Dogs are fantastic companions and a wonderful addition to the family. Of course, keeping your house clean with an energetic dog in the home can be a challenge. Many dog owners find themselves accidentally overspending on cleaning supplies in an effort to keep a clean house and a happy dog at the same time. Shedding, slobbering, and pet food messes are among the most common cleaning challenges that dog owners face. But you don’t have to spend a fortune on cleaning supplies with the following tricks, courtesy of Shelzsmide K9s.
Brush Your Dog Over a Towel
Shedding is one of the biggest sources of messes for most dog owners. Short or long hair, most dogs shed constantly, especially when developing a new coat for the winter and summer. You will blow through vacuum filters simply trying to clean up all the fur as it drops. So it’s best to address the problem at its source. To reduce the amount of shed fur, DogTime says you need to brush your dog regularly. Constant brushing will help remove loose hair in a controlled way. Brush your dog over a towel or outdoors to ensure that the fur that falls away from the brush is kept from spreading throughout your home. This will also help you save money since you won’t need to buy as many vacuum filters over time.
Of course, fur will inevitably end up on the furniture, so look into professional cleaners to do a deep clean. Researching local pros is made easy by going onto Angi and using “upholstery cleaning near me” as your search terms. The pros know how to treat a range of materials, including the most delicate natural fibers, but be sure to check out their ratings and reviews. It also doesn’t hurt to ask for additional referrals of customers with pets.
Vacuum and Empty the Vacuum Regularly
When you do vacuum up dog fur, make sure to take good care of your vacuum. K9 Of Mine suggests that the best kind of vacuum for pet owners has a washable filter and doesn’t use a vacuum bag. This way, you can clean out your vacuum as many times as necessary when the dog hair builds up inside. Vacuum weekly or daily, depending on your dog’s shed rate, and focus on the areas your dog most likes to spend time in.
Of course, if you’re selling your home, you’ll need to vacuum much more often, as you don’t want to trigger an allergic reaction in potential buyers (this is also why it’s a good idea to make arrangements to remove your pet during showings). The more often you vacuum and clean the vacuum, the less time and money you will have to spend on cleaning up fur with other methods.
Stock Up on Pet Supplies
For all the necessary pet supplies, the best way to save is to buy in bulk. Larger bags of pet food or larger bottles of dog shampoo are often cheaper by weight and unit. You can get even greater savings on pet supplies by watching for opportunities for discounts online. Skim the internet for coupon codes or cash-back opportunities. Also, keep an eye out for in-store offers for your local pet supply stores.
Outdoor Bathtime
Humans love moisturizing and perfumed baths, but dogs actually don’t need expensive bathtime goods to be happy. Other than using the right shampoo for your dog, there are many ways to reduce the costs of doggy bath time. Consider washing your dog outside with the garden hose during warm weather. Recycle old brushes to lather the shampoo, and let your dog air-dry by running around in the yard when you’re done.
Reuse Containers for Pet Toys
There’s no need to buy special, pricey containers to gather up your dog’s toys. Dogs certainly don’t care if their toybox used to be something else. From washed coffee cans to old baskets, there are tons of different ways to organize and store pet toys and other pet supplies without splurging on organizational containers. For example, your dog’s shampoo can live in an old shower caddy or even a cut-open gallon jug. Your dog’s toys can be stored in an old bag, basket, or box. And if your dog happens to chew the container, nothing is lost because it can easily be replaced with another recycled box or bin.
Saving money on keeping your home clean is a useful skill for dog owners. The tactics mentioned above can help you lower your costs of pet ownership while increasing the joy you share with your dog.
Image credit: Pixabay
Shelzsmide K9s is dedicated to providing the highest quality of dog training from family companion dogs to protection dogs. Contact us today! 239-206-DOGS (3647)