Keeping a clean house when you have pets can feel like a nightmare. There seems to be a never-ending amount of hair around your house, and no matter how much you clean, you always find something else you need to tidy up. Luckily, there are many ways to keep your home clean with pets. Different cleaning tactics work well for different rooms. It doesn’t cost much money or take much time to keep your house clean using these tips!
Vacuum Regularly
This one might seem like a no-brainer, but ensure you regularly vacuum to remove pet hair from all surfaces. That way, pet hair won’t pile up over time, and you won’t have to spend as much time vacuuming as usual. Ensure you get into the hard-to-reach areas in your bedroom and living room; otherwise, fur can pile up over time.
Use Lint Rollers
Grab lint rollers and get rolling for a quick solution to picking up pet fur around your home! You can use these on furniture and clothing. Simply wipe them back and forth across your clothes and furniture, and once the lint loses its stickiness, peel off a layer and start a new one.
Invest in a High-Quality Air Purifier
To eliminate pet dander and odors, invest in a high-quality air purifier to eliminate that musty smell that never seems to disappear. Sometimes, wet dog and wet cat smell can linger for days, so it’s best to use an air purifier to get rid of it before it starts sticking to your furniture and your home.
Wash Your Pet’s Bedding
Wash your pet bedding regularly as you wash your bed sheets to avoid odor buildup. Keeping dirt, saliva, and sweat from building up on your pet’s bedding is a great way to prolong their bed sheets so you don’t have to buy new ones. It also prevents odors from leaking into the house.
Use Washable Slipcovers
To make cleaning your furniture easier, use washable slipcovers. Instead of scrubbing down stains or using cleaning material for spot cleaning, simply slip off the slipcover and toss it into the washing machine and dryer. Wash this while you wash your and your pet’s bedsheets.
Trim Your Pet’s Nails
Keep your pet’s nails trimmed to prevent scratching on floors and furniture. Trimming them anyway is a good idea, as overgrown nails can cause pain while walking, damage their paws, and lead to injuries. Trimming their nails is also one less thing you’ll need to vacuum when cleaning your house.
Use a Mat at Entryways
The best way to prevent a dirty home is to prevent dirt from entering your house in the first place! To reduce dirt and debris from the outside, place a mat in your entryways so your pets can wipe their feet before entering your home. You can also keep a towel nearby to wipe down their paws to get any excess dirt caked onto their paws.
Bath-time for Pets
Your pet might not like bathtime, but that shouldn’t stop you from cleaning them! Clean your pets regularly to reduce shedding and odor. Pets need proper hygiene to prevent skin infections, remove dead hair from their coats, and prevent skin problems that can arise from accumulating grime over time. This will also keep your house clean!
Use Pet-Friendly Furniture Fabrics
Leather and microfiber are more challenging to clean than other fabrics. Pet-friendly furniture made from cotton canvas, recycled poly weave, lightweight linen, and thread-dyed cotton linen is easy to clean and will save you time in case there’s a stain or an accident. You don’t have to use this material for every piece of furniture in your home, but if most of it is made from it, it’ll help keep your home clean.
Install a Pet Gate
Install a pet gate to prevent pets from jumping on the furniture. You can install a gate at the doorway leading into your living room to prevent them from entering entirely or place it in the middle to keep them away from half of it. This will protect your best furniture and is a great way to prolong the life of your vintage items.
Keep Pet Toys in a Basket or Storage Bin
Use a storage bin to store your pet’s toys to avoid clutter. Allowing clutter to accumulate is one of the fastest ways to dirty your space. By avoiding clutter accumulation in the first place, you’ll keep your space clean. This will also prevent dust and dirt from spreading around your living area.
Wipe Down Pet Feeding Areas
To avoid food crumbs and spills regularly, clean down pet feeding areas after every meal. Just as you clean your dishes after every meal, doing the same with your pet feeding area is essential. More likely than not, your furry friend will spill kibble and water every time they eat. It’s better to prevent food accumulation by cleaning it up after every meal.
Keep Pet Food Sealed
Keep pet food sealed and stored in cabinets to prevent pests and odors. This will keep pests like flies out and prolong the shelf-life of your pet’s food, so you won’t have to go to the store and buy more or waste expired or stale food.
Use a Pet-Friendly Dish Rack
Store a pet-friendly dish rack or mat under pet bowls for easy cleaning. That way, when your pet inevitably spills their food onto the floor, there’s less cleaning you have to do! Simply throw it away if it’s one use, or toss it in the washing machine so you can quickly wash it and reuse it. This will keep the floor clean, thus saving you time scrubbing down the floor.
Make Your Bed Daily
If you sleep with your dog or pet in your bed, make your bed daily and shake out any excess hair that’s accumulated overnight to remove pet hair. If there’s too much, toss your comforter into the washing machine to get rid of the pet hair so you can sleep soundly and away from fur.
Use a Fabric or Leather Headboard
To help avoid collecting pet hair, use a fabric or leather headboard. Other materials will accumulate and attract pet hair much faster. You must grab the lint roller or wipe down your headboard when that happens. By using a material that doesn’t even collect hair, you’re making it easier on yourself.
Clean Litter Boxes Daily
You likely have your cat’s litter box in your bathroom. Clean your cat’s litter box daily to prevent odors from spreading through the home. No one wants to walk through your home smelling a litter box! Besides, your cat will be pleased to have access to a clean litter box.
Use a Pet-Friendly Air Freshener
Install a pet-friendly air freshener around your home to reduce unpleasant odors. This will take care of any lingering or tough odors that stick. Chances are, some odors will seep into your cushions and, no matter what you do, will stick around. Using an air freshener will keep the air smelling goo without you having to get down and scrub anything clean.
Sweep and Mop Floors Frequently
Removing pet hair and dirt is essential, so sweeping and mopping floors frequently is necessary. You can throw in a vacuum session here and there to get those last pieces of hair floating around your home. You can also get into those tricky corners on the floor and use your hands and knees.
Invest in a Robotic Vacuum
If you’re busy with work and constantly in and out of the house, purchasing an automated pet hair-cleaning robotic vacuum is the best way to manage pet hair. This vacuum will do the job for you, so all left are tiny, tight corners that the vacuum missed. Ensure you clean the clean out every evening so it works properly throughout the day.
Choose Flooring Options That Are Easy to Clean
Instead of living in a home with only carpet or hardwood, choose flooring options like tile, laminate, or vinyl to make cleaning pet fur off the floor easier. It’s much easier to clean fury from a tile floor than a carpet, where it gets stuck. Cleaning food, saliva, and dirt off the tile, vinyl floors, and carpets is also easier.
Deep Clean Carpets
If carpets in your home are unavoidable, staying on top of cleaning them is essential. Besides vacuuming, regularly do a weekly deep clean of your carpets with a pet-safe shampoo and steam cleaner. This will prevent dirt and other residue from building up on your carpet over time, thus keeping your house smelling clean and fresh.