Dogs are one of the American people’s favourite pets, and many of us play host in our homes to at least one four-legged companion. While we love them, we can’t deny that at times they are a little messy and can make our homes smell less than fresh. So, what can we do about it? Is it possible to live in harmony, and keep a clean but dog friendly home?
Minimising fur deposits
The single most effective way of keeping the levels of displaced fur at their lowest, is to brush your dog daily. Just five minutes spent brushing your dog, will result in all the fur that would have been floating about the place and coming to rest on your carpets, rugs and furniture, becoming trapped in the bristles of the brush. Regula, daily brushing will also help to get rid of flaky skin and your dogs’ coat will be noticeably brighter and glossier.
Lint rollers and Swiffers are great products for picking up hair and skin deposits left by your dog, and they are affordable too.
Eliminating nasty whiffs
Sprinkle a good amount of baking soda onto your carpets and after you’ve let it sit for a couple of hours, simply vacuum it up. You’ll find that the carpet, and the room, smells much fresher.
To help freshen the air, you could try making a solution of baking soda and water. Mix a quarter of a cup of baking soda with water into an empty spray bottle, give it a vigorous shake and spray liberally around the house. The baking soda absorbs the smell, and if you add a couple of drops of your favourite essential oil, you could make the place smell even fresher.
Vinegar also works well at eliminating odors, and is just as easy and cheap to buy as baking soda. Febreze is a product many of us will turn to in times of need, and while it works perfectly well, it isn’t as natural as other home-made remedies, and not as cheap, either.
Preventing trails of muddy paw prints
One simple but effective way of stopping your dog from galloping through the house with filthy paws, is to place mats either side of your entrance way, but be sure to buy mats that are easy to wash.
There are also pet wipes that you can purchase from any good pet store, and giving Fido’s paws a quick wipe before he comes in, can easily help stop dirt from being transmitted from paw to floor.
Getting to spillages and accidents, pronto!
If your dog has made a mess outside of his food bowl, or has perhaps had a potty accident inside your home, do your best to get to it and clean it up right away. To prevent food spillages, try feeding your dog in an area of your home that can be dedicated to that purpose, or better yet, feed them outside. For potty mess, it’s imperative that you wipe it up as soon as possible, not only to prevent it from staining and smelling horrific, but so that your dog doesn’t want to return to that exact spot to do its business when it next needs to.
There are products available in pet stores that contain the right components to break down organic waste and help neutralise nasty smells; any product containing ammonia will resemble the smell of pee to a dog and is best avoided!
If you love your pet dog but lead a busy life and don’t always have the time to clean up after it, why not consider hiring a professional cleaner who will have your home smelling as if there wasn’t a dog in sight, in next to no time. They need not cost the Earth and will ensure that your home is always fresh and clean, no matter what surprises Fido might have up his sleeve!