From Shedding to Smells: Cleaning Experts' Advice on Keeping a Spotless Home with Pets
It’s no secret that we are a nation of pet lovers, who happily dote on our furry companions. In fact, 34 per cent of UK households own a dog, while 28 per cent own a cat
And while our four legged friends provide the best company and companionship imaginable, cleaning up after them can prove challenging – especially if you aren’t prepared!
To help keep your pet happy and your home pristine, the cleaning experts at Gtech have shared top tips for handling some of the most common cleaning woes that pet owners experience.
How to control pet hair in the home
If you have a pet that sheds, then you’ll know how easily hair can cover anything and everything in its path, including clothes, sofa cushions, and even curtains!
And while cats and dogs tend to shed more in certain seasons, it is still a year-round struggle for owners to stay on top of - especially with those extra fluffy, long-haired pets.
So, when it comes to tackling pet hair, consistency is key:
- Vacuuming frequently and thoroughly is essential for removing pet hair from surfaces in your home, such as carpets, sofas, and wooden floors. Pet hair can be stubborn, so make sure you have a high performance vacuum cleaner that caters specifically to pet hair and fur.
- One of the best ways to remove pet hair from carpet is to gently scrape the surface with a pumice stone, which you might more typically think to use for exfoliating skin. By scraping gently, you will be able to collect enough hair without damaging the fibres of your carpet. Alternatively, you can use a squeegee to cover more surface area.
- To prevent pet hair covering your home, brush your furry friend a couple of times every week. This is a good way to remove already loose fur and reduce the messy effects of moulting. Ask your vet for the best type of brush to use for different animals and breeds. For tips on dealing with shedding, you might like to read this article.
How to minimise pet odours in your home
Whether caused by an excited puppy’s accident or the naturally produced oils in fur, pet owners will sometimes have to contend with unpleasant odours in their homes. In fact, there has been a 75 per cent increase in searches for ‘how to get rid of pet odour’ in the past year.
To say goodbye to those lingering smells, follow these simple steps:
- Keeping on top of general cleaning maintenance, such as vacuuming and wiping surfaces, will help rid your home of all sorts of unwelcome dirt around the home that can cause nasty smells.
- Simple yet effective, strategically placing air fresheners around your home will help to reduce the smells caused by pets. Target the worst-smelling rooms first and foremost – or your pet’s favourite spots – make sure to promptly replace them once they run out. Another quick fix for removing odours from carpets is to sprinkle bicarbonate on the affected areas, leaving it to soak for around an hour before vacuuming.
- If you want to get rid of any lingering pet smells, increase the lifespan of your floor, and transform its appearance, then give it a yearly steam clean. Just make sure that you don’t use a steam cleaner if you have any untreated urine stains, as a steam clean could cause them to set into the floor. And don’t forget to open the windows during the steaming process!
How to clean pet stains on your carpet
From muddy paw prints to puppy pee puddles, stains are a common enemy for pet owners, especially those with either very young or elderly animals. Acting fast is essential when removing pet stains, and you should start cleaning as soon as you spot it:
- For liquid stains, such as urine, start by spraying the stain with cold water and then absorbing the liquid with paper towels or a cloth. Then, sprinkle the affected area with bicarbonate of soda, leaving for at least an hour. Once it’s soaked in, vacuum the carpet, and repeat until the stain and odours have gone. Give the area an additional few rounds of spot cleaning if necessary but try not to rub your carpet fibres too much as this could damage the finish.
- If you are tackling mud, then let the stain dry first and then vacuum up as much of it as possible. If there is still some mud remaining, then take a blunt knife to scrape away the excess. Now you can follow the same process as you would with a liquid stain, using bicarbonate of soda and spot cleaning to freshen up your carpet.
- For particularly tough stains, consider using cleaning agents, such as white vinegar or a carpet cleaner for serious stains. Just ensure that you use an agent that is suitable for your carpet, based on its instructions or maintenance guide.
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