Our four-legged family members bring limitless joy into our homes. Unfortunately, they also bring lots of mess. As a homeowner, you can stay on top of the situation without breaking the bank. You just need to have supplies well-stocked and good cleaning tricks up your sleeve.
Stock Up on Necessities
The number one rule for keeping dog messes from taking over your home is to clean frequently. You also want to act fast anytime a mess happens so you don’t end up with a set-in stain or smell. To make this easier, stock up on cleaning products and tools like paper towels, gloves, a spray bottle, and a good brush for scrubbing. Buying in bulk is a great way to stay on budget, and you can save even more money when using Target promo codes.
A Solution for Every Spill and Smell
Once you have all your supplies, you also need the right solution for each mess. Some dog owners end up making messes worse by using the wrong product for the job at hand.
- Smells: When the smell of dog infiltrates your home, the biggest culprits are fabrics and carpet. For fabrics you can’t throw in the washing machine, like furniture or pillows, you can use either an enzymatic cleaner or something like Febreze that’s made specifically for fabric. To save money, you can often find coupons or sales on name-brand cleaners.
Sometimes, it’s much more effective and affordable to go the DIY route. Believe it or not, vodka actually gets rid of a lot of pet odor in fabrics. Lemon juice and vinegar are two other options that break down smells, and baking soda is good at absorbing them. One of the best ways to get smells out of fabric is to let the baking soda sit on the surface for a while before vacuuming it up.
An inexpensive way to get rid of odors in the air is to make a DIY air freshener using baking soda and essential oils. Using baking soda is cheaper and more effective than commercial air fresheners because it actually absorbs the odor rather than covering it.
- Fur and Dander: The best tool for grabbing fur from hard surface floors is a dry mop. Some pet parents like the ease of mops with disposable pads, but you can save money by getting a few washable pads to use in rotation. To get the fur out of carpet, a vacuum that’s designed for pet hair is essential.
To remove fur from furniture, stock up on lint rollers. Another affordable trick is to simply wipe your hands over fur-laden areas with a pair of damp rubber gloves.
- Drool: Wouldn’t it be nice if dogs could keep drool to themselves? Since they can’t, the best plan of attack is to clean the worst drooly surfaces frequently. For windows, you can use window cleaner or vinegar in a spray bottle. To give your cleaner a fresh smell, add a few drops of lemon essential oil. Puppy Leaks recommends letting the cleaner sit for a minute before wiping windows, and avoid cleaning windows when it’s sunny.
- Floor Fouls: When dogs make a mess on floors, you obviously want to clean it up right away. For floor messes like urine, poop, or vomit, the best cleaner will be similar to what you use for fabrics: a store-bought enzymatic cleaner or a solution of white vinegar in a spray bottle. When you’re tackling urine on carpet, however, you also want to blot up as much as possible before wiping.
Of course, prevention is always a good tactic, which you can do by bathing your pooch regularly and keeping food and water contained to one spot. Even still, dog messes happen, but cleaning them doesn’t have to be a major chore. Stocking up on supplies will save you money, and keeping on top of the task will save your sanity!
By Tyler Evans
Image via Pixabay