Who wouldn’t want an immaculately spotless home? A clean house always makes for a beautiful home. But here’s the catch: you’ve got pets! Your furry friends are lingering around. It may seem like an impossible feat to keep your house sparkling clean – and you don’t have the time and energy to keep cleaning up one mess after another! Fret no more, though. Having pets in your home is pretty much like having children around!
Here are nine tips on how to keep your house spotless – even if you have pets around.
Keep Your Pets Clean
Keeping your pets clean should be on top of your list – always. If your pets are clean, then the chance of them spreading dirt all over the house is also lessened. If your pets are meant to be indoors, keep them indoors. If you have to take them outside for a walk, make sure to clean them thoroughly before bringing them back in. Clean pets will also reduce the risk of spreading diseases in your home.
Invest in a Good Vacuum
If you don’t have a dog hair vacuum for every occasion yet, now is the time to get one. Don’t push it lower on your list of household items you need to buy as you would still need one anyway – with or without pets. You should vacuum your house at least once a day, especially if you have both kids and pets. Having a vacuum cleaner can help you get rid of hair around the house and even nasty odors left by your pets. Here are some tips when searching for the right vacuum:
- Choose the vacuum based on your need. If your house is big and has stairs, then a cordless vacuum is the right one for you.
00 - Always check the features.
- Upright vacuums are found to be the most perfect for pet owners!
- Test it out. See which vacuum cleaner you are most comfortable using. If you’ve got kids around the house, this is important as you have to know how much noise your vacuum cleaner will make.
- Take advantage of a sale as vacuums tend to be on the more expensive side.
Always Set a Bath Time Routine
Never be lazy about your dogs’ bath time. You might think that you don’t need to bathe your pets often as they’re always indoors anyways. But no, they still need regular baths to keep your pet and your house looking clean and smelling good.
Here are some health benefits of bathing your pet:
- Bathing your pet regularly strengthens your bond – just like that of a mother and her child.
- Your pet will be free of any dirt, which if left uncleaned may become breeding grounds of parasites and disease-causing agents.
- If you have allergies, a clean pet helps lessen your exposure to allergens.
- You can take advantage of the bath time to do a close inspection of your pet and monitor its health.
If your pets are furry, brush their hair daily as well. Doing this can reduce shedding of hair and prevent ticks from growing and breeding on their fur.
Bid Your Carpets Farewell
Carpets and furry pets don’t go along well together as carpets harbor fur easily and are magnets to dirt and dust, which can cause or worsen any human respiratory conditions such as asthma. Unless you have the energy to clean your carpet every single day, it’s just not possible to bring a carpet back to its original immaculately clean state if you have pets at home. You wouldn’t want to lay on a carpet full of animal hair, would you?
If you must have carpet, however, here are some tips to help you choose one when living with pets:
- Choose the carpet that best matches the type of pet that you have. For example, be sure that your dog’s nails won’t get stuck in a furry and fluffy carpet.
- Make sure that your carpet is easy to maintain. Some stores now offer a range of stain-resistant carpet types.
- Go for darker-colored carpets as this can hide dirt easily (so you do not have to be worried about cleaning the smallest dirt every day).
Change Your Sofas and Other Furniture
Choosing the right type of fabric of your sofa matters when you have pets around your home. Leather (or leatherette, if the budget is limited) is best in a home with pets as this doesn’t collect fur. Go for darker colors, so dirt isn’t immediately visible – light-colored sofas are your nightmare! You may also choose a color that matches the color of your pet’s hair.
Assign a Room Solely for Your Pets
Designate a room or area for your pet and its needs. Here are some tips:
- Keep their bowls, food, litter, and the like. If you keep all these things in one place, it’s easier to control the mess and you can clean the space in one go.
- Let this area be your pet’s sleeping and napping spot, too.
- You can make this room (or station) a cleaning area, too, especially when your pet has just gotten home from a trip outdoors. Keep water, a towel, and a good doormat in the area to make cleaning faster – before your furry friend starts spreading dirt all over the house.
Clean Your Pets’ Things Regularly
In line with assigning a room for them, be sure to clean your pets’ things regularly as well. Make sure their toys, bed, towels, blankets, and rugs are always clean so as not to spread the dirt all over the house.
Train Your Pets
It may seem tiring and impossible at first, but this is doable. Training your pets is like teaching your child proper behavior. A simple “no” here and there will let your pets know eventually which places they’re allowed to go – and which areas they’re prohibited from jumping, licking, and sleeping. The most important is potty training your pets. Animals are creatures of habit too, just like human beings. If you make it a habit to have one place (or room) for them to secrete waste, it won’t be long before they get the idea and establish a routine.
Conclusion
Apply these tips so you can finally say goodbye to embarrassing moments when someone surprises you with a home visit and your house is looking (and smelling) like a mess! You can now live cleanly, healthily, and happily as a family with animal friends to love, cherish, and enjoy.