Kids are messy, and so are pets. There’s a difference, though: you can negotiate with kids. Rewards, tempting treats or bribes tend to encourage children to do their chores, keep the floor clean and help around the house as best they can.
Furry friends aren’t quite so easy to reason with. If you have a dog or cat, then you’ll know all about the endless fur that seems to get everywhere: on the sofa, the curtains, the clean washing and on the stairs. If you have a pet bird, then you’ll understand that your ‘tweetie pie’ moults enough feathers a month to fill a pillow. Even small pets such as gerbils and hamsters appear to generate twice their own bodyweight in muck and debris.
We all love our pets, but we need to learn to control the mess they create. Here are some ideas.
Hair Today – and Tomorrow
Pet hair is the number one challenge for pet owners, and it’s a particular problem with dogs. If you’re lucky, you might have a breed that doesn’t shed much hair, but even short wiry hairs can be a real pain. In summer, our pets moult at an alarming rate.
The key here is to take preventative measures – and that doesn’t mean getting the clippers out. If you brush your dog or cat two or three times a week, you’ll minimise the amount of hair you’ll be hoovering up, as it will be collected on the brush, and not the floor. Special fine brushes will remove loose hair from the pet’s coat before it has chance to fall on the floor.
Naturally, you’ll need to brush your pet outdoors. The local bird population will thank you; animal fur makes a great nest lining. If your pet doesn’t like the sensation, do persevere, since a few treats will make the transition easy for them.
Rub-a-dub-dub, Doggy in the Tub
If you have a dog, we recommend that you bathe him or her once a month. This will ensure their coat stays healthy, but it will also minimise any pongs and stop the fur from becoming matted.
Use a dog shampoo or a mild baby shampoo, and bathe your dogs in a separate bath to avoid coating your family tub with hair. If you can, do the bathing outside on a nice day so your dog can’t shake their coat all over your nice clean house.
Clean Cats
If you have cats, then you’ll know that they usually take care of their own cleaning, although if your cat is ill or elderly they may need a little help. Cat owners rarely need to worry about giving their feline friends a bath.
One thing you may need to clean is the litter tray. Use a special cleaner for the purpose, and never use harsh chemicals that your cats could lick off their paws.
Clean Pets, Clean House
Sadly, having a pet does add to the list of your cleaning chores – but that’s a small price to pay for the love and joy that owning a pet will bring to your family. If you need help getting your pet hair problem under control, call Efficient Cleaning for advice today.
