Pets can be the apple of our eye and certainly become members of the family. However, pets like cats and dogs come with fur that shed and behavior patterns that are different than the human family members. Can we live with our pets and still keep a clean home? We can and here are some tips to help keep your home clean while living with your furry family members.
Vacuum and Sweep Often
If you have more than one pet or pets that shed quite a bit, it is good practice to vacuum your home often. Vacuuming at least once a week is good to avoid hair build up around your home. For hard surfaces, like tile or hardwood, you may not need to get the vacuum out every week and may be able to use a Swifter or brooms to sweep up the hair. This may be a task that you take care of daily since it so easy. And it is a great task to assign to children to get them to help out with pet care adding a simple task to their daily chores.
Brush Your Pets
Shedding can be managed more effectively by brushing your pets. You can use standard pet brushes or pick up some glove like brushes to help massage your pets while also catching the loose hair. This will help in managing the excess hair floating around your home. There are also attachments for your vacuum and small pet specific vacuums that can help keep your pets clean. These vacuum tools are simple and fun, however, some pets are not fans of the vacuum. So keep in mind whether or not your pet will be frightened by this contraption before investing in this tool. Brushing your cats can also help prevent hair balls that could be left around the home.
Use Pet Specific Beds
Pets bring a lot of dirt and fur when they are on furniture. If you give your pets a central location just for them, then they may be less inclined to be on the furniture. It is easy to wash a smaller area or bed simply by vacuuming the bed first and then throwing it in a washing machine. You will also see fur removed once you place the bed in the dryer. Regularly clean your dryer’s lint trap and make sure your dryer vent is cleaned regularly.
Use a Lint Brush
If you do allow your pets on the furniture, then a lint brush can come in handy. A simple lint brush can be used to remove fur from your clothing and from your furniture using the same process. Simple swipe the lint brush along the areas of your furniture to remove any pet hair.
Clean Up Accidents Immediately
Young pets often have accidents in homes while they are being potty trained. Some pets also have upset stomachs and may vomit in areas of the home. It is important to clean up these accidents as quickly as possible. Remove the mess and using a little soapy water and a rag, clean the area. Using baking soda or a splash of white vinegar can also help remove odors and may possibly ward off the furry family member from making the same accident in this spot.
Feed in One Location
Keeping pet food in one location and feeding your pets in this one location will keep any messes involving food and water centralized. Pet food can wind up around your home especially if you have a pet that likes to carry its food and then eat it where it has dropped it. Some dogs can have jowls that can carry a lot of water and drooling that water around your home can make a mess. Using a this central location approach can avoid the water and food droppings and also teach your dog and cat about where they will be fed.
Use Air Fresheners
Ever walk into a home and you just know the homeowners have pets? One way to let your home smell sweet and wonderful rather than like a wet dog, is to add air fresheners around your home. Whether you choose the natural approach like simmering herbs and spices on your stovetop or your choose to add fragrances around your home, these scents can help let others know that you care about your home and pets but want your home to smell sweet.
Clean the Litter Box
If you are a cat person and your cats relieve themselves in a litter box, it is good to clean the box regularly. Some litter boxes offer covers to help mask the scent while some offer an electronic self cleaning component to help with the cleaning of the litter box. Cleaning the litter box regularly will help keep your cats using the litter box but also keep the home clean.
Wash your Dogs
Cats clean themselves so they do not often need a bath, however, dogs lovers are not so lucky. Dogs like humans need some help in the cleaning department. Some dogs love their baths while others are not found of them. Choose to give your dog a bath occasionally to keep them smelling fresh. When your dog is in a unexpected situation like a run in with a skunk or a tough mudder expedition, definitely keep your dog outside of the house until you can properly clean him or her. You may need to take your dog to a professional in this case, but whatever you do, keeping your dog outside or in a garage will keep your home clean.
Lock the Dog Door
If it is raining outside or you feel that your pets could get into some messy areas, keep the dog door locked. If you pets are used to coming into your home through a dog door, they will want to come in no matter what. Messes to them are just plain fun. But bringing all the mess inside, causes more clean up for you. So your dog or cat may be unhappy for a short period of time, but you can take care of the mess outside prior to causing more problems inside.
Keeping your home clean is easy with these tips! Let us know what other tips your have for keeping a clean home with your furry family members.
