Your four-legged friends are like family, but the messes they leave behind can often make home cleanliness a challenge. Smudged windows, disorderly feeding areas, and sofas covered in hair, which then transfers to your jeans or coat? No, thank you. But you don’t have to live like that, and you don’t have to break a sweat to keep your house clean and odor-free. Here are five easy strategies to minimize pet messes in every corner of your home—no vacuums or bulky supplies necessary.
To clean floors
Between shedding hair and muddy paw prints, your floors take a beating from pets coming in and out of your place. To keep hair from coating floors and grime from building up, it’s important to dry and wet mop regularly.
The Swiffer Sweeper Heavy Duty Pet Starter Kit is a versatile 2-in-1 tool that comes with everything you need to keep wood, tile, and linoleum floors clean. The floor mop’s dry cloths pick up dust and pet hair, and its wet-mop cloths (pre-saturated with a cleaning solution) are perfect for wiping away paw prints and tail-wagging spills.
To de-fur upholstery
Your floors aren’t the only place pet hair settles. Other hot spots include upholstered furniture like couches and armchairs, as well as drapes. To nix stray strands in a flash, use an anti-static spray before attempting to remove hair from these places.
Then, try a lint roller specifically made for pets, like the Scotch-Brite 50% Stickier Large Surface Pet Lint Roller. The roller’s sheets are larger and have more sticking power to pick up coarse hair, dander, and other large debris. You can also try a damp rubber glove: Simply put on a clean pair, dampen, and run your hands over your cushions (for silk fabrics, use dry gloves) to capture the hair.
To erase smudges on windows and doors
Does your curious pet leave snout marks on doors and windows? There’s an easy and non-toxic fix for those unsightly foggy streaks: DIY wipes made with paper towels and rubbing alcohol. Simply dampen paper towels with rubbing alcohol, then wipe the glass on your doors and windows (including car windows!). The solution dries instantly, without leaving any streaks behind.
To remove odors
If your pet has a favorite sofa arm or side chair, or if they tend to curl up in the same spot on your rug, chances are that area might start to smell a little like your dog’s bed or your cat’s litter box. To address smelly cushions, spray them with a fabric treatment like Febreze Pet Odor Eliminator weekly. An easy way to to keep the scent fresh longer: consider slipping dryer sheets into envelopes and tucking them under your cushions.
An easy and non-toxic fix for unsightly window streaks: DIY wipes made with paper towel with rubbing alcohol.
To keep feeding areas clean
The area around pet food and water dishes can get messy after meals, and tidying up after them can get old quickly. Place a shallow boot tray under pet food and water bowls to catch drips and contain rogue kibble crumbs. Cleanup is a breeze: Discard any solids from the tray, tip splattered liquid down the drain, and rinse the whole thing with mild dish soap and warm water. Let the tray dry before setting it back down.
