Cleaning house if you have a long haired dog can be an unwelcome chore and a problem for everyone living in the house.
If you have a pet dog, especially if it’s a long-haired breed, you know what it’s like to live with piles of hair appearing everywhere and maybe even the odor of urine on your rugs or carpet. Cleaning up after your dog doesn’t have to be an unpleasant or insurmountable task. You can make it easy on yourself and at the same time create a healthy environment in your home.
Cleaning house with a long haired dog in residence requires some simple steps to keep your dog and your home smelling fresh and clean.
Bathe your dog at least once a month or more often if needed. A dirty dog will carry its scent all over your home. A good bath will also remove excess hair and help keep your furniture hair free.
Vacuum your upholstered furniture at least once a week. The best way to clean chairs and sofas is to use a standard vacuum cleaner with a side attachment; just guide it along the furniture until all the hair is gone. A lint roller will also do a decent job of removing hair from your furniture.
Clean your floors at least once a week. Vacuum rugs and carpets for a longer time than you usually do in order to remove as much dirt and hair as possible.
If your floors are tiled, sweep them thoroughly, then apply regular household bleach full strength, and mop with clean soapy water. Bleach does a very effective job of killing bacteria. Rinse the floor well to keep it from being sticky.
Clean your air filters for the air conditioning and furnace at least once a month. You should also change the air filter once a month when you have a dog.
Disinfect all hard surfaces in your home daily. Removing surface bacteria will eliminate remaining odors. A high quality sanitizer can kill more than 99% of germs, and can be used on any surface in your home.
Using a standard spray air freshener to remove odors in your home usually only masks the scent and ends up smelling like your dog has been playing in a flower bed or wallowing in some exotic passion fruit garden. Use a spray that will remove the odors rather cover them up. A good air sanitizer will kill most of the airborne odor-causing bacteria and leave your home smelling fresh and clean.
Pet bedding should be cleaned at least two times a month. If it’s washable, launder in hot water then use a good quality spray for a fresh, clean scent.
These are just some of the ways to keep your home smelling fresh and looking clean if you have a long haired dog. This may seem like a lot of work, but once you get into a regular routine of house cleaning and bathing your dog, it will become second nature and no longer seem like an overwhelming chore.
