Keeping a clean house is challenging enough when you live with other people. It’s even more difficult when you have furry friends residing in your home. But as a pet owner, there are still plenty of things you can do to keep your house fresh and orderly.
6 Tips to Keep Your House Clean
According to data gathered by the Insurance Information Institute (III), 68 percent of U.S. households, or roughly 85 million families, own a pet. That number has climbed rather dramatically from just 56 percent of American households in 1988 (the first year that data is available). Approximately 60.2 percent of households own a dog, while 47.1 percent have a cat. Freshwater fish, birds, small animals, and reptiles are also quite common.
With tens of millions of American families owning pets, the issue of keeping a clean home isn’t an isolated problem. Your challenge of dealing with pet hair, dander, urine, feces, saliva, and all of the other unwanted side effects is something plenty of other people are frustrated by. But you don’t have to compromise cleanliness when living with dogs, cats, and other pets for as long as you get professional house cleaning maids (thatscleanmaids.com/houston-tx/house-cleaning-services/spring/) to remove any traces left. Here are a few suggestions to keep your house in tip-top shape:
1. Give Your Pet Exercise
If you’re worried about your dog chewing on table legs, jumping on furniture, and wreaking havoc around the home, it’s probably because you don’t give it enough exercise.
“A tired dog will be much less likely to get into mischief than a dog that is bored and needing some stimulation,” the Clean and Scentsible blog points out. “Remember that a dog can’t gnaw on your table leg or chew up your carpet if he is asleep!”
2. Address the Point of Entry
Many pet-related messes can be avoided by being more strategic about cleaning your dogs and cats before they come inside. Find the door that your pets come in and out of most frequently and stock it with some ready-to-grab items that you can use as they come in from outside. This includes cloths, brushes, room-temperature water, and even pet booties for cold and rainy days.
3. Get Ahead of Pet Hair
Unless you have a special hypoallergenic dog that isn’t supposed to shed, pet hair probably seems like one of your biggest battles as a pet owner. While there are plenty of ways to clean it up, you can do yourself a big favor by getting ahead of things and reducing the amount of shedding that occurs indoors.
Regular brushing is a great place to start. You can also use a latex glove and run it over your pet’s hair (almost like you’re petting them). The rubber coating will gently pull up loose hair.
4. Be Ready for Stains
Pet stains will happen – particularly if you have a new puppy in the house. The key is to be ready for them by having stain cleaners on hand. You should know ahead of time which products can be used on what materials. For best results, stick with natural, homemade products that are non-toxic and safe for the family.
5. Bathe Regularly
You can’t bathe your dog once a month and expect him to smell great. (How would you smell if you only took a shower every few weeks?) Make a habit out of bathing your dog every 7-10 days. This may seem like overkill, but it’s the best thing you can do for your house.
6. De-Stink With Natural Ingredients
When you live in your house for years on end, you eventually become used to its smell. As a pet owner, this thought can be horrifying. Does my house smell like a zoo? While the answer is probably no, you’re definitely more prone to having some stinks. Being more conscious about how you clean your home will eliminate some of this smell over time. However, you can also use natural things like essential oils, simmering spices, and beeswax or soy candles to safely infuse your home with fresh scents.
Stop Settling for Messy
Stop assuming that you have to sacrifice cleanliness in order to live with pets. While it’s certainly easier to keep a clean house without animals running around, this isn’t an either-or equation. With the right tactics in place, you can keep your house clean and simultaneously enjoy the companionship that comes with having furry little friends.
Do it the right way and you’ll enjoy the best of both worlds!
