It rained during their last walk and now there’s nowhere to hide… the smell of wet dog everywhere! Its’s not the only aroma you’ll encounter when you share your life with dogs for sure but wet dogs…. That’s something special! It doesn’t seem right that they don’t notice that we don’t smell like them. Dog smells can be overwhelming. And not just in the moment… the odors stay behind on the furniture, the carpet, the back seat of the car, your clothes, a constant reminder of our furry friends. What to do! While there are air fresheners in a can that can change the air to a wide array of fragrances… we prefer candles to reset our ambiance!
So, what makes for a smelly canine? They don’t sweat like us, so they can’t have B.O.! However, they do emit a chemical scent from their hair follicles that is individual to each dog. They each have their own scent and don’t smell the same to each other. Ever wonder about the constant sniffing when your dog meets another dog on the street… that’s what they are doing. They also produce oil, an important part of healthy skin and hair, which also has its own scent marker. There are a couple of others smells that might have to do with changes in health which can be held at bay with regular bathing and grooming. And then there’s dog breath… gingivitis equals bad breath.
Back to the wet walk… so you notice the house is a wee bit musty… and you get a surprise call that someone is on the way over to say Hi! How are you going to freshen the place up? Candles are the clear choice over air fresheners in our humble opinion. Why candles… I’m glad you asked!
First… a little science about candles and odor removal… Flame burns oxygen. Odors in the air are attached to oxygen molecules in the air. The presence of a flame in a room means oxygen is being consumed and the more oxygen that is burned means more odors in the air along with the oxygen. Therefore, a good bet for removing odor from a room is to light a scented candle. As someone who is not a fan of perfumed smells I can hear all the grunting and groaning out there! Hold on… Let’s talk about how candles differ first
We prefer soy based vs paraffin-based candles… we appreciate their ability to burn cleanly. A cleaner burn can be important if find yourself regularly looking to replace that dog smell. Frequent paraffin-type candle burnings can leave blackening around the jar tops and perhaps a gray, sooty residue left behind on walls, drapes, and furnishings. We like the cleaner burn offered by a soy candle
So why do paraffin candles produce soot while soy candles don’t? Soot is the leftover from burning carbon-containing fuels, primarily petroleum fuels. This oily carbon soot is not found in soy wax. Soy wax is completely oily-carbon soot free. Soy candles leave no oily-soot. Also, there are several carcinogenic compounds (cancer-causing agents) found in paraffin candles. Since soot particles are very small, they can potentially penetrate the deepest area of the lung. Researchers caution that the very young, the elderly and those with respiratory diseases like asthma should avoid exposure to candle soot. Again, soy wax burns petro-carbon soot free. But there are other factors that contribute to black soot deposits in candles
The candle we burn also feature a masking scent from essential oils. Compared to fragrant oils or perfumes, essential oils are valued for their purity, strength, and delicate scents. Importantly, they respond to the heat well and diffuse the aroma over the room. Again, I don’t like perfumed smells and the candle we burn has subtle notes of cinnamon and clove that subtly shift the smell of a dog-house house to a relaxed inviting one that doesn’t attack your sense of smell.
The moral of the story… if you have a stinky dog in your house… freshen the air with a candle made to make you smile…