then you can just take the slipcover off and wipe it off.^{[2]
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- If you have oddly-shaped furniture, you may have to order custom slipcovers from an upholsterer.
- Instead of slipcovers, you could just lay out old blankets that you don’t mind getting dirty.

4

Line your dog’s bed with old towels or blankets.

Washing towels or blankets is less work than cleaning the entire bed. Look through your closets to see if you have any blankets or towels that you don’t use anymore. Lay the towels and blankets over your dog’s bed so it’s completely covered. All of the additional bedding will absorb odors and stains, plus your dog will feel extra comfortable.^{[3]
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- Choose a dog bed with a washable cover since you can remove the cover and clean it separately from the bed.

5

Take your dog out to go potty more frequently.

Your dog will need to urinate more often once she’s in heat. A dog in heat releases pheromones and hormones that attracts males when she urinates, so she’s more likely to urine mark. If you notice your dog whining by the door or acting antsy, let her out in your yard or take her on a short walk around the block so she can relieve herself without making a mess.^{[4]
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- Avoid taking your dog to a dog park since male dogs will smell her pheromones and may try to mate with her.

6

Wipe your dog with a disposable wipes.

Spot-clean your dog when you notice odors or small messes. Your dog will usually do a pretty good job keeping herself clean, but there might be times when she gets a little messier. Get in the habit of checking up on your dog to see if she has anything in her fur around her genitals. Take a disposable dog wipe and gently clean off the mess.^{[5]
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- Your dog’s vulva will be more sensitive, so be sure you’re extra gentle as you wipe her hind end and between her legs.

7

Bathe your dog if she still smells.

A quick wash with dog shampoo keeps your dog smelling fresh. Lead your pup into the tub and wet your dog’s fur with warm water. Lather dog shampoo into your pup’s fur, paying special attention to the area between her legs and her vulva. Gently rinse off all of the shampoo and dry your dog off with some old towels.^{[6]
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- Bathing will mask any residual blood or urine odors, but be sure to keep your dog safe and separated from male dogs since they’ll still smell the hormones and pheromones.
- Some dogs might be more temperamental when they’re in heat, so only give a bath if your dog seems willing. If your dog barks, nips, or shows any other signs of distress, stop what you’re doing.

8

Keep your dog entertained to stop stress messes.

Your dog will need more attention to stop her from getting bored and naughty. Since your dog wants to mate while she’s in heat, she might want to cuddle up or want more affection from you. Give your dog some extra love while she’s in heat by spending some time petting and playing with her. Otherwise, your dog might stress out and make a mess if she gets bored.^{[7]
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- Get a few new dog toys for your dog to chew on so she doesn’t chew on anything else in your home.
- Your dog’s behavior may change, so try petting her for 3 seconds before stopping to see how she responds. If your pup is still acting lovey, then keep showing her affection. If she starts acting up or growling, let her be.

9

Use an enzymatic cleaner for blood and urine.

Enzymatic cleaner breaks down the odors so your dog doesn’t mark there. Even if you wipe up messes with a paper towel, your dog will still be able to smell them and might try to go in the same spot again. Blot up as much of the mess as you can before you spray the enzymatic cleaner directly on the spot. After the cleaner soaks in, sop it up with a paper towel.^{[8]
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- Dogs that are in heat are more likely to urine mark to spread their hormones and pheromones.
- Try to clean up messes as soon as you spot them so they’re less likely to leave stains.

10

Eliminate odors with air fresheners.

Air fresheners can help mask the scent your dog gives off. While a doggy diaper helps trap most of the odors, you may still notice the smell when your dog is in heat. Try using an essential oil diffuser with lavender or chamomile to help conceal the scent of your dog.^{[9]
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- You can also apply a small dab of menthol oil to the end of your dog’s tail to help mask the scent.^{[10]
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- Avoid using pennyroyal, pine, tea tree, or wintergreen oils since they’re toxic to dogs.^{[11]
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- Keep your diffuser in a different room than your dog since the vapors could harm her lungs.^{[12]
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11

Get your dog spayed if you don’t plan on breeding.

Spaying your dog will stop your dog from going into heat. Your dog will go into heat once or twice a year depending on the breed unless you have her spayed. If you don’t want the hassle of cleaning up after your dog or the surprise of taking care of a litter of puppies, schedule an appointment with your vet to have her spayed.
- Wait until your dog isn’t in heat to get her spayed.
- Spaying your dog also keeps your dog from getting serious health problems as she gets older, such as uterine infections and breast cancer.^{[13]
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- Give your dog a clean and quiet place to recover, and take good care of her while she heals.