Spring is springing! Cleaning your home is probably on the agenda, but when it comes to your home with dogs how’s best to get a really good clean?
Well, with three dogs, it’s something I’ve spent a good amount of time looking at and dealing with in order to make sure my home is as clean and tidy as can be (even with all the home improvements!)
Our dogs can’t help it right? The world is dirty, they don’t shower like we do every day, so as part of being a dog parent, you know that they bring with them a certain level of muck – whether they roll in fox poop, or occasionally lay in a deep… muddy… puddle.
With dogs come dirt, and come spring? It’s a great opportunity to clean out all the extra little nooks and crannies that you don’t do with your regular clean.
Grooming
1 – Brush
Your groomer should be able to recommend the best brushes for your dog; but getting a good set of brushes for your dog is great, make sure to give them a good brush from head to toe (and tail!), get in under their collar and arm pits too. Get as much fluff out of them as you can before the bath…
My favourite brushes? Are these. I use the deshedder on my German Shepherd and the zoom groom gets used on the hounds (Shelby & Lucy) and German Shepherd Indie! They both pull different coat aspects, but neither damage the coat.
2 – Bath Your Dog
With some wonderful natural products, you can really get a good scrub on a dog’s coat! This helps to decrease shedding, take care of your dog’s coat and skin (the skin is so so important! Often underestimated!) and keep your floors & filters clean a little longer.
Tip! Do This Outside!
If you can? The grooming should be done outside. It’ll save a lot of added floof and cleaning around your home.
Laundry
3 – Wash Your Dog’s Bedding
Obvious one, but from whatever blankets your dogs bed has to the cover – get it all washed up and cleaned, dry and back on your woofs bed. Should keep their coat cleaner for longer and your home too!
4 – Wash Dog Collars And/or Harnesses
All that dog gear collects grot too, a good spring clean would mean washing all of that gear too. Harnesses, leashes, collars… and if you’re worried about the clunking in your machine? You can always throw them into a pillow case and wash them. Saves a lot of racket.
5 – Wash Winter Dog Coats
With spring means that if your dog is a coat wearer, that it’s a great opportunity to wash and put away the cold weather coats. Machine wash with an extra rinse, no fabric softener or conditioner, and scent-free detergent is best to be used.
I also find washing these inside-out helps to get the fur our of the coat lining.
6 – Wash Toys & Enrichment Gear
for some toys (like snuffle mats!) I’d recommend throwing them a pillow case and then into the machine – make sure to not use fabric softener or conditioners especially with anything your dog will put in their mouth – the close to pure things you can get? The better! And remember your dishwasher is perfect for kongs, toppls and other things.
7 – Wash Rugs
If you have smartly invested in washable rugs? This is the time to bundle those up and throw them into the wash, you’d always be surprised to see what dirt comes out of a rug. They’re dirt traps for sure, so a good rinse and some airing, and it’ll clean up your home really nicely.
8 – Hang All Of Your Laundry Outside
Hanging laundry out is so good, for so many reasons. The natural sunlight kills more odours. The wind costs less than your dryer (hey hey eco friendly pet parent!), and – the wind has the benefit of knocking off a lot more floof from your dogs blankets!
Hello better smelling, less fur-covered blankets!
General house
9 – Open Windows
There’s nothing like like opening up the windows and letting in the fresh air! it’ll get rid of all those stagnant winter dog toots, and any stale air that might hang around, get the dust out and any little stray bits of fur that might be hanging around.
10 – Change Air Filters/Clean vents or Radiators
If you have air filters in your home, whether they’re central to the home, it’s a great idea to change these out now with the big clean! They’ll last longer and keep your home feeling fresher longer.
11 – Dust, Hoover & Mop
Pretty obvious one, but a good dust, then hoover followed by a mop (and wood oil if appropriate) will help to take up every little hint of dirt, hair and whatever else your dog (and you!) have left around. This way we’re clearing off every surface and tidying it to a fantastic decree.
Want A Truly Pet-Friendly Cleaning Product?
This super simple recipe is both pet friendly and good for every surface in your home, getting a phenomenal smell, cleaning and disinfecting your floor!
- 1/2-cup white distilled vinegar
- One gallon warm/hot water
- A few drops of essential oils (Pick something non-toxic! My fave is Cedar, also a bug deterrent)
- A teaspoon of dawn dish soap
And use as normal, you can also use this in your washer too.
12 – Throw out old chews
Is your dog a hoarder? Or do they get bored of certain chews after a certain time? If your dogs are like mine? Then yeah, you do. Now is a wonderful time to chuck all of that stuff straight in the bin! Invest in some new chews and stop the old rubbish knocking around.
Tip!
Avoid air fresheners, they can affect your dog’s nose and overall health
13 – Repair or Throw out damaged toys
It’s a great opportunity to check out stuffed toys, balls, tuggies or anything else, for damage. If they’re damaged? If it cant be stitched or fixed, then it’s time for it to go in the bin, sorry!! Anything that represents a choking hazard, is a prudent thing to do.
Extra Tip – Invest In A Good Dog Drying Coat!
If you’re sick of spring weather and wet dogs coming into your home? Then by all means there are wonderful doggy drying coats from Ruff & Tumble. They’re really good at keeping your dogs coat as tidy as possible after rain – though you could also invest in a rain coat!
And That’s One Clean Home!
Dogs can be dirty bleeders, and it’s not even something they can help. Dirt gets caught in their fur, on their paws, and that comes into your home. It takes a good, thorough clean for it to make a change, to make a difference.
But step by step? The more of this you cover, the cleaner your home will feel this spring.
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Author, Ali Smith
Ali Smith is a professional, qualified, and multi-award winning trainer is the founder of rebarkable. She has always believed animals deserve kindness and champions force free methods. Believing that dog guardians will all choose the kindest options if proper information is provided, she aims to help all dog guardians who need it and make dog training as accessible as possible
Ali lives win Maryland, US with her husband and her three dogs.
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