Cleaning hacks for pet owners
While our furry friends are an invaluable part of the family, they do require some maintenance in order to keep the house clean.
From stale food and shedding hair to strange smells and floor stains, pets can create a lot of work. But you can live cleanly and peacefully with your pets, if you have the right products in your cleaning cupboard and the right tricks up your sleeve. Here are some ideas for things you can do around your home to beat the pet cleaning blues.
Carpet and upholstery
If you have carpet and find it difficult to remove pet hair, try using a pumice stone. Just rub it gently along the carpet to lift embedded hairs.
To remove hair from upholstery, put on a damp rubber kitchen glove, then run your hand along the surface. The hair should stick to the glove. Rinse off the glove when it’s covered in hair, then continue until you’ve removed all the hair.
Animal smells
The smell of cat litter, particularly after it is soiled, can permeate a home. To prevent litter box smells, add a layer of baking soda to the bottom of the litter box before you put new litter on top. The baking soda helps to absorb odours but won’t bother your cat.
To help keep your home free of pet smells in general, heat up some freshly ground coffee beans in a frypan. Put a handful of beans on low heat for a few minutes. Place them in the rooms of your home with the pet smell and let them cool down. The beans will absorb the smells as they cool down.
Pet hair
Cat hair in your salad is not a preferred ingredient. If you have a cat that likes to jump onto your kitchen benches, you can discourage it by using essential oils on the benchtop. Oils such as citronella, lavender, peppermint, lemongrass and orange all give off scents that cats don’t like. Mix one-part essential oil with three parts water and spray on surfaces to keep your kitty at bay. Keep a lint roller handy for those moments when your favourite black pants or jacket are garnished with pet hair. You’d be surprised the places pet hair is hiding.
More articles
Related topics
-
The information in this article has been prepared for general information purposes only and is not intended as legal advice or specific advice to any particular person. Any advice contained in the document is general advice, not intended as legal advice or professional advice and does not take into account any person’s particular circumstances. Before acting on anything based on this advice you should consider its appropriateness to you, having regard to your objectives and needs.
Insurance products (excluding Travel Insurance) are issued by RACQ Insurance Limited ABN 50 009 704 152 (RACQ). Conditions, limits and exclusions apply. This is general advice only and may not be right for you. This information does not take your personal objectives, circumstances or needs into account. Read the PDS and any applicable Supplementary PDS before making a purchase decision on this product. You can also access our Target Market Determinations on this website.
Banking and loan products issued by Members Banking Group Limited ABN 83 087 651 054 AFSL/Australian credit licence 241195 trading as RACQ Bank. Terms, conditions, fees, charges and lending policies apply. This is general advice only and may not be right for you. This information does not take your personal objectives, circumstances or needs into account. Read the disclosure documents for your selected product or service, including the Financial Services Guide and the Terms and Conditions, and consider if appropriate for you before deciding.
Except for RACQ Bank, any RACQ entity referred to on this page is not an authorised deposit-taking institution for the purposes of the Banking Act 1959 (Cth). That entity’s obligations do not represent deposits or other liabilities of RACQ Bank. RACQ Bank does not guarantee or otherwise provide assurance in respect of the obligations of that entity, unless noted otherwise.
RACQ Operations Pty Ltd (ABN 80 009 663 414 AR 000234978) and Members Travel Group Pty Ltd (ABN 45 144 538 803 AR 000432492) are acting as an Authorised Representative of the issuer of the insurance, Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance Co., Ltd. (ABN 80 000 438 291 AFSL 246 548). Any advice set out above is general in nature only, and does not take into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. Before purchasing any travel products, please consider the RACQ Travel Insurance Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) and the Target Market Determinations (TMDs) that apply to these products. Whilst the PDS outlines the Terms and Conditions of these products, the TMDs outline the intended class of customers that comprise the target market for these travel products. This will allow you to consider which products best suit your objectives, financial situation and needs and consider the products appropriateness to your personal circumstances. TMDs also outline matters involving the distribution and the review of these products. The PDS, Supplementary PDS and TMDs for each travel product can be found here.