Cleaning after pets requires a certain discipline — especially when that pet is barely out of puppyhood, intensely curious, and believes that making the bed is some kind of avant garde game involving doing zoomies on top of the comforter being fluffed. Here are some tips for managing:
Tip 1: Prioritize high traffic areas
This is the rule for cleaning in general, but if you’re on limited time and your dog happens to be napping (hallelujah), it’s a good time to prioritize high traffic areas where all that pet hair and gunk accumulates. For our household, that means sweeping, vacuuming, and wet mopping the floors by the front door, in the kitchen, and in the dining area. Coincidentally, those are all areas where a dog likes to beg for human food.
Tip 2: Follow the baseboards
Both human and dog hair tend to roll their way over to the baseboards like little tumbleweeds. This is both gross and convenient because you can either vacuum those little tufties up by following the baseboards or pick them up with your hands as you go about your day.
Tip 3: Use non-toxic cleaning supplies
The rule of dogs is that they explore the world with their mouths. Cleaning supplies that won’t make them — or you! — sick will save on vet bills, late night vomit sessions, and general headaches.
Tip 4: Distract that nosy creature
One of the struggles of cleaning with a pet is that they are always there. Watching. Waiting. Commiserating. In the year and a half since Ollie entered our lives, I don’t think I’ve ever pulled a load of laundry out of the dryer without a narrow whippet head darting in to steal socks.
The same goes for cleaning the floors, using a duster, or vacuuming (because the vacuum is an enemy and must be barked and nipped at). A high-value treat that takes time to consume is the best distraction. I’ve found that a frozen Kong filled with yogurt will buy about 15-20 minutes — enough time to speedrun through a couple cleaning tasks. Alternatively, you can spread some peanut butter on a silicone mat and freeze it.
Do I complain about my furry child’s messes? Yes. Would I have it any other way? Absolutely not.
Happy cleaning and I hope these tips make it a little easier to manage the furballs floating around your home!
