With summer finally in full swing, outdoor adventures abound at our house. I just love taking walks around the neighborhood to enjoy the sunshine, and driving my convertible with the top down. It is just a beautiful time of year!
I love enjoying the warm weather outdoors, and my little fur kid companions just love it, too. My shihtzu Lilo is especially fond of it. She just loves to hang out in the grass, explore the yard, chase birds, and just generally have a grand time. She’s my constant buddy–she just loves to follow me everywhere!
These outdoor adventures make it extra hard this time of year to keep the house clean. Having three dogs definitely presents a challenge when it comes to keeping a tidy home–grass, twigs, dirt, and mud have a way of finding their way inside on their paws and on the coats. With a little help from all® free clear, however, keeping the pet-mess under control is simple and easy.
Over the years, I’ve learned some tips and tricks to keep a household full of pups under control when it comes to cleaning, and I’d like to share some of them with you today!
1. Get your pup groomed regularly.
Stop pet hair dust bunnies before they start by brushing your dog’s hair daily, and getting them groomed often. Not only will it make them feel better, it will help avoid excess pet hair before it starts.
2. Invest in a good vacuum.
This obviously goes along with number one, but a good vacuum in a dog owner’s household is a must. Invest in a vacuum with great attachments too–these can be used not only on carpets, but on couches, chairs, and dog beds as well.
3. Clearly enforce the areas of the house your pet will be allowed in.
My girls are mainly allowed in the tiled family room and kitchen areas of our house when The Husband and I are at work. These areas are easier to clean, and they’re trained to stay there during the day. This cuts down on the amount of messes they create–and the trouble that they get into when we’re gone! Clearly enforce boundaries for your pups by adding gates or, at the very least, closing off extra rooms that they’re not allowed to get into.
4. Use a rubber squeegee or wet rubber glove to brush pet hair from couches and chairs.
Even though my girls aren’t allowed on certain pieces of furniture, their hair floats around and lands in places I don’t want it to get. I’ve learned that using a clean rubber squeegee (or a wet rubber glove) will remove hair from furniture easily. Just brush it along the upholstery, and voila! Hair no more!
5. Wipe your pet’s paws when they come indoors.
We let our girls sleep on the bed with us, and sit on the family room couches, so we try to wipe their paws off as much as possible when they come inside from their outdoor adventures. Who knows what their stepping in?!? (I really don’t want to know!) Keep an old towel near the door and use it to wipe down paws whenever your pet kids come back inside.
6. Cover your couch with a slip cover or blankets.
Since we allow our girls to get on the family room couch, we keep it covered with cute color-coordinating blankets on a regular basis. We wash the blankets once a week, and take them off whenever company comes over to keep the couch clean and as free of dog hair as possible.
7. Give your pup a placemat.
I don’t know about your pets, but my dogs make a giant mess when they eat! Place their water bowls and food bowls on an easy-to-clean placemat to make clean up a cinch. Choose one that can be wiped down with a cloth for easy disinfecting.
8. Sprinkle carpets with baking soda, then vacuum to get rid of pet odors in carpet.
One of the hardest parts of keeping a home with pets clean is getting rid of pet odors. They seem to linger, especially when it comes to carpet. Keep carpets fresh by sprinkling them with baking soda, letting it sit for a few minutes, then vacuuming it up.
9. Clean pet accidents as soon as possible, with a specially formulated pet stain remover.
Use specially formulated pet stain remover to clean pet accidents as soon as possible. Avoid ammonia-based cleaners, as these can confuse pups–they have a similar make up to pet urine.
10. Wash blankets and bedding regularly to reduce pet hair and allergens.
If you let your pups sleep with you, like we do, it’s especially important to wash bedding and blankets as often as possible. My choice to keep our fur kid-friendly home is all® free clear. I think it’s the best pet-friendly detergent around!
Keeping my girls safe is SO important, and all® free clear is the #1 recommended detergent brand by Dermatologists, Allergists, and Pediatricians for sensitive skin. It’s tough on stains yet gentle enough for the whole family–including your pups!
I wash our family’s blankets and bedding as often as possible using all® free clear–it keeps our home clean, fresh, and allergen-free!
Are you ready to give all® free clear a try? Get a coupon for $1 off any all® free clear product by clicking here.
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What are your tips for keeping a pet-friendly home clean? Share your tips in the comments below!
Thanks to all free clear for sponsoring today’s post! All opinions are still 100% my own.
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