When you have a dog, cat or another pet, maintaining a clean and organized home may be quite difficult – there’s constant hair on the carpets and your guests will always know there’s a dog in house by the smell. It may sound impossible, but keeping a clean home with furry friends can be achieved. Below are a few steps pet owners should follow.
The first thing you should do is to comb your pet daily. This will prevent loose hair from spreading to every room in your home. Of course, your furry companion will love this, so you can turn it into an easy and pleasant daily routine. If you want even better results, and in case the weather allows it, do the brushing outside. Another useful tip is to never let your pets on the furniture. This is one of the basic training rules, but it requires time and commitment. If your four-legged friend is way beyond training, you don’t have a lot of alternatives. You’ll just need to clean your sofa and beds every day.
Try to designate special areas, where your pet will sleep and relax. It’s much easier to clean just one corner, instead of the entire house. Consider buying a pet bed or making it yourself, using old pillows, a large piece of fabric or an old curtain. There should be an eating area, as well. Don’t allow your cat or dog to take food from the table – every experienced pet owner knows that rule very well. If you did want to give your cat anything extra, at least give them something that’s going to do them some good. A supplement like Nutra Thrive could be a good option, as it can be sprinkled directly onto your cat’s food to provide a little extra boost of nutrition – you could check out these Nutra Thrive for Cats reviews to see if it could be a potential option for your feline friend. Many people also underestimate or completely ignore the importance of discipline and order, which makes cleaning your home an impossible task. Designate another area where you’ll clean your pet’s paws after being outside. Otherwise, you risk dirt, mud, and mess to spread everywhere.
Maintaining a clean litter-box is key to living in a fresh-smelling home, whether you have one cat, or five. Flat Southgate N14 Cleaning advises to remove the solid waste daily and wash the box every week with hot water and unscented soap. You can keep it fresh by spreading a little baking soda under the litter. Pet beds should also be cleaned regularly – choose materials and fabrics that can be machine-washed. Keeping a good pet hygiene is also very important. Some pet owners bathe their dogs daily after going outdoors (once a week is usually enough), but with cats, it may be more complex. Most cats are able to clean themselves, but having a nice bath with cat shampoo once in while will minimize the smell. If you or one of your family members have an allergy, consider bathing the cat on a weekly or bi-weekly basis. Don’t use a shampoo, designed for humans. Even baby shampoo may be too harsh for your pet’s skin and fur.
And here is the most important thing if you are trying to keep a clean home with pets – clean and vacuum the floors regularly. Do it twice a week, instead of once. Sweeping won’t be practical at all – choose a good vacuum cleaner, but before that, remove all pet hair with a rubber glove or regular squeegee for windows. Clean the hardwood floors twice a week with a suitable duster or mop. Steam cleaning is also a very good alternative. Pet stains are usually very stubborn, but the best way to remove them is dealing with them as soon as possible. When you find an accident, first pick up the solid matter and then soak up all the liquid with paper towels. Sprinkle baking soda over the spot and let it dry. Vacuum and repeat the procedure, if necessary. If the stain still remains, pour a little club soda and dub carefully with a towel. If this doesn’t work, use a special cleaner, formulated for pet stains – enzymatic cleaners will be able to absorb most stains and odors for a few hours.
When having a furry friend at home, you should also regularly vacuum all upholsteries, making sure there’s no pet hair on your bed or sofa. If there are rooms your pet should not be in, consider keeping them locked. Of course, as soon as you get a pet, every aspect of your life changes, including your cleaning routine. Simply put a little more effort into your daily or weekly chores – your home can remain nice and clean even with a pet.
