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Hello My Puppy Friends,

If you’re reading this blog post, then it’s safe to assume that you have a dog. You probably also have dog hair on your furniture and floors, periodic dog odors, puppy nose marks on your windows, along with dog kibble, dribble and toys on the floors. But you love your dog, and that’s a price you’re willing to pay in order to enjoy the companionship of your furry friend.

Fortunately, there are some tips and tricks to help you keep your home a little cleaner, and fresher so you can enjoy your pup even more…

How to have a dog and a clean house too…

Good grooming is the first step for having a dog and a clean house…your pup will leave less hair around if he is brushed and bathed regularly, and you’ll avoid scratches on your hardwood floors if his nails are kept clipped.

• Keeping your hardwood floors clean:
  • If you have hardwood, tile or linoleum floors, a must-have tool is a sweeper, such as a Swiffer or other electrostatic sweeper. They are quick and easy to use, especially when you’re trying to clean under furniture or in corners.
    • Another good way to get into hard-to-reach places or corners is to wrap a skewer with a baby wipe.
  • When the weather is bad, puppy paws will track in the dirt and wet from outside. Although your pup won’t wipe his/her feet before entering your home, just walking on a good doormat will catch a lot of the dirt. Then if you have a washable rug just inside the door, it will pick up even more. If you want to take the time, keep a towel by the door and wipe his feet before he walks into the room.
• Keeping your carpets and upholstered furniture clean:
  • A good vacuum cleaner is a must-have for removing dog hair from carpets and furniture. If it just happens that it’s time for you to purchase a new vacuum, look for one that has a good filter and is designated specifically to be good for people with pets.
    • Although a canister will pick up dog hair, generally an upright vacuum is stronger.
  • For quick pickups on furniture, lampshades or decorative pillows, use a lint roller.
  • You can use a squeegee for more than windows…if your vacuum seems to be leaving hair behind, rub a squeegee across the top of the carpet to pick up the leftovers (even the hair that may be down in the carpet.) Also, if you lightly dampen your squeegee, it will remove dog hair from upholstered furniture.
  • If you happen to have one of the robot vacuums, it will be a huge help in keeping your floors, hardwood or carpet clean…just program it to run daily.
  • Wearing a pair of latex gloves, rub your hands along furniture, (or even in your car) to pick up dog hair.
• Keeping spots, smells and other dirt away:
  • Carpets can be big collectors of odors, so the night before you plan on vacuuming, sprinkle baking soda on your carpets, let it sit overnight, then vacuum up in the morning. This will help remove odors.
  • If your pooch likes to sit on the couch in a certain place, keep an inexpensive throw there and wash it weekly, which will help keep the odors out of your furniture.
  • Keep his dog bed washed regularly.
  • Dirt and hair can be easily cleaned from your baseboards using baby wipes.
  • For cleaning up puppy “accidents” from your carpet, a good home recipe for a cleaning solution is 1 Cup of white vinegar, 1 Cup of water, 2 Teaspoons baking soda. After having blotted as much of the urine up as possible, use a spray bottle to apply the solution onto the spot to clean.
  • If odors seem to linger, use an essential oil diffuser, but make sure the oil you are using is pup friendly, some oils have been known to be poisonous to dogs.
  • Shaving cream, foam not gel, can be a lifesaver if your dog has gotten sick on your carpet or furniture. Spray on the foam, let sit for a minute and then wipe using warm water.
  • Keep Fido’s food and water bowls on a puppy placemat or a tray with raised sides to catch all the spills.

Using these tips, you can enjoy your dog and your home too!