Yes, You Can Have Pets & a Clean Home at the Same Time

My boyfriend recently invested in a lint roller to keep in his car. Why? Because every time he comes to my apartment, he leaves covered in cat hair, thanks to the two beautiful fur babies who live here.

If you have a pet—or, even better, multiple pets—you probably relate to this struggle. It’s definitely a challenge to keep your home clean when you have rambunctious little furballs running around, especially if you don’t have the time (or motivation) to tidy up every day.

If you’re thinking to yourself, “There’s got to be a better way,” you’re right. Here are some tips on how to keep your house impressively clean even when you have pets.

Unless you have a hairless dog or cat, you probably feel like you’re constantly fighting an uphill battle to keep pet hair under control. If you want to get ahead of this problem, the best offense is to regularly groom your furry friends. However, you’re still going to need to de-fur certain areas of your home from time to time.

On that note, here are the most efficient ways to remove pet hair from everything in your house.

Floors

You may be cleaning your floors wrong, and here’s why: When you vacuum a wood or tile floor, you’re actually sending most of the pet hair flying into the air, instead of sucking it up. A better option is to go over your floors with an electrostatic dust mop, such as a Swiffer, to trap hair first, according to Clean My Space. Then, you can vacuum to pick up any lingering dirt if needed.

To prevent dust bunnies from forming, you should aim to Swiffer at least two or three times a week. It’s so easy, though, you may want to do it daily.

Rugs

Is your white rug looking grey and dingy, no matter how many times you vacuum it? This can happen when pet hair works itself deep into the rug, but it’s actually rather easy to get out with the help of an unconventional tool: a rubber squeegee!

All you have to do is drag a squeegee across your carpet to pull out all that pet hair. Use the tool like a rake and work in short, quick strokes—you’ll be amazed at how easily all the fur comes out. You might want to consider doing this deep-cleaning method once a month or as needed to keep your rugs looking fresh.

Furniture

If vacuuming your couch simply isn’t picking up enough hair, there are a few other options you can try. For instance, Clean My Space recommends putting on a rubber glove, dampening it, then rubbing your hand over the furniture. You can also try the squeegee method mentioned above.

To make things a little easier, consider investing in an inexpensive hair-removal tool like the ChomChom Roller—reviewers rave about how well it works at getting hair off furniture.

Clothing

More often than not, a good ol’ fashioned lint roller is the quickest and easiest way to de-fur your clothing. However, you can also try adding 1/2 cup of white vinegar to your laundry, according to Angie’s List. This will reduce the static cling of the garments, helping to shake off any lingering hair.

Wondering how often you should clean items like pet beds, bowls, and toys? Here are your answers:

Beds and Crates

According to Rover, it’s best to clean pet beds and crates once a week or so to remove dirt, allergens, and pests that your fur babies may have tracked inside.

Most pet beds have removable covers that can be tossed in the laundry, and you can simply wipe down crates with warm water and a gentle soap.

Bowls

You clean your dishes every time you eat, and you should do the same with your pet’s dishes. Rover recommends washing food and water bowls daily to prevent the growth of bacteria that could make your pet sick. Again, warm, soapy water will do the trick.

Toys

Personally, my family dog destroys toys in a matter of days, so they never last long enough to be washed. If your pet is less destructive, however, you might consider washing their toys once a month or so, just to get rid of all the dirt and slobber.

Plush toys can be put into a garment bag and run through the washing machine, according to The Dog Bakery, while hard plastic toys can be disinfected in a solution of water and vinegar.

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With the help of these life hacks, you can keep your home impressively clean and save your loved ones from having to carry around lint rollers.

How do you manage cleaning up after your fur babies? Share your best tips with us below!