7 Cleaning Tips for Pet Households- PetsOnBoard.com

I’ve been on a passionate spring cleaning and de-cluttering mission recently. It’s made my home feel calmer and more spacious, and it’s been energizing for me personally. That’s not an easy task, since I also work from home and have two shedding Labradors.

In addition to my home being my living and work space, I’m an Airbnb host and give livestream concerts in my home, so it’s particularly important to me that everything is kept tidy.

Here are some tips for pet households that have made it easier for my pet household:

Hang Your Leashes On a Hook by the Front Door

Not only will Buster be happy that you’ll be ready to go for his next walk sooner, but you’ll be able to find his leash quickly. Following the Kon Mari method of only keeping what brings you joy, just leave your favorite leash hanging on the hook and donate your extra to your favorite rescue group.

Store Toys in Containers or Baskets

It’s not only important that everything has a place to be stored, but for the benefit of your dog’s behavior, it’s helpful all toys aren’t accessible 24/7. If you want your dog to play with a toy, it can be used as a training reward.

I group Sanchez and Gina‘s toys into two categories: Chew Toys and Interactive Toys. The chew toys include nylabones and hard rubber toys such as kongs. I keep these in an open basket and they have access to these toys at any time. Of course, I then need to pick these toys up daily and put them back in the open basket. The interactive toys are all toys that include my engagement with them. These include balls, tug toys and all retrieve toys. These I keep in a closed container so I can grab them quickly, but my dogs don’t have access to them.

Pet Friendly Vacuum Cleaner

Sanchez is a big shedder. In addition to shedding year round, before summer and winter, large clumps of fur just fall off of him for weeks at a time. I used to go through a vacuum cleaner every year before all his fur clogged the brushes and it was deemed useless. Purhcasing a Dyson Animal Vacuum was one of the best investments I ever made that has helped keep my home pet hair free.

Clean the Air

Before Airbnb guests arrive, I air out my home by opening all the windows and taking dog beds outside. I also spray some calm aroma mist, a refreshing sensory calming tool for pets and people. This not only makes my home feel more spacious, but leaves it smelling fresh and inviting for guests.

Feed Cats on a High Shelf

Feeding your cats on a high shelf is not only helpful if you have a multi-species pet household, but it’s also helpful for Kitty to go hunting and foraging for her food, highly recommended by veterinarian Vint Virga. It also gives her some physical activity when she needs to go climbing to eat.

Crates

A crate not only provides a safe haven for dogs, but can really help keep things tidy. You can keep a toy inside for Buster to chew. And, plants and flowers on a plastic crate help bring beauty into your home. Just make sure you wipe down the inside and outside of Buster’s crate when doing your spring cleaning.

Dark Carpets

The only thing worse than your dog coming back from running in puddles and entering your house is when she does it on a white carpet. In general, it’s much easier to keep a darker carpet looking cleaner. When I had my Golden, we were replacing our carpeting and decided to choose a carpet that matched his color to help hide his shedding fur. Since that’s not always possible, particularly in a multi-pet household, choose a darker carpet or flooring when you have the option.

Read more: http://www.care2.com/greenliving/7-cleaning-tips-for-pet-households.html#ixzz47PEKh5Df