Is it really possible to have pets in the home and still keep your house looking nice? You might not think so when your dog or cat sheds all over your furniture and when they track litter through the house or bring in mud by the front door. However, we want to tell you how you can do just that. You can keep your home clean and yet still make it friendly to pets of all kinds. Here are our best tips for juggling all those balls at once.
The biggest mess that most pets leave behind, once they have been properly house trained, is the fur. They shed on the furniture, the carpet and the curtains, and it can be a pain to deal with that fur every day. It’s especially bad during shedding season, which tends to be around springtime. In order to get rid of the fur and keep your home looking nice, you need to vacuum regularly. Don’t use just any kind of vacuum, though. We suggest a pet vacuum of some sort. Be sure to read the reviews to make certain that you are getting one that will prove reliable. The right kind of vacuum can lift the hairs right off the carpet and other parts of your home and make it a safer place for any kids or allergy sufferers you may have.
The key to a clean house with pets is to handle any messes you see right away. The dog or cat you have traipsing around your house may not always use the litter box like they should. They can spray a bit of waste product outside the box or just decide they don’t want to use the litter box that day. You need to pay attention to any messes they leave around the house and get rid of them ASAP. If you see litter out of place, you smell something unseemly or you notice a mess of any kind, then you need to get on that right away. The sooner you get rid of the mess, the more likely it is to come out completely and not leave a stain behind. You’ll find that you have less work to do if you handle the cleaning work right away. Always use plenty of water when dealing with wet messes, as you want to get anything that has soaked into the fabric or fibers.
You want to keep cleaning supplies handy, as your pet may track things into the house or leave litter crystals all around the lite box. The sooner you clean these things up, the less of a mess you will have to deal with later and the cleaner your house will stay. You’ll also want to keep the supplies nearby if your pets mess with your appliances.
Speaking of litter boxes, you need to deal with that litter on a regular basis. Don’t just clean up the messes as you see them. You also need to clean to the litter box completely. Most litter is only made to trap bad smells in and clump together successfully for about a week. If you see anything sitting on top of the litter, you want to get rid of it right away, but the entire litter box needs to be changed out on a regular basis. This keeps the smell down and gives your pet less chance to track things through the house or knock out of the litter box.
You may have to change the litter out more than once a week, as not all litter is equally as strong. If you smell something that lingers after your pet has used the litter box, then you know it is time to change out the litter.
Another great way to reduce the mess from your pets in the house is to clean your pet on a regular basis. Your pet may not like baths, but they are necessary if you are going to cut down your workload. This prevents unpleasant smells and keeps your pet from shedding as much everywhere. It’s also a good way to get rid of the pests like fleas and ticks that can be carried around on your pet. If you get rid of them, you will have a cleaner, safer and more pleasant home. If you are bathing your pet in the bathtub, then be sure to get a filter for your drain to collect the pet hair and keep from having to snake the drain or something else once it clogs up.
The place where your pet sleeps at night could be a comfy pet bed or it could just be a spot on the carpet. You know where your pet likes to hang out, and you also need to know that you should be keeping that area clean. That not only make things more pleasant for your pet, but it reduces your workload and ensures that less dirt and debris are tracked through the house. Even if your pet grooms itself, it can still have a dirty sleep area, and your pet may not be very picky about where it sleeps or what condition that spot is in. It’s up to you to keep it clean and pleasant for your pet and to ensure that you get rid of the mess before anything can spread.
We give you these tips to show you that it is possible to keep the house looking nice when you have some pets running around.
These tips work just as well on cats as they do on dogs, and putting them into practice will make your life so much easier. You will have less work to do, you will be able to enjoy your pets more, and your pets will be happier and healthier. The people in your home will be healthier as well, as there will be fewer irritants floating through the air and providing the potential for someone to become ill.