Last week, we began exploring the most commonplace pet cleaning problems. It is universally acknowledged how amazing pets are for mental and emotional health. However, trying to clean up after them can be stressful on pet owners’ minds and wallets. In this article, join us as we continue exploring common pet cleaning problems.
Problem: How can I clean my animal’s toys?
Dogs especially tend to get their toys dirty to the point of disgusting. So how can pet owners quickly and safely clean toys for their four-legged friends?
Solution One. For rubber toys, throw them in the dishwasher. The hot water cleans and disinfects the grimy toys for endless playtimes to follow. If any pets have a particularly delicate stomach, do not add dish detergent. The hot water alone will do the trick. As a bonus, most pet’s food bowls are actually dishwasher safe. To avoid cross contamination between humans and animals, devote a whole cycle to them.
Solution Two. Cloth or rope toys go into the laundry. Definitely avoid using laundry detergent on anything going into an animal’s mouth. Simply place the toys in a small garment bag and run it through a gentle cycle. The added bonus of this method is that pet owners can also throw in pet clothes and accessories alongside the toys.
Problem: My pet is the messiest eater. I don’t want to clean the floor every single night, how can I avoid too much work?
Luckily, the solution here is crazy easy. Any big box store or general online retailer will carry placemats for children. These placemats are made to be played with and made a mess. Simply place a placemat under the pet’s bowl and it is easy as pie to wipe clean. Even better? These plastic mats are dishwasher safe. They can go in the same cycle as the pet food bowls and rubber toys.
Problem: How do I clean up pet hair? I can make a while other dog with the amount of fur laying around my house.
Solution one. Vacuum the pet. Yes, you heard us right, vacuum the animal. As pets become more important, many vacuums are designing attachments to help with grooming. Use the vacuum extension to remove loose fur and light debris from pets’ skin. The extension has a light enough suction so that pets can barely feel it. On the other hand, it keeps dander from ever spreading through the house.
Solution two. Invest in lint rollers. Especially if the pet in question is a breed like a husky, known for “blowing” season. Blowing season is when the dog sheds most of their undercoat at once. It results in essentially tumbleweeds of fur. At that time of year, lint rollers are not limited to handling clothes. Lint rollers cover furniture, clothes, pet accessories, and pet beds. Anything that is made of cloth can get pet hair on it – but that also means a lint roller can be used on it too.