Pets, we either love them or hate them. But one thing is certain, when you're selling your home, pet odor is not the first thing you want a potential buyer to notice about your house. So along with your usual pre-sale house-cleaning, pet owners must take special consideration to remove the smell of their pets from their home.

Many people get their carpets cleaned when they are selling their home. While this is generally a good idea, if there is per urine on your carpet or upholstery, the heat of a professional steam-clean can actually set in the smell. To avoid this happening, you want to remove the odor first.

Many people use commercial odor-removing products on pet stains in their homes. However, be careful that you are not merely covering up one smell with another. Many people these days are sensitive to artificial scents, and may be just as bothered by a strong air-freshener as they are by ripe pet odor. Try to find a product that contains enzymes. These work to break down the molecules that emanate odors. Good old fashioned baking soda is another scent-absorber. Sprinkle it on wet or dry stains, let it sit and then vacuum it up. It works well for drying up damp stains, and preventing excess urine from soaking into carpets. A similar deodorizing remedy is salt. Rub it into the stain and let it sit. Spray the spot with water so that the salt molecules dissolve into the odor-causing ones. As with the baking soda, vacuum this up when dry. Be aware that whatever treatment you choose, be it an enzyme spray, salt or baking soda, complete de-odorizing may require a couple of treatments.

If you aren't selling immediately, but want to eliminate pet, or other, odors for your own benefit and to keep your home in better shape, invest in a good air purifier. Choose one with an activated carbon filter. These are quite affective for keeping the air fresh.

Once you've eliminated any specific sites of strong odor, general cleaning will help freshen your home. Go ahead with that carpet clean, and include the drapes and upholstery. Wash the walls if you aren't re-painting. Be sure to clean every nook and cranny, including in closets and under stairs, as pet hair and dander can accumulate in hard-to-reach places. Just as unpleasant as pet odor is having a potential buyer, so is having an allergic reaction to your pet while viewing your home.