Is it a coincidence that spring-cleaning coincides with shedding season? If you’re starting to wonder if you should just give up on the idea of having a clean home with pets, you’ll love these tips. You really can keep your house clean in less time and effort, giving you more time to enjoy your furry family members.
Keep Up Regular Grooming
You can stop plenty of your pets’ fur from shedding around your home with daily brushing. Both short and long coats shed at about the same rate. Many short-haired pets have a thick undercoat that falls out in the spring.
Having your groomer clip your pet’s coat short won’t actually stop them from shedding. They’ll just shed shorter hairs. Many dog breeds have a double coat that should never be clipped. Their thick undercoat actually acts as insulation, keeping cool air close to their skin. Having your dog shaved could leave them prone to sunburn and overheating. A quick daily brushing is all they need to reduce shedding and stay cool.
Lighten Up Your Cleaning Tools
You may hate keeping up with your home if you have to drag out a clunky mop or vacuum cleaner each time. You can save the heavy-duty tools for occasional cleaning, and use lighter tools for daily spot cleaning for easy keep-up. A hand vacuum is great for sucking up tumbleweeds of shed fur, while a dust mop or Swiffer Sweeper quickly picks up muddy paw prints.
Make the Rules, Enforce Them with Kindness
When you let your pets snooze with you on your bed or living room furniture, they bring fur, dirt, traces of litter, you name it. You’ll need to change your bed sheets and any covers you use to protect your sofa at least once a week to keep your furniture fresh.
It’s easier to keep furniture clean when you keep your pets off. This rule is easy to enforce if you stick with it from the first day you bring your pets home. If your pets are used to being on your furniture, it’ll take a few weeks for them to get used to it. However, you’ll have to make sure they have good alternatives that are both comfortable and allow them to be close to you.
Teach your pet “off,” using positive reinforcement. Redirect your pet to their bed or an old chair that you don’t mind getting dirty. If your pet is about to hop onto the couch, call them away from it and reward them heavily for settling on an appropriate spot instead.
Reduce Potty Odors
If you have a cat that uses litter, or a dog that has accidents or uses potty pads, your home may smell like urine and feces. You may get desensitized to these odors over time, but if your pets are relieving themselves indoors, the odors do exist.
Use a pet stain remover to eliminate any accidents – these specialized cleansers have enzymes that eliminate the smell so your pet won’t be attracted to their own scent and have another accident in the same spot.
Spot clean your litter boxes daily and pick up potty pads at least once per day, more often if they’re heavily soiled. Keep litter boxes and potty pads away from your kitchen, bedroom and front door; your restroom might be the best place to contain odors. An activated charcoal filter placed near potty areas will absorb odors without leaving a harsh perfume scent.
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