You don’t have to live with furry couches and mud-stained floors. Here’s how to keep your house clean with dogs or cats.
We know that mess happens. Pets often roll around in the dirt outside and track the mess inside your home, they shed, and sometimes, they might have a potty accident or get sick on the rug.
It wouldn’t be a big deal at all to handle — except many conventional cleaning products contain ingredients that are unsafe to use around dogs and cats. Even products labeled as “green” or “natural” can cause skin, respiratory, or gastrointestinal irritation (or internal bleeding).
That’s why we’re showing you exactly how you can keep a clean home and keep your pets safe with these 12 cleaning tricks.
Stop the mess where it starts and create a cleaning station in your entryway, mudroom, or by a side or back door. Here’s a quick checklist of items for any home cleaning station:
We know this will take some upfront cost and effort — but we promise you that a clean house (and clean furniture) will make it 100% worth it.
To keep your home clear of any unwelcome pests, you want to make sure you prevent fleas on your furry friends. And if you start finding any critters, you’ll want to get rid of the fleas as quickly as possible.Start with regular brushing sessions and baths for your pets. Bathe dogs about once every three months. Cats generally don’t need you to bathe them unless their fur is really dirty, but you can help groom them with brushing. Frequent brushing, about once every few days, will also give you a chance to look for fleas and stop them before they become a serious problem.
When it comes to keeping a house clean with pets, a vacuum is one of the most powerful tools to stock in your arsenal. A high-quality vacuum can suck up pet hair, dirt that gets dragged in after an afternoon rolling in the grass, and even kibble or treat crumbs.The best vacuum is one that you enjoy using. If you have hardwood floors, find a vacuum that glides over these hard surfaces with ease. Consider a two-in-one vacuum with a detachable, hand-held portion that can clean fur off the couch just as easily as it cleans the floors. If you hate winding and unwinding the cord and moving the plug from outlet to outlet, consider a rechargeable or cordless vacuum.
Aside from pet fur, cat litter is another pesky reality of pet ownership. Cats can track their litter from the bathroom to the kitchen. To minimize the mess, start by putting the litter box in a private area. You could even place the litter box in a closet or bathroom and add a pet door to the door. Even a covered litter box offers more protection against litter tracking.
Place the litter box on a litter mat to collect any spare litter. Switch to a dust-free or lower-tracking litter option. Keep litter boxes clean daily, and use a vacuum or broom to sweep up any litter that is tracked around the litter box.
Be sure to clean this regularly to avoid persistent odors. Your housemates and pets will thank you!
If you find fleas, talk to your vet about treatment options. You may need flea collars, flea sprays or other flea medications, flea shampoo alternatives, or other remedies to quickly eradicate any critters.
⚠️ Frequent baths, combing out extra pet hair, and shampooing the carpets can all be helpful steps to prevent fleas before they happen, and eradicate them once they arrive.
From sharp claws to shedding fur, pets can be destructive to furniture. But you don’t have to ban your pets from the sofa. Cuddle up with confidence by investing in durable products that can withstand the claws when Fluffy jumps up to the cushions or frequent washings when the pillows and throws get covered in fur.
Also, consider furniture and blankets that are also stain-resistant in case of mud or potty accidents. For rugs, opt for indoor-outdoor options that are easy to spot-clean if there is a cat pee or dog poop incident.
The key to keeping your home clean with pets is to tackle messes as soon as possible. A great way to do this is to have all of your pet-related cleaning supplies in one caddy, so you can grab and go. We recommend stocking your caddy with some or all of the following items:
You wash your own coats and blankets every so often, so you should also be washing the items your pet regularly uses. Pets drool on toys, and their beds, leads, and collars can also get pretty grimy over time.
Here’s how often you should consider laundering your pet items:
Nothing makes a home smell fresh quite like cracking open some windows on a breezy day. Opening windows when the temperatures are warm is a great remedy to clear out stale air as well as pet dander. While opening the windows in the winter isn’t as pleasant, you can still refresh your home by opening some windows for about 10 minutes at a time.
There are multiple ways to incorporate trays for a clean home. Start by placing a tray beneath dog bowls to catch any slobber, water spills, and stray pet food that misses your pet’s mouth. It’ll keep you from sweeping and mopping the floor every time your pet gets a bite of food or sip of water — simply clean up the tray once at the end of the day.
(Don’t forget to clean under there once in a while too, to keep your floor from getting dingy.)
Pet hair is a reality for most pet owners, and while a lint roller can help clear off the couch before your guests arrive, it can be annoying and wasteful to rip off sheet after sheet trying to pick up fur regularly. While sustainable lint rollers are great for going green, they might lose effectiveness over time — leaving many pet parents looking for an alternative solution.
Here’s a trick: Use latex gloves, like the ones you wear to wash dishes. Simply put on the gloves, and rub your hand along the furniture to quickly collect fur. Duct tape and dryer sheets also work wonders at gathering pet fur. For rugs, furniture, or other upholstery, use a squeegee to collect fur.
Keep your dog’s nails trimmed to minimize the amount of dirt they track in and keep your furnishings and floors safer from punctures and scratches. Plan to trim your pup’s nails about every three to four weeks. The nail clipping process can be intimidating for pups and pet parents alike, but maintain a calm demeanor and voice to make Fido feel at ease.
Some cleaning ingredients are toxic to pets, such as bleach, alcohol, and even essential oils. If you do use them, keep these and other cleaning products stowed away where pets cannot access them. While cleaning, make sure pets are put somewhere safe until you are done and the products have fully dried.
Here are a few cleaning ingredients considered pet-safe, but even these should be kept in a safe place:
Many cleaners, even if they are marketed as “natural,” can be dangerous to pets. Pet parents should avoid these ingredients, or at least keep them well out of reach from pets.
You love your furry friend, but the smell of dogs throughout the house is just not pleasant. Instead of using air freshener sprays or essential oils, start by cracking open some windows to bring in some fresh air. If it’s been a while since Fido had a thorough wash, bathe them, and make sure to wash their bed, toys, leash, and collar to further remove smells. Vacuum floors, furniture, and other fabrics throughout the house often to keep your home from holding pet odors.
You’ll need to be diligent about daily cleaning to minimize the amount of dog hair in your home. Pick up pet hair from surfaces with rubber gloves, lint rollers, or squeegees. Make sure to vacuum surfaces and sweep the floors often. Also, get into a habit of brushing your pup’s fur every few days (outdoors, if possible) to help collect loose fur before it is shed all over the house.
Bathe your dog about once every few months or when they are visibly dirty, like after a muddy walk.
