Struggling to keep the house clean with pets? These tips can help make it easy to reduce mess, fur, and smell from having indoor pets. This post is sponsored by Hoover. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I’ve had a lot of pets over the years. As a kid, I had dogs, cats, parakeets, fish, and a horse. I love animals and have almost always had at least one pet.
Currently, we have a cat. We had not planned on having a cat, my husband is allergic to cats and our wonderful dog of 12 years passed away last year and we honestly weren’t ready for a new pet. The cat was not aware of these things and decided to live here anyway. Cats are like that, they choose where they live a lot of the time.
He’s pretty adorable but with my husband’s allergy, it’s even more important that we keep things clean. This was also true when we had a Great Pyrenees, Anatolian Shepherd mix. She sadly passed away last year but she was one big ball of fluff.
Overall these years I have learned a lot of tips and tricks for keeping a house clean even if you have pets. They will help you keep on top of fur, deal with accidents, and keep everything smelling fresh and not like a zoo.
Keeping Your House Clean With Pets
Get the Right Tools
You’ll want to have some important tools on hand to be able to keep things clean. If you don’t have the right tools every cleaning job is made harder.
There are tools you want for the pets themselves like good brushes, shampoos and sprays, and any other helpful grooming gear that is appropriate for your pet.
You’ll also want the right tools for cleaning your home. One thing that I think every pet home needs to have is a good spot cleaner. I’ve had a couple in the past and often they are bulky and hard to use.
Recently I got the Hoover PowerDash GO Portable Spot Cleaner and it solves all of these problems. It’s likely my number one must-have for pet owners.
It’s light-weight and very compact which is important to me as I have a shortage of space in my vintage home is limited. It’s about half the size of the last spot cleaner I had. It’s also easier to carry around.
I love the pet tool it comes with because pet hair won’t get all stuck in the normal brush tool. This was a big issue when I had my dog. She shedded so much so trying to clean a mess always meant cleaning hair out of the brush tool, with this, you can just wipe it clean.
Taking care of pet messes right away with something like the Hoover PowerDash GO Portable Spot Cleaner will make a big difference in keeping your house clean and avoiding more work with set-in stains.
Keep Your Pets Clean
This is a big one. If your pet isn’t clean it’s going to be like fighting a losing battle. Each pet has different needs like cats rarely need baths but a dog that loves to play outside is going to need lots of baths. Talk to your vet about ideal bathing for your pet and take into account their usual activities.
Between baths, you’ll want to clean muddy paws and maybe do some waterless baths. There are some great sprays out there that clean your pet without a full bath, they aren’t a replacement for baths but can often help you avoid as much bathing and also keep your pet smelling fresh longer. A damp washcloth is often enough for muddy paws or get some pet-safe wipes.
You can also get pet-friendly deodorizer sprays to help keep pets smelling nice. Just be sure to always read the ingredients and avoid things like phthalates, parabens, and other ingredients you wouldn’t want on your skin.
Vacuum Frequently
Even if your pet doesn’t shed much it’s important to vacuum often to keep up with dirt they may track in, cat litter, and other messes that pets can bring into your home.
You may not need to vacuum the whole house all of the time but be sure to get those areas where pets than to be often to keep pet hair and dirt cleaned up.
You’ll also want to be sure to vacuum furniture, especially if pets are allowed on it. I think this is something that is often overlooked and can make a big difference.
Using a vacuum that is designed for homes with pets is also useful as they are designed to pick up fur well. They also usually have lots of great tools for getting all of the places fur can end up.
Give Them Places to Sleep
Having pet beds, blankets, and other designated places for pets can help keep the mess a bit more contained. These beds and blankets can also usually be easily washed to help make sure they stay fresh and clean.
Our cat has a cat tree he sleeps in a lot and his favorite place to sleep is often on the sofa. We keep a blanket on one end of the sofa and he knows that is his spot. Each week I just throw his blankets in the wash and replace them with clean ones.
Keep Pets Out of the Bedroom
If you anyone in your house has pet allergies keeping the pets out of the bedrooms is useful. This can also be a good idea in general to make sure your sleeping space stays clean.
If you do allow pets in the bedroom make sure bedding is washed often to keep everything clean. And consider an extra, quick vacuuming each week in this space.
Keep Everything Smelling Fresh
Even clean pets can leave odors in your home. Keeping all of their bedding and anything they like to lay on clean is really helpful. The Hoover PowerDash GO Portable Spot Cleaner can be useful for items like sofas that can’t be washed.
You can also use a pet-safe fabric refresher spray to spray your soft surfaces to make sure they stay smelling fresh. Another very pet-safe option is charcoal odor absorbers. They are just small bags you put around your house to keep odors away.
Keep Your Pet’s Items Clean
There are a lot of pet items we can overlook when cleaning. We need to make sure to clean their food and water dishes that can start to smell and also should be clean for their health. I like make sure my pet’s bowls are dishwasher safe so I can just throw them in the dishwasher.
If you have a cat you want to make sure the litter box is always clean. Adding baking soda to the box often can also help and is safe for your cat.
You’ll want to make sure all the pet’s bedding is cleaned often. Throw what can go in the washer in there often. Be sure to use a laundry detergent that is gentle and safe for pets as they can have sensitive skin. The Hoover PowerDash GO Portable Spot Cleaner can be helpful for beds that can’t be washed in the washing machine.
Don’t forget to wash toys as well. Some can go in the dishwasher or even the washing machine. For soft toys just put them in a laundry bag and wash them on a gentle cycle and let them air dry.
Following all these tips will help you enjoy your pets without worrying about a dirty or smelly house. And the best part is you won’t have to stress about it.
Deanna Piercy says
Your kitty did a great job modeling for this post. 🙂 That spot cleaner would also really come in handy for households with young children. Kids often make more messes than pets.