If you have dogs, they’re probably like additional members of your family. If you have kids, it might be a toss-up between who makes bigger messes — the pets or the kids! In our house, it all depends on the day of the week and the mess! Figuring out how to keep your house clean with dogs might seem challenging but it doesn’t have to be!
This post is sponsored by Best Buy.
HOW TO KEEP YOUR HOUSE CLEAN WITH DOGS
When it comes to keeping your house clean when you own dogs, there are three basic areas to cover. If you break it down into these three areas, it won’t seem quite as daunting. You can focus on the ones that are the biggest challenges in your house and quickly take care of things so you can enjoy more time with your pups.
The three areas that we deal with most often in our house are:
- Pet hair
- Stains
- Fabrics like furniture and bedding
Most of the pet-specific cleaning around our house falls into one of those three areas. Once I got myself prepared, it was easier to figure out how to keep our house with dogs in it!
Labrador retriever is taking a shower at home.
PET HAIR EVERYWHERE
Right now both of our dogs have short hair so we don’t have as big of a pet hair problem as we’ve had with other dogs we’ve owned. I can remember our sweet lab mix who just left what felt like a blanket of hair on everything in our house.
If you’re dealing with pet hair, it can feel like a never-ending cleaning job. Whether yours is a small job or a big job, there are a few things that can help you deal with it.
GROOM YOUR DOG REGULARLY
One of the best ways to handle dog hair and shedding is to make sure you groom your pets regularly. It will help keep their coat and skin healthy.
Our dogs love to sit with us and be brushed so it can be a great bonding time too!
BATHTIME
Hair is a big problem, but it’s not the only thing that might be falling off your dog.
Baths might not be a favorite activity but they keep our dogs clean and smelling good. You can also wipe your dogs down after they’ve been outside.
A GOOD VACUUM
Even if your dogs don’t shed much, having a good vacuum is a key to keeping your house clean when you have pets. I’ve learned that from experience. You need a vacuum that can stand up to the job of pet hair, dirt, and more.
The new BISSELL CrossWave Cordless Max has improved edge cleaning (Compared to CrossWave® and CrossWave® Pet Pro) to pick up pet hair better. It can get to the pet hair along the baseboards and in the corners too!
It’s also cordless which means it can go anywhere in your house. I cannot even begin to tell you how frustrated I get by cords on vacuum cleaners. So I love the cordless feature. It has up to 30 minutes of cordless cleaning power.
In addition, it offers multi-surface cleaning. It can vacuum and wash your floors at the same time. It’s also safe and effective for use on a variety of surfaces including
- tile
- sealed wood floors
- laminate
- linoleum
- rubber floor mats
- pressed wood floors
- and more!
Finding a vacuum that works well makes the cleaning so much easier. You can learn more about the BISSELL CrossWave Cordless Max at Best Buy and see if it might work well for your family.
If you are considering the BISSELL CrossWave Cordless Max, BISSELL will donate $10 to BISSELL Pet Foundation® for each CrossWave® Cordless Max purchase upon activation. Just visit BISSELL.com/pets to register your device & BISSELL will make the donation. It’s a great way to support the animals we love!
BATTLE STAINS
Accidents happen when you have dogs. Whether it’s vomit or urine or something else, they definitely happen. I’ll admit that they’re often the part about pet ownership that frustrates me the most. Mostly because some of them feel so hard to deal with.
There are two ways to deal with pet stains and odors — prevent them and treat them.
We do our best to prevent what we can, by making sure our dogs eat on the tile floor, checking dirty paws at the back door into the mudroom, and bathing the dogs.
Once the mess is there, handling it quickly is the best way to keep the house fresh. If you’re dealing with dog urine or vomit, those odors can linger and drive you crazy even when the stain is gone.
Be sure to have cleaners on hand that are specifically for handling pet-related stains. We usually make our own with diluted vinegar and get good results. Handling them quickly when you discover them is key, even if you’re frustrated. You’ll be happier in the end.
TAKE CARE OF FABRICS
Pet hair can be a huge problem when it comes to fabrics like furniture, bedding, and clothing.
If your dog has specific bedding they use, make sure to wash it regularly. We usually look for dog beds that are washable or we plan on buying them a new one on a regular basis. Keeping the bedding clean is an easy way to battle odors and keep things fresh.
If your dog leaves that shadow of hair everywhere he goes, don’t be afraid to cover up his favorite spot on the couch. We use a cheap throw blanket that can be thrown in the laundry to keep things clean.
It’s not always feasible, but if you find yourself in the market for new furniture, choose ones covered in fabrics that are easy to care for. Leather and microfiber fabrics are easier to wipe down. Some furniture companies offer protective treatments for homes with pets.
Even though cleaning with pets can feel like a lot of extra work, our dogs are definitely worth it. Focus on the areas that have the biggest impact when it comes to cleaning. Don’t worry about every single dog hair. Just do your best, know it’s enough, and love those dogs! Life wouldn’t be the same without them!
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