Cleaning hacks for pet owners

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.