Pawsitively Clean Home Solutions

Dogs are cherished members of our families, bringing boundless joy, unwavering loyalty, and endless cuddles into our lives. Yet, every dog owner knows this love comes with a little (or a lot) of mess – from shedding hair to muddy paw prints and occasional accidents. But don’t let the potential for a less-than-spotless home deter you from the incredible experience of dog ownership! After nearly 13 years with our amazing Boxer, followed by our two large, energetic, and wonderfully hairy companions, Riggins (a Bernese Mountain Dog) and Chief (an English Cream Golden Retriever), we’ve learned a thing or two about maintaining a sparkling clean home while embracing the chaos and charm of dogs.

If you’ve followed my journey on Instagram, you know how much we adore Riggins and Chief. You also know that maintaining a clean and organized home is a priority for us. This often leads to questions in my DMs: “How do you possibly keep your house clean with such large, furry dogs that shed so much?”

Let’s be real: keeping a house clean with dogs isn’t always easy. It requires commitment, the right tools, and a consistent routine. But I promise you, it is absolutely achievable, and it’s entirely worth it. The unconditional love, companionship, and laughter our dogs bring are irreplaceable, and we wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world. The secret? Equipping yourself with the best cleaning arsenal and adopting effective strategies. In this comprehensive guide, I’ll share everything that works for our household, ensuring your home can be both dog-friendly and beautifully clean.

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Essential Cleaning Tools for Pet Owners

A pristine home with pets isn’t just a dream; it’s a reality made possible with the right equipment. Investing in quality cleaning tools specifically designed to tackle pet-related messes can significantly reduce your cleaning time and effort, transforming your approach to household maintenance.

Powerful and Effective Stain Removers

Even with the most well-behaved dogs, accidents happen. From puppy training mishaps to unexpected upsets, having the right stain removers on hand is crucial for immediate and effective clean-up. Here are our must-haves:

• An Enzymatic Stain Remover: For organic pet stains like urine, vomit, or feces, an enzymatic cleaner is non-negotiable. These powerful formulas break down biological matter and odors at a molecular level, preventing lingering smells that might attract your pet back to the same spot. Our favorite enzymatic cleaner penetrates deep into carpets and subfloors, eliminating the stain completely. This is invaluable during puppy potty training but also a lifesaver for older dogs prone to occasional tummy troubles. Always keep a bottle stocked!
• A Reliable Carpet Spot Remover: Living in North Carolina, we’re familiar with red clay. It has an uncanny ability to find its way onto paws and, subsequently, onto our area rugs and carpets. For tough, non-biological stains like mud, dirt, or food spills, a dedicated carpet spot remover is essential. Folex stands out as the best carpet spot remover we’ve ever used. It’s incredibly effective, surprisingly affordable, and tackles even the most stubborn marks without excessive scrubbing or residue.

Vacuums Designed for Pet Hair and Dirt

Regardless of whether you have a tiny dog or a house full of large, shedding breeds, the quality of your vacuum cleaner matters immensely. Even small, non-shedding dogs can track in an astonishing amount of dirt. Our goal is for guests to say, “I wouldn’t even know you have dogs!” Achieving this level of cleanliness starts with superior vacuuming. Here’s what we rely on:

• A High-Performance Cordless Vacuum Cleaner: The key to consistent cleanliness is making the task easy and quick. If vacuuming feels like a chore, you’ll be less likely to do it regularly – and with dogs, daily vacuuming is a must to keep hair and dirt at bay. This cordless vacuum has been our workhorse for about four years. Its lightweight design and cordless convenience make it incredibly fast to grab for quick clean-ups or daily passes. It’s also perfectly sized for vacuuming inside our DIY dog crates that look like furniture – we simply remove the dog beds and give them a thorough clean periodically.

• The Game-Changing Robot Vacuum: While a cordless vacuum handles targeted cleaning, a robot vacuum is an invaluable asset for maintaining baseline cleanliness. We invested in this robot vacuum cleaner during a sale in 2021, and it has revolutionized our cleaning routine. Initially skeptical after a poor experience with an older model, this unit proved to be a complete game-changer. It utilizes advanced laser mapping to efficiently navigate and clean our home, avoiding aimless wandering. We can even set “no-go zones” to protect pet bowls or delicate areas. Most importantly, it excels at picking up dog hair and dirt, especially on its max suction setting. We run it every single day, significantly reducing the amount of manual vacuuming required. It’s truly an amazing daily maintenance tool.

The Indispensable Carpet Cleaner

If your home features carpets or area rugs, a dedicated carpet cleaner is an incredibly wise investment for anyone, but particularly for dog owners. Pets can introduce a host of dirt, allergens, and odors that daily vacuuming simply can’t remove. Regular deep cleaning not only revitalizes your carpets but also contributes to a healthier, fresher indoor environment. We’ve owned this specific carpet cleaner for nearly five years, and our love for it only grows. It’s remarkably user-friendly: push forward to spray and scrub, pull back to suction and dry. It operates much like a vacuum, just at a slightly slower pace. You can see me using it with a tiny Riggins in our old house! We pair it with this cleaning solution, which is specially formulated for pet households, effectively neutralizing odors and lifting stubborn pet stains.

Prepare to be genuinely shocked by the amount of dirt and grime this machine extracts from your seemingly clean carpets and rugs. To illustrate its power, just look at the dirty water it removes from a single rug – and we typically clean ours every few months. This visual proof consistently reminds us of the machine’s value in keeping our home fresh and allergen-free.

Hard-Surface Floor Cleaners for Every Home

For homes with hard-surface flooring – be it hardwood, tile, laminate, or vinyl – a dedicated hard-surface cleaner is a highly recommended addition to your cleaning arsenal, especially with pets. Over a decade ago, we relied on a Hoover Floormate, but as technology advanced, we sought a more modern solution. About a year ago, I purchased the widely acclaimed “viral” Tineco hard floor cleaner during a massive Amazon sale. This is the exact Tineco model we bought, though several variations exist.

I must admit, I approached this purchase with a healthy dose of skepticism, given how quickly certain products go “viral” on social media. I even held onto the packaging for over a month, determined to return it if it didn’t live up to the hype. Yet, I’m thrilled to report that it has absolutely exceeded expectations. This machine is completely cordless, efficiently tackles both wet and dry messes simultaneously, and even boasts a self-cleaning function. I could not possibly love this machine more! It’s genuinely unsettling to see the amount of grime it removes from floors that appeared clean to the naked eye. We purchased it ourselves and are not sponsored by Tineco in any way; our endorsement comes purely from genuine satisfaction. For a more in-depth look, I wrote a detailed review of the Tineco vacuum mop here, which is worth checking out if you’re considering one for your home.

Mastering Pet Hair on Non-Vacuumable Surfaces

While our dogs are generally not permitted on most furniture, they are welcome on our bed since bedding is easily washable. However, even washable items can accumulate substantial pet hair. Every morning, as part of our routine, I “de-hair” our bed. Traditional lint rollers would be prohibitively expensive given daily use, and our vacuums are often too powerful for delicate duvet covers, risking fabric damage. After extensive trial and error with various alternatives, I discovered this ingenious little pet hair remover, and it is truly superior. It’s incredibly fast, easy to use, and astonishingly effective on our bedding. I’m confident it would perform just as well on other upholstered furniture, curtains, and even clothing, providing a reusable and efficient solution for pet hair removal where vacuums fall short.

Comprehensive Dog Bathing and Grooming Tips

Beyond cleaning your home, an essential aspect of maintaining cleanliness with dogs involves proactive grooming. Regular bathing helps control odors and keep their coats clean, directly impacting the freshness of your home. Additionally, proper nail care is vital to protect your flooring and ensure your dog’s comfort. Incorporating these grooming practices into your routine will make a noticeable difference in your home’s overall cleanliness.

Making Dog Baths a Breeze

Many people are surprised to learn that we bathe Riggins, our 120-pound furry giant, at home. While outsourcing the job to a professional groomer has its advantages, the cost and time commitment of frequent visits can add up. Since Riggins is too large for our standard bathtubs, we bathe both him and our puppy in our walk-in shower. To make this process much easier, I invested in this shower attachment about a year ago. It’s simple to install and use, providing targeted water flow that makes rinsing quick and efficient.

Another game-changer for keeping our pups content during bath time is a dog-licking mat equipped with suction cups. We adhere it to the shower wall and load it with peanut butter or another safe, spreadable treat. This distraction keeps them calm and happy, making the bathing experience much less stressful for everyone involved. For drying, we start with old towels to absorb most of the water, then wrap Riggins in this XXL dog bathrobe (which fits him perfectly). It may look a bit comical, but he doesn’t mind it, and it makes a significant difference in getting him as dry as possible, reducing the amount of moisture and stray hair that can spread throughout the house. Chief, our puppy, is currently easy to dry with just a large towel, but as he grows, we anticipate getting him a dog bathrobe too.

The Importance of Regular Nail Trimming

Like countless dog owners, we have beautiful hardwood floors. Untrimmed or sharp dog nails can cause significant damage to these surfaces, leaving unsightly scratches and dents over time. To protect our floors and ensure our dogs’ paw health, we don’t just trim their nails – we actively work to keep them rounded and smooth. We achieve this by using this dremel tool on their nails. We introduced both Riggins and Chief to the dremel when they were very young, which helped them acclimate and now they tolerate it remarkably well. It’s important to note that many dogs may not instantly love a dremel, so patience and positive reinforcement are key. The primary advantage of a dremel over traditional clippers is its ability to not only shorten the nails but also to meticulously shape and smooth them, which is incredibly beneficial for minimizing floor damage and maintaining comfortable paws. Our floors, and our dogs, certainly appreciate the extra effort.

Proactive Brushing for Less Shedding

While bathing and nail care are crucial, one of the most effective strategies for keeping your home clean with shedding dogs is regular, proactive brushing. This simple habit can dramatically reduce the amount of loose hair circulating in your home and clinging to furniture. Daily or every-other-day brushing, depending on your dog’s coat and shedding level, helps to remove dead hair before it falls out naturally. Investing in the right brush is key: for heavy-shedding breeds like Bernese Mountain Dogs and Golden Retrievers, a de-shedding tool (like a Furminator) can work wonders, while a slicker brush or grooming rake is excellent for general coat maintenance and removing tangles. Not only does this keep your home cleaner, but it also promotes a healthier, shinier coat for your dog and strengthens your bond through regular interaction.

Additional Strategies for a Cleaner, Pet-Friendly Home

Beyond the essential tools and grooming routines, adopting certain household habits and making thoughtful choices can further enhance the cleanliness and comfort of your pet-friendly home.

• Entryway Management: Create a designated “dog zone” near your entryways. Place absorbent doormats both inside and outside the door. Keep a basket stocked with paw wipes, old towels, or a paw cleaner for quick clean-ups every time your dog comes inside, especially after walks or outdoor play. This simple step can prevent a surprising amount of dirt from spreading throughout your house.
• Pet-Friendly Decor Choices: When decorating, consider pet-friendly materials. Opt for washable slipcovers on sofas and chairs. Choose durable, stain-resistant fabrics or darker colors that camouflage pet hair and dirt more effectively. Avoiding delicate rugs or highly absorbent materials in high-traffic pet areas can also save you significant cleaning effort.
• Odor Control: Regular cleaning and grooming address many odors, but for persistent freshness, consider additional measures. Invest in a good air purifier, especially for living areas or bedrooms. Use natural deodorizers like baking soda sprinkled on carpets before vacuuming, or bowls of white vinegar placed subtly to absorb smells. Regularly wash all dog beds, blankets, and toys, as these can harbor odors over time.
• Consistency is Key: The most important “tool” for a clean home with dogs is consistency. Daily vacuuming (even just quick passes with a cordless or robot vacuum), weekly deep cleaning of dog beds, and a regular grooming schedule will prevent messes from accumulating and becoming overwhelming. Establish a routine that works for your family and stick to it.

Phew! Those are all my best tips and strategies for how to keep your house sparkling clean with dogs in it! Our journey from having an incredible Boxer for nearly 13 years to now having two large, energetic dogs has taught us a tremendous amount about what works effectively. Did I miss anything? Do you have any brilliant tips for keeping a clean house with dogs that I haven’t mentioned? If so, I’d absolutely love to hear from you!

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