A new member of your household has been found: a stray, a pup—wherever they hailed from, they are now a part of your home; your family.
Between the lines of playing in the yard, them jumping on your couch and just parading around the common tomfoolery you’d expect (and least expect) from having your own dog, there’s a burning question in your mind. How to keep floors clean with dogs?
Hardwood, carpet, linoleum, even the ceramic tiles in your bathroom—yes dogs and their messes can find their way into just about any room. But how do you keep it clean? It’s a question that doesn’t always need to be answered with a mop or broom (though those are great tools for cleaning up dog hair), it can be answered by taking proper care of your dog.
This includes cleaning, grooming, as well as training your animal. If you’ve found that your dog leaves behind swathes of hair anywhere they go, it’s best to have a set time to take them to the groomer. Cutting your dog’s hair short, as well as making sure your dog is comfortable, can lead to a grander enjoyment of your surroundings, couches, and anything else that picks up the occasional hair from people and dogs.
If you’re more accustomed to rainy weather and damper days outdoors with your dog, tracking mud into your house can be of concern, as well as those pesky clumps that are left behind from your dog’s paws.
Some ways to combat your dog’s dragging of outdoor dust/dirt:
- Have an entry rug, as well as a bath mat that you put at your front door.
- On entry, any big clumps of mud and mess not wedged in your dog’s paws will easily disperse onto the mats.
- Wipe your dog’s paws clean with a cloth or microfiber towel.
- This may sound silly, but if your dog is a pup (and not), being at the door and waiting for them when they come inside can establish a rapport in which your dog waits for you to wipe their paws clean. No deep cleaning required, all you must do is ask for your dog’s paw (like a handshake) and wipe it clean with a cheap rag.
- Don’t allow your dog onto your couch, or more expensive furniture
- It’s alway said that the best place in the house for your dog is beside you, but sometimes you have to inhibit your dog from doing so, especially if you have white couches.
If you’re wanting advice catered to more specific types of floors (hardwood, carpet, etc.) then scroll below and there are multiple different ways for you to keep any type of floor clean.
For Hardwood floors:
- Trimming your dog’s hair at the first notice of unwanted fur found on the floor (Universal).
- Though mentioned above, hairs stick out on hardwood floors especially dog hairs, trimming your dog’s hair or taking it to the groomer is the best bet you will have to make sure you no longer see those unwanted hairs again.
- Getting specific attachments for your vacuum that are made for hardwood floors.
- Self explanatory, but a specific attachment for your floor can help pick up not only dog hair/fur, but any other pesky mess that a regular broom is unable.
- Mopping with just water.
- You don’t always need a cleaning solution to mop up your floors, even just a cold mop and bucket can pick up most dog hairs and fur and all you’d need to do is let it dry afterward.
For Carpets:
- Immediately cleaning dog’s paws (as mentioned above) will strike down the chances of them bringing unwanted messes onto your floors.
- All you’d need is a towel and to slowly train your dog to wait at the door for you so you’re able to clean their paws.
- Vacuuming your carpet a few times a week, even when it looks clean.
- Messes accumulate and do their best work when no one is looking, vacuuming a supposedly clean carpet can hinder odors, smells and even the smallest of dog’s messes from forming.
- Trimming your dog’s nails.
- Carpet’s have a tendency to be pulled up, and dog’s have a tendency to ruin carpets, though the two can coexist, you must take extra care of handling your carpet as well as your dog in order to maintain its integrity. Trimming your dog’s nails can stop them from pulling away at the carpet (from either digging, or just the random bouts of prancing that dogs like to do.
