Gay Frat Boy Life Hack: Febreze™ School of #Petiquette

The Febreze™ School of #Petiquette is in Session!

A few years ago, I wrote:

“When we first met our deaf dog Edison, my husband and I were most definitely not looking for another dog, and a ten-week old, deaf Dogo Argentino/ Pit bull puppy was even further down on our “to-do” list. Way down. Somewhere between a root canal and inviting my mother to come for a visit.

We were quite sure (well, he was anyway) that our home was full and our family complete. At the time, we were sharing our lives with two large dogs, five cats and a small yet demanding lovebird. My husband also has a pig; my name is Bernard. I am prone to leaving things precisely where I finish using them. Underwear on the stove? Coffee mug doubling as an ashtray? Check and check. I only mention this to emphasize my greater point: ten critters from four different species living harmoniously under one roof takes work; doing so without violating municipal health codes when one partner lives like a frat boy requires time, and a lot of it. To add a puppy to the mix, but especially a deaf puppy, would take up even more time, and frankly we weren’t sure we had it to spare.”

Two years later and the only thing that’s changed is that I’ve added a second deaf dog to our pack and two more cats. We now share our lives and our 2-bedroom, 2-bathroom home with 4 large dogs weighing 320 pounds and 7 cats. The bird has gone AWOL.- long story, don’t ask, it’s my husband’s fault.

As if all these dirty paws and litter boxes weren’t enough, I’m the biggest gay frat boy who ever lived. Much to the chagrin of my husband, I was not born with the “Cleanliness is next to Lady Gaga-ness” gay gene.

The good thing- for me at least- is that Omar travels about three weeks a month for work. While he’s working and no one is here supervising me, socks may get left on the stove and dirty dishes may get stacked out of sight in the oven, but life is good. I blog. I play with dogs. I eat, well, sometimes I eat but I usually forget. And, feeling bulletproof when he’s in a completely different time zone, I smoke cigarettes. Inside the house. Like all the time. #HusbandNotBoss

Then Saturday night comes and, with his incoming flight looming heavy in the air, all hell breaks loose! By the time I get home, get the dogs played with and walked and settled down, I have a approximately 3 hours to turn Grey Gardens into Windsor Palace. And you know what? I have some pretty good weapons in my arsenal, and the best of the best is Febreze™. I swear by this stuff!

My best friend in those hours before Omar comes home, or if I lose my mind during the week and actually invite company over, is Febreze. When I tell you that I live by it, I am NOT kidding. It saves my butt every single time!

I buy three or four cans of the Febreze Air Effects air freshener at a time and the Febreze Fabric Refresher in the large 67 ounce refill container. I’m partial to the Gain® scented variety because it makes my entire home smell like I did laundry (which we all know I didn’t), but the original is pretty fantastic too.

What I love about Febreze products is that they don’t just cover up the pet odor and the smell of cigarettes that accumulate while Omar is gone, but it actually eliminates them! If I’m expecting company, I give the house a good once over and smile happily when they arrive. Knowing that I may be nose bind to the pet odors in my home but they are not, I am confident that Febreze creates a clean smelling home where my friends will be comfortable.

In fact, after one very stressful hour of hiding behind the sofa in a dark, locked house while my mother-in-law knocked unexpectedly and repeatedly! (and uninvited I might add!) on the door, I now make Febreze part of my evening routine. I never know when she’s going to “pop on by” and lecture me about the virtues of keeping a pristine home, so I when I get home, I play with dogs and then spritz the couch and spray the room and I’m ready- just in case.

Febreze has put together a good list of #Petiquette tips that are perfect for people like me. Here are a few of them. I promise they will make your home smell and feel better.

#1: Keep the Couch Cozy! Here at Dog & His Boy, our dogs are allowed on the couch, the bed, pretty much anywhere they are comfortable. It’s incredibly important to me that they are happy and feel at home, so we don’t have many rules about where and where they can’t go- except the office. I have too many boxes of cool, tempting dog goodies in there.The challenge of letting your dogs have free-run of your home is that they leave dog smell everywhere. The Febreze Fabric Refresher is a great way to keep the sofa, the bed and other unwashable furniture smelling clean and inviting.

#2: Carpooling with Your Pooch! I have a small car that can’t fit all four dogs, but I often take at least one or two of them with me on trips to PetSmart or outdoor cafes where I can write. The Fabric Refresher is great for the car too, but also, Febreze also sells Car Vent Clips fresheners! These clip onto the A/C vent and freshen up the whole car. Because I subscribe to the “if one is good, two is better” school of thought, I usually put three in my car! They just smell so good!

#3: When The Great Outdoors Comes Inside! We live in Miami, where the we have two seasons, hot or hotter, wet or wetter. When Edison & Co. come inside after playing in the back yard, the humidity here always amplifies the smell of wet, dirty dog. I grab a can of the Air Effects and spray to my nose’s delight and, Voila!, no more dog smell.

Click the image to enlarge the Febreze Petiquette Curriculum!

My favorite Febreze product is probably the Wax Melts! I have wax melt burners in every room: 2 in the living room, one in the kitchen, one in each bathroom and two in each bedroom. Every week, without fail, I replace the melted wax for an everlasting pop of freshness! I know that they last much longer than a week, but I love to rotate the different scents, not only weekly but also room by room. No matter where in my house you go, a bright, happy blast of freshness greets your nose!

If you have multiple pets, are expecting company or just want to freshen up your home, start using Febreze. Your house will smell and feel more inviting, which is a much more pleasant way to start your evening..and you can even leave your dirty socks lying in a pile!

What is your favorite #Petiquette tip? Which is your favorite Febreze odor eliminating product? Let us know in a comment below!