Keeping your home clean when you have pets can seem like a dark art that only a few master, but that’s far from the truth! However, years of pet ownership have taught us this: keeping pet dirt at bay is as much about knowing these hacks as it is about sticking to them consistently.
Keep pet hair under control
Pet hair settles everywhere: on carpets, sofas, curtains, even your face. So, to prevent your home from becoming a giant hairball, you’ll need to vacuum at least once a week (sorry, no easy shortcut there). However, you can make the job more bearable with the help of a bagless, high-suction vacuum (bonus points for multiple nozzles and brushes). A pair of rubber gloves or a dry sponge will also work miracles on clothes and upholstery: simply rub them over surfaces to trap hair, then rinse it away under running water.
Tackle drool and muddy paws
Brushing your pet regularly helps reduce the amount of pet fur and dirt around your home. And keeping a water spray and a hand towel by your front and garden doors means you can quickly clean up muddy paws and drool before they’re tracked through the house.
For pups that spend a lot of time outdoors, we recommend giving them a wash with a gentle dog shampoo from time to time to to stop dust, dirt and odours settling into your upholstery. Cats are usually very good at keeping themselves clean, but if a bath is necessary, make sure to use a suitable cat shampoo (waterless options can make it less of a battle).
Freshen up your home
Other ways to avoid lingering smells include airing out your home for at least ten minutes a day and disposing of dirty litter clumps daily, as soon as possible. To disinfect surfaces and clean up any mess, use pet-friendly products like Simple Solution Stain & Odour Remover – a real hero product for reviving soiled carpets.
Keep your pet’s things tidy
The number of pet toys left behind by our furry companions can easily get out of hand, so having a box or cupboard to store them away in can really help make your house look tidier. We like to leave a couple of toys out for our pets to play with every day, rotating them regularly and based on their “requests”.
As for food and water bowls, whether you live with a tiny kitten or a huge mastiff, you’ll know most pets make a mess when they eat. To keep their dining area clean, we find feeding mats do a great job of minimising mess. They stop bowls from moving too much, absorb spills and prevent loose kibble from travelling too far.
Choose a practical bed
Dogs and cats spend many hours sleeping, so a good, comfortable bed is essential. But with beds collecting dust and germs, it’s also important to choose one that is easy to clean. If you’re looking for a stylish bed that you can pop straight in the wash, the Dream Paws Almond White Boucle Bed and Petface Grey Cord Square Bed are both warm, available in many sizes and fully machine-washable.
One more tip: you can lay a fleece blanket on your pet’s favourite nap spots to reduce the amount of hair sticking to them. Plus, pets love them – and again, they’re easy to wash.
And remember…
This is one of those moments when we realise that it’s our pets that own us, not the other way around. But for all the vacuuming, laundering and cleaning, they bring immense joy to our lives. We wouldn’t have it any other way.
