Home & Garden
8 cleaning hacks for people with cats and dogs
If you’re a pet owner you will be well acquainted with amount of cleaning you need to do with furry friends under your roof. Cut your cleaning time down dramatically with these clever tricks. Fortunately, you don’t have to choose between your precious pooch (or feline) and your favourite rug. Here are eight easy ways to keep your home spick and span with pets underfoot.
- Pet shedding fur? Use a dry squeegee to remove the hair from carpets and rugs.
- Dog suffering from bad breath? Add a tablespoon of finely chopped parsley into your dog’s food for fresher smelling breath.
- For wee stains and smells, use a mix of white vinegar, warm water and bicarb soda. Combine equal parts vinegar and water with four teaspoons of bicarb in a spray bottle and spray the area involved thoroughly. Leave for five minutes, blot and leave to dry.
- Nasty stains like mud or blood can take some vanquishing. Try covering the area with hydrogen peroxide and cover with a white towel. Press the area with a hot iron for 15-20 seconds, repeating until the stain lifts.
- Puppy or kitty wee on the bed linen? Throw the whole lot in the washing machine with a cup of apple cider vinegar.
- Lint brushes are a pet owner’s best friends. Use them to remove hair from your furniture and clothes.
- Avoid litter boxes becoming unpleasant by removing waste two to three times a day and changing the entire contents weekly. Wash the box thoroughly and dry in direct sunlight to ensure that all germs are removed.
- To keep cats off food preparation surfaces, the RSCPA recommends placing aluminium foil on the edge of your counters and bench tops, which creates a slippery and highly unappealing surface for your feline friend.
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