Keeping your home clean and fresh and your furry friends happy with these clever ideas for a pet friendly home.
With a little forethought, you can come up with decorating and cleaning solutions to counter sharp claws, muddy paws, moulting hair and the occasional accident.
How to make a pet friendly home?
Upholster sofas and seating
with stain-resistant fabric that can be spot-cleaned. Leather may be durable and wipe-clean, but it is still subject to pet wear and tear and sharp nails.
So, protect your sofa arms from scratches and pull fabric threads with arm covers to match your sofa. And consider shop-bought slipcovers.
They suit most standard sofas and are available in durable, easy-wash cotton.
Cover the bristles of a broom
Cover the bristles of a broom with a stocking, and use it to sweep up clumps of pet hair from both soft and hard flooring surfaces.
Choose heavy-duty
If your preference is for carpet, choose heavy-duty, twist-pile, stain-guard treated carpet in a colour similar to your pet’s fur.
Patterned carpet camouflage accidents are still evident despite cleaning. Pick up pet hairs using a vacuum cleaner with attachments for furnishings, window treatments and pet bedding.
Warm up a hard-surface floor
Warm up a hard-surface floor with low-pile rugs kept firmly in place with tape or an anti-slip rug underlay.
This will prove helpful if your pet runs through the house.
Equip yourself with a pet kit
Equip yourself with a pet kit containing products that remove stains, neutralise unpleasant odours and rid your home – and pet – of fleas.
Vacuum regularly, changing the dust bags or canisters often to prevent them from becoming a flea-breeding haven.
Lay hard flooring
Lay hard flooring such as wood, tiles or sealed natural stone to make it easy to mop up spills and the occasional accident.
Clipping your pet’s nails may not prevent timber floors from being scratched. If you’re concerned about marking your floors, go for hardwood timbers.
Choose matt over slippery shiny tiles and seal the grout to prevent it from discolouring over time.
pet a favour
Do your pet a favour and allow it to feed from a non-slip bowl, and there will be no need for it to chase its bowl around the room as it eats.
Remove hair and fur balls from your sofa prior to vacuuming
To do this, wear a pair of textured rubber washing-up or gardening gloves and vigorously rub the fabric of your sofa to collect the hair or fur.
Alternatively, pat the sofa down with wide packing tape looped, sticky side out, around your hand.
Contain your pets to certain areas of your home
with an extendable security gate for babies.
Wipe a dry, pet-hair sponge over clothing
Wipe a dry, pet-hair sponge over clothing, upholstery, carpet and computer screens.
After removing the hair, dust and lint from the sponge, wash it with soap and water. Allow the sponge to dry before re-using it.
Remove pet hair
Remove pet hair from clothes, upholstery and most surfaces quickly and easily with an adhesive roller.
Paint your walls
Paint your walls with a low-sheen washable acrylic paint that is scuff and stain-resistant.
Avoid matt, suede or stone-effect paints as these mark easily and seem to attract pet hair. Treat your doors, skirting and architraves with a durable semi-gloss or gloss enamel.
Top tips for a pet friendly home
- Treat cats and dogs regularly with suitable flea products that act on all stages of the flea life cycle.
- Never leave spills or pet accidents to dry in the carpet or soak through to the underlay.
- Air your home frequently.
- Brush pet fur daily and wash active dogs regularly.
- Entertain and exercise your pet daily to avoid boredom which may lead to it wreaking havoc in your home and garden.
- Purchase a pet deodoriser to help keep your dog smelling fresh
If you need help to get a pet friendly home, book with us now!Â
