Spring Cleaning Your Pet-Friendly Home
As the days get longer and your home is being bathed in sunlight, you may start noticing the dirt, fur and dust that has accumulated during the winter months.
If you have a pet-friendly household, you may have to take some additional things into consideration when starting your spring cleaning.
Dirt, fur and dust can accumulate from neglect during the winter months, creating allergens.
Toys
Slobber, dirt, and hair all accumulate in and on our pet’s toys. You don’t want that lying around your floor, bed, sofa or anywhere else. Take all of the soft plush toys including tennis balls and toss them into the washer with hot water and pet-friendly detergent. If you would like to increase the size of the load to conserve water, take this time to wash your bath mats. Take the same detergent and run a sink full of warm water. Let any rubber and plastic toys soak and then wipe and rinse off.
Carpet
Mud, water, and dirt get tracked into homes during the winter months; not to mention the extra indoor time which leads to more animal fur. After giving your carpet a good vacuum, be sure to carpet clean or at least spot clean with a good carpet cleaner and a strong deodorizer.
Hard floors
All of those dinner scraps and spills that your pets love add up on your hard floor surfaces. Sweep and mop thoroughly. Make sure you grab a rag and get into all of the hard-to-reach-spots to give them the extra attention they deserve.
Beds (Yours and Theirs)
We change and wash our sheets and blankets often but our pet beds sometimes get neglected. Throw your dog beds and cat beds into the wash. Also make sure you vacuum and spot clean under your own bed. Our furry friends love to hide underneath our beds and fur and dander can accumulate, creating allergens.
Consider a professional cleaner if you have trouble removing pet hair from upholstery.
Bowls and feeding mats
First off, if your pet's food and water bowls do not have a mat, get one! They are time savers when it comes to spills. Throw the bowls in the dishwasher and give your mat a scrub in the sink.
Furniture
Pet hair is notoriously difficult to remove from upholstery. Either get it professionally cleaned or invest in a good quality pet fur remover. Make sure you get all of the fur hiding in the nooks and crannies of those couches and chairs.
Eliminating Odors
We don’t mean just covering up odors. Eliminating the smell of pets can be difficult, but as we tend to shut ourselves inside in the winter months, once spring approaches this need increases. One great way to eliminate odors in your home is to leave half-open boxes of baking soda around the house. Place them high up out of the reach of snoots and paws. After cleaning, leave the windows open to get rid of fumes; your pet can start sneezing from the smell of even non-toxic cleansers.
Now that your home is spotless, you can invite your pet back in to fluff and fur it up all over again. What are some more areas that need a little extra attention in your home?
