Keeping Floors Clean with Pets

A black dog eating food out of a red bowl

Pets make great companions, but they’re notorious for getting dirty. From piles of fur to muddy paw prints to spilled water dishes, it seems your four-legged friend is always making a mess somewhere. Fortunately, it’s possible to maintain a clean house, even if you have a dog or cat running around. Just follow these tips for keeping floors clean with pets.

Brush, Brush, Brush

Most dogs and cats shed, so fur-related messes are the number one issue pet owners face. Keep hair buildup at bay with daily brushing sessions. If possible, brush your pet outside to keep fur from flying around the living room as you groom your pet.

Clean Your Pet After Going on Walks

Dogs can track in dirt and mud from outside, so establish a grooming routine after every walk. Start by laying down a heavy-duty doormat at your front entrance. Stand here and use an old towel, wet wipes, and a spray bottle to clean muddy paws before you step inside.

If you have a laundry room, you can also head here to wipe the dirt or rinse the mud off your dog’s paws before a mess is tracked throughout the house. If your pup gets wet from walking in the rain, rub him off with a towel, and confine him to a room with an easy-to-clean floor until he dries completely.

Use Quality Floor-Cleaning Supplies

Your best friends for maintaining floors with pets are a good electrostatic broom and pet-appropriate vacuum cleaner. These are the most effective tools for eliminating pet hair from your home.

Adopt a quick daily floor-cleaning routine in high-traffic areas to keep pet hair from migrating to all the nooks and crannies. Then, sweep and vacuum the rest of the house at least once a week.

Clean Up Accidents Quickly

Living with pets means you’ll occasionally have to clean up accidents. Act fast and use enzyme-based cleaners to get feces, urine, vomit, and other fluids out of the carpet and off the hardwood floor as effectively as possible.

Create a Den for Your Dog

Buy your pet a comfortable, sensible bed you can clean easily. (Remember to do this about once a week.) Then, assign your dog to a specific room. Over time, this will become his “den” where he hangs out most of the time. As a result, a majority of your pet’s hair and dirt will remain confined to that room.

Maintain Your Pet’s Food and Water Area

You don’t use the same plate and cup more than once before washing it, do you? Ideally, the same should go for your pets, which means you should clean their dishes every day. While you’re at it, wipe down the floors, wall, and baseboards around your cat and dog’s eating area once a week. Then, avoid drips and splashes by placing a mat under the food and water bowls.

Schedule Household Cleaning Services from Molly Maid

Keeping floors clean with pets is quite a task – and that’s just one item on your list of household chores! If you need assistance getting everything done so you have time to enjoy the activities you love, turn to Molly Maid and our professionally trained crew for help. We have experience cleaning homes with pets, kids, and other mess-makers. Choose from one of our flexible cleaning options, which range from a single deep-cleaning to occasional cleaning to routine assistance with household chores.

To arrange professional house cleaning services near you, please contact your local Molly Maid or call us at today for a free estimate!