How to Clean Your House With Pets

We love our pets, but we don’t love the messes they leave around our homes. Cleaning up after our furry friends and their belongings means ensuring your sanity and their health. If you’re a pet parent, we’re almost certain your house is full of hair, dirty paw prints and nose print covered windows. 

Here are some tips we have put together to add to your current cleaning routine.

Safety Pit Stop: It is always best to err on the side of caution when it comes to cleaning around our pets. 

1. Whenever we use any cleaning chemical around our pets, we need to be sure that they can’t accidentally ingest it. Keep them out of the room/area while you clean.
2. Ensure you have ample ventilation and air out the space before bringing your pet back into the area. 
3. Always RINSE THOROUGHLY after using any chemical. 
4. Dispose of your cleaning products properly.
5. Read your labels. No one wants a sick pet. Keep your four legged friends safe!

Remember: We are cleaners, not veterinarians. While we’ve done our very best to research methods that are safe for your pets, your vet’s advice will always trump ours.

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Dining Hygiene

Did you know your pets’ water and food bowls should be cleaned on a daily basis? The residue they leave behind from their germy mouths welcomes E Coli and Salmonella. Nobody wants those germs in their home, let alone having their pet fall ill from eating. 

After your pet’s final meal of the day, wash their dishes in the sink with hot water and Dawn® dish soap or pop them in the dishwasher with the rest of your dishes so they’re ready for their next meal in the morning.

If you have any puzzle bowls or treat mats for your pet, make sure to clean them after every use. To get into all of the groves and corners, spray with Dawn® Power Wash and scrub. Rinse thoroughly and lay them out to dry. They will be just like new and ready for their next treat. 

Carpet maintenance

Accidents happen, especially when you have pets in your home. It’s best to act fast when it comes to stains as it’s easiest to lift them while they are fresh. If you come home to find your pet had an accident on the carpet or find a path of muddy paw prints, do not stress. We have solutions. Having a spot cleaner will change your life. There’s a few options out there, our favorite is the Bissell® Little Green Proheat (USA) (Canada).

Of course, if you don’t have a spot cleaner, we still have a solution for you. 

1. First, blot up as much of the stain as you can. (If it’s a muddy paw print stain, let it dry, then vacuum first.)
2. Grab some powdered Tide® and sprinkle it over the stain. You can also use a carpet stain remover spray like Tide® Rescue. But choose that OR Tide®, don’t mix them.
3. Gently work the cleaner into the spot. 
4. Use a wet cloth to soak up the stain. 

* Some spots are especially stubborn, and you may need to let the product sit a while or complete these steps multiple times. You can also try renting or buying a steam cleaner (see our Carpet Cleaner Battle article or YouTube), which uses hot water and a detergent to give your carpet a near-professional clean. And if that doesn’t work, you can call in the professionals.

Furniture Care

Our favorite way to remove pet hair is by using our Bissell® Zing vacuum with a horsehair brush attachment. The brush head picks up pet hair as you vacuum back and forth against the fabric. Start in one direction and then go against the fabric grain. If your pet’s hair is coarse and the vacuum doesn’t cut it, you can also use a pumice stone, a rubber squeegee or a lint roller to lift those last few stubborn hairs.

Windows

If you have a cat or a dog who enjoys sitting on the window sill and watching the world outside, we are certain your windows are covered in little nose prints. They’re so cute but also a pain in the butt. Thank goodness they’re easy to clean. Go on over to this blog to get the tips and tricks to clean your windows.

Walls

Walls are high on the list for things that get neglected in a home. Walls get REALLY dirty when you have a dog (especially a slobbery one). We find wall boogies all the time and sometimes Tide® and water doesn’t quite cut it. A quick hack to deal with this mess is Mr. Clean®. Add some Mr. Clean® to a microfibre cloth and wipe away the residue. Fast and simple. Make sure to wipe the wall after with warm water and a microfiber cloth to remove any streaks left behind.

Removing All Traces of Your Pet

There are some situations when only a thorough deep clean will cut it.

For example:

• Selling the house. Not everyone loves pets as much as you do. If you’re considering selling your house, you should ensure there’s no sign that a pet lives here before showing it. Check out our Moving Checklist to make sure no stone is unturned.
• Allergic guests. If you’re having guests over that are allergic to one or more of your pets, it’s always courteous to do a thorough clean.

If this is the case, you’ll need to take further action:

• Passing the sniff test. It’s easy to get used to the smells, sights, and sounds of living with a pet. But to guests, these signals are more apparent. Try to look through your house with fresh eyes, ears and noses. An odor-fighting product like Febreze® might be helpful here.
• Top-down cleaning. Go through your entire house, from top to bottom (and left to right), and clean everything as thoroughly as you can. Pay special attention to the areas your pets use and love.
• Nooks and crannies. Make sure you clean into all the crevices of your house – including behind your appliances.

What about cleaning pet accessories for dogs, cats, birds, critters etc? We’ve got you covered right here. 

Remember, your pet’s health is the first priority, so always talk to your vet to confirm proper care for your furry friend. We know the responsibility that comes with having pets and we know that it means cleaning up after them constantly. 

We hope these tips and tricks make life with pets a little bit easier. 

For a list of our favorite products, click here. 

– Georgia @GoCleanCo