You love Fido. You love Rex and Mr. Rumpleskin too. You could never imagine your life without your best friend(s). However, as a dog owner, you know the price that comes with one, two, or more furry companions: a less-than-optimal home environment. The odors, hair, dander, dirt, and general untidiness that dogs have can make your home a smelly, messy, sneezy disaster. Here are some cheap ways to help you avoid that.
by Tyler Evans, Guest Blogger
Strategically Stash Pet Wipes
Every time your dog goes outside — whether it be out back to go to the bathroom or out on a walk with you — they come back inside your home covered in stuff. If you want to keep dirt, grime, bugs, and other home pollutants out (and also reduce the amount of hair on your dog) you should stash pet wipes at every entrance to your home. That way, you’ll remember to wipe them each and every time they cross the threshold. Most of the best pet wipes brands will sell a hundred or so wipes for less than $15 — a small price to pay to have a clean dog entering your home. Plus, wiping your dog regularly will reduce their natural odors.
Invest in a Pet-Specific Air Purifier
While you will have to pay a little up front for a quality air purifier, you’ll reap the benefits tenfold as the years go by. That’s because an air purifier can help reduce almost every bad pet by-product you can think of — dirt, hair, dander, and even odor. You can also reduce allergens by regularly changing your air filters. You can order these online, and even custom sizes are available.
Use an Old Towel as a Hair Trap
Wherever your dog lies — couch, bed, rug — they are going to leave a trail of hair and dander. One cheap trick is to place an old towel under your dog on whatever surface they choose to snooze on. That way, you can simply pick up the towel, take it outside, and shake it off. You’ll be shocked at how much this simple act reduces pet by-products in your home.
Contain Their Dinner
Watch your dog eat and drink from their bowls. It’s a sloppy, splashing nightmare, isn’t it? Since dogs don’t have the best table manners, you have to employ an inexpensive fix to contain stray bits of kibble and water from getting all over your floors and carpets. One solid trick is to place their bowls on a large rimmed baking sheet. For a solution that’s a little more expensive but still relatively cheap, try a quality dog food dispenser.
Vacuuming Isn’t Always Best
Unless your vacuum has very strong suction capabilities and a HEPA filter, there’s a good chance that it could be doing more harm than good. Weak vacuums can simply send hair and dander flying through the air. While you do need to vacuum regularly, it may be smarter to employ other methods to get rid of pet hair. Try one of these:
- Lint roller or double-sided tape for upholstery
- Wet a rubber glove and pat down fabrics
- Use a Swiffer or other electrostatic floor mop to trap hair without sending it flying
- Pull a rubber squeegee across rugs and carpet to remove hair fast
Call a Pro
Sometimes you’ll need to bring in some help to take care of pet messes. For instance, if your busy schedule prevents you from cleaning up after your pup, you may need to call in a maid service. Or if your dog has an accident on your carpet, you may need the services of a carpet cleaner because urine can be difficult to remove. The good news is that carpet-cleaning services aren’t usually prohibitively expensive (averaging $173 in Jacksonville Beach).
It’s an inefficient use of time to simply wait until your home is covered in hair, dander, dirt, and stink and then spend hours cleaning. By employing a few basic tricks to rein in your beloved dog’s by-products, you can ensure that your home is healthy, livable, and ready for guests.
Photo by Nathalie SPEHNER on Unsplash
