12 ways to keep your house clean with pets

Stop the mess where it starts and create a cleaning station in your entryway, mudroom, or by a side or back door. Here’s a quick checklist of items for any home cleaning station:

• Hooks — Attach hooks near the doorway(s) to neatly store leashes, waste bags, and other walking accessories.
  Rug — Put a doormat at any entrances for you and Fido to wipe your feet before entering the house. Pro tip: Place a towel or washable rug on top of any bulky, hard-to-wash entryway rug that you can scoop up and throw into the laundry.
  Basket of towels — Keep a decorative basket filled with towels near the door to wipe any dripping mess off your pup. If there’s no room for a basket of towels, keep some packs of paw wipes near the door to give paws a quick clean.
  Washing tub — If you have a larger budget and are up for a bit of renovating, you can add a washing tub right in your mudroom or entryway. This bathing station should include everything you need to wash your dog’s fur after an especially muddy adventure, including plumbing for a sprayer and a drain.

We know this will take some upfront cost and effort — but we promise you that a clean house (and clean furniture) will make it 100% worth it. 

To keep your home clear of any unwelcome pests, you want to make sure you prevent fleas on your furry friends. And if you start finding any critters, you’ll want to get rid of the fleas as quickly as possible.

Start with regular brushing sessions and baths for your pets. Bathe dogs about once every three months. Cats generally don’t need you to bathe them unless their fur is really dirty, but you can help groom them with brushing. Frequent brushing, about once every few days, will also give you a chance to look for fleas and stop them before they become a serious problem.

When it comes to keeping a house clean with pets, a vacuum is one of the most powerful tools to stock in your arsenal. A high-quality vacuum can suck up pet hair, dirt that gets dragged in after an afternoon rolling in the grass, and even kibble or treat crumbs.

The best vacuum is one that you enjoy using. If you have hardwood floors, find a vacuum that glides over these hard surfaces with ease. Consider a two-in-one vacuum with a detachable, hand-held portion that can clean fur off the couch just as easily as it cleans the floors. If you hate winding and unwinding the cord and moving the plug from outlet to outlet, consider a rechargeable or cordless vacuum.

Aside from pet fur, cat litter is another pesky reality of pet ownership. Cats can track their litter from the bathroom to the kitchen. To minimize the mess, start by putting the litter box in a private area. You could even place the litter box in a closet or bathroom and add a pet door to the door. Even a covered litter box offers more protection against litter tracking. 

Place the litter box on a litter mat to collect any spare litter. Switch to a dust-free or lower-tracking litter option. Keep litter boxes clean daily, and use a vacuum or broom to sweep up any litter that is tracked around the litter box.

Be sure to clean this regularly to avoid persistent odors. Your housemates and pets will thank you! 

If you find fleas, talk to your vet about treatment options. You may need flea collars, flea sprays or other flea medications, flea shampoo alternatives, or other remedies to quickly eradicate any critters. 

⚠️ Frequent baths, combing out extra pet hair, and shampooing the carpets can all be helpful steps to prevent fleas before they happen, and eradicate them once they arrive. 

From sharp claws to shedding fur, pets can be destructive to furniture. But you don’t have to ban your pets from the sofa. Cuddle up with confidence by investing in durable products that can withstand the claws when Fluffy jumps up to the cushions or frequent washings when the pillows and throws get covered in fur. 

Also, consider furniture and blankets that are also stain-resistant in case of mud or potty accidents. For rugs, opt for indoor-outdoor options that are easy to spot-clean if there is a cat pee or dog poop incident.

The key to keeping your home clean with pets is to tackle messes as soon as possible. A great way to do this is to have all of your pet-related cleaning supplies in one caddy, so you can grab and go. We recommend stocking your caddy with some or all of the following items:

• Rubber gloves — Pet messes can be pretty gross, so have a pair of rubber cleaning gloves handy.
• Paper towels or cleaning cloths — Have paper towels, microfiber cloths, or clean rags ready to pick up poop or wipe up spills.
• Trash bags — Instead of running back and forth from the mess to the trash can,  toss all the dirty paper towels and waste in a trash bag you have handy in the caddy.
• Soft-bristled brush — To help lift any stains before they settle into carpet or upholstery, use a soft-bristled brush and your preferred pet-safe cleaner to scrub the surface. Just don’t use a soft-bristled brush to clean up poop, or it can make the stain worse.
• Pet-safe cleaners — Choose an enzymatic cleaner, one with enzymes designed to break down stains and odors, to clean up urine. Make your own cleaner with 1 tablespoon of dish soap, 1 tablespoon of vinegar, and 2 cups of warm water. (Be sure to test a small area of your carpet first to avoid discoloration!)
• Baking soda — Baking soda is a pet-safe workhorse when it comes to lifting stains and neutralizing odors.

You wash your own coats and blankets every so often, so you should also be washing the items your pet regularly uses. Pets drool on toys, and their beds, leads, and collars can also get pretty grimy over time.

Here’s how often you should consider laundering your pet items: 

• Toys — Think of the hours your pet spends chewing and drooling on their toys. These need to be washed often, about every two weeks.
• Pet beds — Dirt, hair, and bacteria can build up in pet beds, so you’ll want to keep them clean and prevent unpleasant odors. To clean pet beds, start by vacuuming up excess fur. Wash the bed every two weeks either by hand or in the washing machine. Follow the instruction label carefully for washing and drying instructions, as not all beds are washer- or dryer-safe.
• Leads and collars — Give leads and collars a good soaking about once a month or any time they are visibly dirty. If you have durable accessories, you can toss them right in the wash with your usual laundry. Otherwise, you can soak collars and leashes in hot, soapy water for about 10 minutes.

Nothing makes a home smell fresh quite like cracking open some windows on a breezy day. Opening windows when the temperatures are warm is a great remedy to clear out stale air as well as pet dander. While opening the windows in the winter isn’t as pleasant, you can still refresh your home by opening some windows for about 10 minutes at a time.

There are multiple ways to incorporate trays for a clean home. Start by placing a tray beneath dog bowls to catch any slobber, water spills, and stray pet food that misses your pet’s mouth. It’ll keep you from sweeping and mopping the floor every time your pet gets a bite of food or sip of water — simply clean up the tray once at the end of the day.

(Don’t forget to clean under there once in a while too, to keep your floor from getting dingy.) 

Pet hair is a reality for most pet owners, and while a lint roller can help clear off the couch before your guests arrive, it can be annoying and wasteful to rip off sheet after sheet trying to pick up fur regularly. While sustainable lint rollers are great for going green, they might lose effectiveness over time — leaving many pet parents looking for an alternative solution. 

Here’s a trick: Use latex gloves, like the ones you wear to wash dishes. Simply put on the gloves, and rub your hand along the furniture to quickly collect fur. Duct tape and dryer sheets also work wonders at gathering pet fur. For rugs, furniture, or other upholstery, use a squeegee to collect fur.

Keep your dog’s nails trimmed to minimize the amount of dirt they track in and keep your furnishings and floors safer from punctures and scratches. Plan to trim your pup’s nails about every three to four weeks. The nail clipping process can be intimidating for pups and pet parents alike, but maintain a calm demeanor and voice to make Fido feel at ease.