6 tips for keeping your home clean with pets

A pet can truly bring a lot of joy to everyday life, both for children and adults. But something children don't really have to worry about is how much pets actually soil the home. We adults, on the other hand, have to bear that burden, and it's not always so easy. If you don’t keep on top of it, the house can quickly get very dirty.

But it is definitely a myth that you can't have a clean and tidy home when you have pets; you just need to know how to do it. Here are some tried and tested tips, especially for dog and cat owners!

1. A clean home starts at the front door

If you have an outdoor cat or a dog, you know how much dirt they can drag in when they come home, especially on rainy days.

Here it’s essential to have a proper doormat that captures most of the dirt.

It's also a very good idea to have a special cloth just inside the door to wipe their paws with before the pet rushes inside. (For example, a microfibre cloth or a small towel.) This can require a fair bit of training, as many animals want nothing more than to dash into the warmth after being out in the rain.

Don’t take off the lead until the paws are dry, and teach your dog to lift its front paws to be dried. This is an excellent way to train the dog to "give a paw", although often one paw is easier to lift on command than the other.

When it comes to the cat, it can be tricky to catch it before it slips inside, but it’s worth trying to tempt it with treats to get it to pause so you can wipe its paws. Get it used to you handling its paws occasionally; this will make it easier to wipe them when needed and also easier to trim its claws now and then.

To reach and wipe the paws, you can try wrapping the cat in a towel to hold it securely so that it feels safe.

2. Take the opportunity to clean the pet beds

Pet beds and scratching posts need frequent washing or vacuuming. Hair, dirt, and even faeces and cat litter can accumulate here if you’re unlucky (and if you have pets, you’ll have unlucky moments now and then). If you keep these clean, the rest of the home will also be cleaner, because the animal won’t bring old dirt from its sleeping place around the house.

3. Protect the bed and sofa

Where the cat or dog is allowed varies from household to household. But even if the pet isn’t allowed on the bed or sofa, you can’t stop it when you’re not at home. When the owner is away, the cat dances on the bed! Have special throws intended to protect the furniture from pets that you put out when you’re away.

If you want your dog or cat in bed with you while you sleep, it’s smart to put a bedspread or blanket over the foot of the bed and teach them that they may only be on the blanket. This way, you avoid hair and dirt in the part of the bed where you sleep and can easily toss the blanket in the washing machine when needed.

4. Clean the floors often

Floors are especially prone to getting dirty when you have pets. Therefore, it’s good to vacuum at least every other day to keep the home fresh. Mopping the floor at least once a week is also a must. Preferably use an antibacterial cleaning solution to remove the unpleasant residues that those little paws have trodden around and spread.

Between moppings, it’s also handy to have a cleaning spray on hand to wipe up any spots. Even when the cat has scattered cat litter around the litter box, it’s good to freshen the surface after sweeping or vacuuming the sand, though of course you don’t always want to bring out the mop and fill a bucket of water. The spray saves the day!

A broom or handheld vacuum is essential to clean up after your pets as they dirty things.

5. Keep food bowls clean

Many neglect to wash the food and water bowls every day, but just as you shouldn’t eat from unwashed plates, neither should pets. Wash the bowls once a day and preferably use a separate dish brush or sponge just for them so as not to wash your crockery with the same tool, which isn’t very hygienic.

Some pets scatter a lot of crumbs and food around when eating, so make it a habit to clean up around the bowls after every meal so there aren’t vast amounts of food waste on the floor. A rubber mat that also holds the bowls in place is a good floor protector and easy to clean.

6. Air the house every day

Bad smells are a problem many pet owners experience. Wet dogs and litter boxes that smell suspicious can easily spread a strange odour in the home. Therefore, it’s important to open the windows and air the rooms every day to let in fresh air. Just make sure to secure the windows so your pet can’t jump out!

It can also be smart to use a scent spray to freshen up the room a bit, especially before guests arrive. You can also use a linen spray that you spritz on the bed and sofa to freshen textiles between washes.

7. Remove hair from the sofa

Hair is part and parcel of having pets, but of course, you want to keep hair on sofas and other furniture to a minimum. A sticky lint roller is very effective but runs out quickly when used daily.

There are several other ways to remove hair that work just as well. For example, you can run a rubber glove or scraper over the sofa, but on velvet sofas, it also works well to dampen a normal kitchen cloth and wipe the hair away. Naturally, the tool you use should be reserved just for furniture; don’t use the same cloth you clean the kitchen sink with!

How do you manage with pets?

Are you tired of always being the one who cleans up after your pet? A professional cleaning once a week can really make everyday life easier. Get in touch, and we’ll tell you more!