While my fur babies may bring me love, joy, and happiness to my life every day, they also keep me busy cleaning up after them in my apartment! From my cats hacking up hairballs, stains, dirt, dander, and balls of husky hair, sometimes it gets a bit overwhelming and a challenge to keep the apartment clean. After 10+ years of being a fur mom, I’m sharing my strategies on how to keep your home clean with pets.
Tips on how to keep your home clean with pets
Invest in a good cordless vacuum
You’re most likely going to be vacuuming every day. Maybe even twice a day! Make it easier for yourself by getting a lightweight cordless vacuum, so you don’t have to lug a heavy one around all over your home. I’ve been using Dyson’s V10 Cyclone Animal for about four years now, and it’s still working great! There are newer models out now, but it goes to show you that Dyson’s products last a long time and are worth the investment. My Dyson V10 Cyclone Animal vacuum has incredible suction and multiple attachments that make it easy to vacuum hair on my rugs, hardwoods, and furniture.
Use a steam mop for hardwood floors
Using a steam mop will quickly help to eliminate dirt, grime, and bacteria from your hardwood floors without using harmful chemicals. I steam clean my floors every week with Bissel’s steam mop.
Put throw blankets on furniture and beds
If you follow me on Instagram then you might have seen me telling a story of my cat Peter, who wasn’t feeling well and peed all over my sofa. No matter how much I cleaned it (even with cleaners specialized for cat pee), I ended up throwing away my sofa because the insides were soaked with cat pee. Aside from getting a new sofa, I also got a waterproof throw blanket from Amazon. Thank god I did because Peter ended up having another accident. This blanket has a waterproof coating on both sides and an internal waterproof membrane that prevents almost all types of liquids from leaking through. This time, the throw blanket absorbed all the pee and saved me from getting another sofa!!!
Get a washable rug
A washable rug is going to make your life so much easier when you have pets! My rugs are from Ruggable, and I love how durable they are and that I can easily chuck them in a washer if they’re gross. I wash my rugs once every three months, and they always come out of the dryer looking like new. If you want to check out my review of Ruggable’s washable rugs and why I like them so much, read it here.
Paw disinfectant spray
The streets of NYC are disgusting. There’s no way I’m letting Gatsby walk around the apartment with gunk and bacteria on his paws! Every time Gatsby comes home, I clean his paws with Skout’s Honor’s Sanitizing Spray. It helps sanitize, protect and moisturize, killing 99.9% of germs and bacteria. The sanitizing spray is entirely alcohol-free so that it won’t sting or dry out your dog’s paws.
Keep towels by the door
It’s always good to keep some microfiber towels by your door. I usually keep two, one for cleaning Gatsby’s paws with the sanitizing spray and one for days when it rains so I can quickly dry him.
Use enzyme based cleaning sprays
Enzyme-based cleaning sprays are your BFF when you have pets. These cleaners contain beneficial bacteria that emit enzymes to break down urine, feces, and food molecules. Whether you’re cleaning up after vomit, or a pee spot, an enzyme cleaning spray will do the trick for getting out stains and odors. We switch back and forth between Fizzion and Nature’s Miracle. You can use it to treat stains on your clothes too!
Get Washable Pet Beds
Lightweight and durable pet beds that are washable will make cleaning so much easier. We wash our pet beds twice a month by simply chucking them in the washer. I have a super soft and plushy donut bed that the cats love and a durable crate pad for Gatsby.
Get the Uproot clean lint and fur cleaning tool
For those of you with huskies (that shed all year round) and cats, this lint and fur removal tool from Uproot Clean is a must-have! Plus, it’s so affordable! This tool went viral on Instagram, and for a good reason! You can use code ELAINE&GATSBY10 for 10% off your order.
Use baskets for toys and miscellaneous pet items
Baskets are a great way to toss in all of your pet’s toys at the end of the day. All their stuff is in one dedicated spot keeping your home tidy a lot easier! I got this tote basket and it looks great with our home decor.
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