How to Keep Pet Supplies Clean

Keeping a home clean with pets seems like it’s nearly impossible.  When we have animals in the house, we do everything we can to keep the hair and the slobber away from our nice things and off of our furniture, food, and clothing to keep a clean and healthy lifestyle. But have you ever thought about what hair, slobber, and dander does to your pets? When cleaning up after our pets, we often forget that we need to clean for them as well as ourselves.

Today I’m going to give you a few tips to keep your furry friends healthy and happy. (The bonus is that it keeps you and your family healthy and happy as well.)

• Keep the food and water bowls sparkling clean. Wouldn’t you be grossed out if you didn’t wash your dishes in between meals? Then why would you do that for your sweet little furry friend? Wash water bowls out every other day and food bowls out every single day with hot water and soap in order to prevent bacteria and sickness. Also, be sure to store your pet’s food in an airtight containers to prevent bugs or vermin from getting in and infecting the food.

• Keep the pet bed clean. Just like your own sheets and pillows, a dog or cat’s bedding needs to be cleaned often to maintain a healthy lifestyle for both you and the pet. Rake out excess hair with a brush or comb, sprinkle with baking soda, and vacuum to keep up with it on a weekly basis. For heavier duty cleaning, put the bed in the washing machine or wash in the tub with some mild detergent. If you do dry your pet bed in the tub, be sure to do it on a sunny day so that you can air dry it outside. Putting it in the dryer may shrink it and make it unable to fit together.

• Keep pet toys clean. Those cute little toys that your cat or dog carries around can be some of the dirtiest items in your house. Gather all of the pet toys in your home and separate them into two categories:

– To go into the washer: plush, fabric and cloth toys
– To go into a mop bucket: vinyl, plastic, rubber and nylon toys

Clean the toys that went into the washer on the hot cycle, making sure you pet the detergent in before the toys. Dry them in the dryer on the hottest setting to kill bacteria. Clean the toys in the mop bucket by filling it with hot water and two or three cups of white wine vinegar. Scrub each toy vigorously and allow them to soak for about 20 minutes. After the toys have soaked, pour the cleaning solution out into the sink or tub and thoroughly dry them before allowing your pet to grab them.

• Keep your hands clean. I know that your instinct is to wash your hands after you’ve handled the dog or cat, but it’s important that you do it before as well. Spreading bacteria or germs is the easiest way to get your little friend sick, and you should do everything you can to protect them from illnesses.

In addition to all of these tips, it’s also important to clean up pet stains as soon as they happen for the safe and healthy for everyone in the family.

Do you have any pet cleaning tips? I would love to read some in the comment section below.