By Olivia Jakiel, Purple Clover
Spring Cleaning Tips For Dog Owners
Spring is right around the corner, and we all know what that means! It's time to Marie Kondo the heck out of our living spaces. For dog owners, though, keeping your house clean can be quite a chore year 'round. Check out these 13 tips that'll help keep your home in tip-top shape this spring — and for seasons to come.
Check Food Expiration Dates
Just like a normal human food pantry, pet pantries can get cluttered with bags of food, treats, and other goodies your pup enjoys. Take an hour and clean out your dog’s pantry and throw away anything that’s expired. If you really want to get clean and organized, you can store food and treats in airtight containers! Plus, you’ll be able to tell when you’re running low on food.
Clean Out Dog Bowls Daily
How often do you actually clean out your dog’s food and water dishes? Not to mention, the area around their bowls? Make this a daily habit in your household to prevent food and saliva build up in your pet’s bowls AND around them. Your pet will be happier with clean vessels to eat and drink out of, and
Invest In Some Rubber Gloves
A quick hack to get rid of pesky dog hair on furniture is to slap on a pair of rubber gloves, wet them slightly, then run your hand over any fabric (furniture, curtains, etc.) to pick up those stray dog hairs that won’t budge.
Keep Pet Bedding Clean
Have you ever walked by your pet’s sleeping area and caught a whiff of...something? It’s probably their blankets and/or bed they lay on! Make a habit of keeping pet bedding clean by washing it once a week. Using a gentle, unscented laundry detergent will neutralize odor and won’t irritate your dog’s skin.
Give Your Pet Regular Baths
If your house smells like a dog, it’s probably because there’s a dog living in it. Not to say that your pup needs to shower daily like a human, but giving your pet weekly or bi-monthly baths helps keep their stink under control, which helps keep your house smelling fresh as a daisy.
Keep Lint Rollers On Hand
If you need to get rid of dog hair in a pinch but don’t have a pair of rubber gloves as previously mentioned, run a lint roller over wherever you need to remove pet hair: clothes, pillows, furniture, etc. Keep them in easy-to-grab places in your house, like the kitchen, living room, and bathroom so they’re always on hand.
Keep Non-Toxic Cleaners In Your Home
Chemicals are harmful to both humans and pets! Stock your house with non-toxic, pet-friendly cleaning supplies so your house stays clean and your pups stay safe.
Keep Fleas Under Control
Make sure you are giving your dogs the proper flea and tick medication to ensure there isn’t a flea outbreak in your house! Ask your veterinarian which brand is right for your dog. After all, the best way to prevent a flea outbreak in your home is to not have fleas at all!
Invest In A Good Vacuum Cleaner
A good, reliable vacuum cleaner is a MUST for dog owners! A lot of pet owners in general swear by smart vacuums that do all the work for them — basically, what I’m saying is, bite the bullet and buy a Roomba. Not only will it cut your time down on cleaning, you’ll have minimal pet hair buildup around your home since you can program it to run daily. If you can't swing for a robotic vacuum, there are plenty of other, more affordable vacuums that will take care of all that pesky pet hair around your house.
Stock Up On Spot Remover
Even the most well-trained dogs have accidents — it happens! Keep rugs and carpets smelling clean and remove stains right when they happen by always having spot-remover in your cleaning arsenal. Invest in a solid brush to scrub those stains out, too!
Keep Old Towels By Doors Leading Outside
Is there anything worse than muddy paw prints all over the house? If your pup loves to get messy outside (and honestly, what dog doesn’t like to?), keep an old towel by the front and back doors of your house so you can easily wipe their paws before they come inside. This is also super helpful if it’s wet outside, which...it's spring, so there's a good chance you'll be dealing with some April showers!
Add Home Decor That Doubles As Storage
Much like children’s toys lying all willy nilly around the house, dog toys can be an eyesore and contribute to unnecessary clutter around your home. Using home decor that doubles as storage, like an ottoman or even just a big wicker basket, will help keep clutter to a minimum and keep your interior design style in check.
Hire A Housekeeper
When all else fails, hire a professional once a month (if you can swing it) to really deep clean your house! Bonus: Treat your pup to a day at the groomer’s so when they come back to your clean house, it stays that way!
