Try These Smart Tips on How to Keep a Pet-Friendly Home Clean and Tidy
We love our pets. Cleaning their little messes and hair – not so much. All you need to do is learn how to keep your home clean with pets and be prepared to follow our pet-friendly home cleaning and house-proofing tips.
Hair-Proof your home
As anyone who has pets can tell you, pet hair can be everywhere. It clings on to carpets, sofas, and shows great resistance when you try to vacuum it up. It even floats in the air, settling down onto everything you have in a room. Cover all the furniture your pets snooze on with sheets when you’re not expecting company. Just move the sheet out of the way when you want to sit or lie down in that spot, and put it back in place when you get up. Before tossing the sheets or towels in the washing machine, shake it outside to get rid of some hair.
If your pets get up on your bed, cover your comforter or bedspread with a sheet as well. Throwing sheets in the washer and dryer is a lot easier than cleaning your furniture or king size bed furnishings.
Grooming
Do you groom your pets regularly? It will help you deal with unruly hair. Try brushing your dog at least a few times per week – not only does it help to get rid of all of that fur, but most dogs love to be brushed and it can be some great bonding time. If weather permits, it is best to brush your dog outside to limit the furry mess and to airborne skin particles that can attribute to allergies.
Cleaning Pet Hair off the Floors
Vacuum your carpets several times a week. A vacuum with a HEPA filter will help you minimize other dust particles, decreasing the need for frequent cleaning. On wood and other hard floors, use an electrostatic mop; they’re more efficient than vacuums since they don’t blow the hair around. Be sure to clean beneath furniture and in corners where pet hair can accumulate.
Removing Stains
A prompt cleaning will give you much better results. Untreated urine left on carpets can permanently discolor the dye. It might also be interpreted by a pet as an invitation to “use” that spot again.
When choosing a cleaner, avoid using industrial cleaners as they may be harmful to your pets.
Cleaning Process:
- Blot fresh stains with a clean, white cloth or paper towels.
- Mix 2 cups of white distilled vinegar with 2 cups of lukewarm water in a large bowl.
- Add in 4 heaping tablespoons of baking soda, adding it in smaller amounts if it threatens to fizz over.
- Pour into a spray bottle and thoroughly spray the area.
- Let sit for 5 minutes, then gently rub and blot up with a soft cloth.
- You can also simply pour some straight from the bowl over the stain if you don’t have a spray bottle.
Hydrogen peroxide combined with baking soda is another great cleaning solution when it comes to dealing with urine and pulling out stains.
- Cloth or paper towels
- A cup or so of baking soda
- 1/2 cup 3% hydrogen peroxide
- 1 teaspoon eco-friendly dish liquid
- A bowl
Removing Pet Hair from Clothing and Upholstery
Lint pick-Up rollers are pretty effective on more than just clothing. They work on most surfaces including furniture and drapes.
Rubber gloves moistened with a spritz of water is also an effective, hands-on method to wipe up hair laden areas. Just rinse the gloves in a bucket of water as needed.
There are many resources online on keeping pet-friendly home clean. For more great tips on How to Remove Pet Stains and Odors, visit Humane Society page.
To remove stale stains or persistent odor, call a professional carpet or home cleaning service.