Cruelty Free Living
How To Keep A House Clean with Dogs: Your Ultimate Guide
Do you know what would make cleaning house way more fun? A maid. But if you can't have that, let our top pet-friendly cleaning tips help you out.
Pet lifestyle expert Serena Faber-Nelson is the founder of Pretty Fluffy. A contributor to Everyday with Rachael Ray, Modern Dog Magazine, Cesars Way and more; her modern, stylized take on DIY dog treats has seen her recipes viewed millions of times over.
Serena is the author of the go-to dog mom bible, Dog Mama, and the popular dog treat recipe book, Healthy Homemade Dog Treats.
Muddy paw prints, nose smudges, pet hair and more…knowing how to keep a house clean with dogs can feel like mission impossible.
But you know what? It really doesn’t have to be. Take it from me…I have a furry pooch at home and children!
That’s why I’ve created this step-by-step pet-friendly cleaning guide (including tips for carpet cleaning with pets, and cleaning pee off carpets!) so you and your pooch can enjoy a fresh clean home everyday.
With easy-to-follow cleaning schedules – and a clear breakdown of what you need to get done and when – you’ll no longer feel like you’re chasing your tail (see what I did there!)
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How To Keep A House Clean with Dogs: Your Ultimate Guide
Why split cleaning into daily, weekly, monthly, and seasonal chores?
Every cleaning expert recommends a small amount of cleaning every day, combined with bigger jobs done on a regular timetable, as the most efficient use of your time.
This way, every morning you get to enjoy a clean home to start the day with, as well as knowing the bigger jobs are covered as needed. There’s no cleaning guilt or sweeping the floor 5 times over in one day.
To put it simply: if you want to know how to keep a house clean with dogs – this routine works. The timing estimates are based on having a 2+ bedroom home with one dog.
If you have multiple pets, a 5 bedroom house, and children thrown in the mix, things may take a bit longer of course, but the principle is the same.
Daily cleaning with pets: The end-of-day 15 minute whip around
The chores below can all be done in 15 minutes after dinner, so your dog-friendly home is left tidy and ready for a fresh start the following morning.
Because I don’t know about you, but knowing I’ll be waking up to a tidy home is always a great way to start the day!
Some of these tasks might not even need to be done daily – but generally they’ll help keep your house clean day-to-day.
- Pack away any toys or personal items left lying around.
- Wash and dry dog bowls (or pop in the dishwasher).
- Wipe down any kitchen surfaces or counters.
- Empty trash and recycling if your bins are full.
- If needed, do a quick vacuum with a handheld vac over living room floors and high traffic areas (or let your robo-vac do it!)
Weekly cleaning with pets: 1-2 hour full clean
I personally use this weekly method to keep my dog-friendly house clean and in tip-top shape.
I follow this particular order of chores as it allows me to maximise all the cleaning with no downtime, so I can get the job done quicker and get on with my day!
If you can, I also suggest popping your dog outside with their favourite dog treat or toy (any of these enrichment toys would be perfect!) while you clean. Alternatively, have another member of the family take them for a walk works a treat too.
- Remove all sheets from bedding and pop in the wash.
- Dust tables and surfaces using a microfiber cloth.
- Rotate your dogs toys in their toy box.
- Clean your kitchen, wiping down surfaces, sinks and appliances. Replenish food supplies including dog treats and dog food.
- Clean any glasses surfaces free of nose smudges and paw prints.
- Clean your bathroom, wiping down surfaces and sinks. Clean toilet, shower and bath.
- Vacuum all rooms throughout the house, including soft furnishings and your dog’s bed. Use a lint roller to pick up any stray pet hairs on upholstery.
- Mop all hard surfaces (although how often you mop with pets depends on how dirty your floors get day-to-day!)
Quick tips: Carpet cleaning with pets
- Vacuum regularly to remove pet hair and dander
- Immediately clean up any accidents to avoid staining
- Cleaning your dog’s paws after a walk goes a long way (see the clever top-rated Dexas MudBuster on Amazon)
- Avoid cleaning products that are harmful to pets (see below)
- For carpet cleaning shampoo, try Hoover Paws and Claws (it’s by far Amazon’s top-rated carpet cleaner for pets!)
Monthly cleaning with pets: 2-3 hour deep clean
This monthly cleaning and organisation session will set you up for the month ahead.
Again, this list depends on your lifestyle and individual needs, but provides a good guide for things to consider.
- Wash all dog bedding, apparel, fabric harnesses, leads and toys. Most are machine washable these days but always check the label!
- Treat any leather collars and leads with a suitable conditioner.
- Spot clean any marks on walls or furnishings.
- Fully wash and rinse treat jars and all food containers.
- Clean out any dog items from the interior of your car and wash any throws you use to protect the upholstery.
- Stock take your pet supplies and order any waste bags, grooming tools, or medication your dog needs.
Seasonal spring clean: 3-5 hour reset & refresh
While I’ve put together this spring clean checklist of things to stay on top of, you may not need to follow all of the steps depending on your dog and lifestyle.
Consider which ones you need and those you don’t – whatever works best for you to keep your dog-friendly home nice and clean!
- Spring clean your dog’s toys, bedding and accessories.
- Clean out all food and medications, and ensure they are within their use by dates.
- Steam clean carpets and furniture.
- Wash all windows and glass doors inside and out.
- Diarise your dog’s vet check ups, vaccinations and grooming bookings as needed.
Quick tips: The best way to clean dog pee from the carpet
- Firstly, get yourself a good quality enzymatic urine cleaner – it will make your life much easier!
- Using a paper towel, blot up as much of the urine as possible.
- Spray your urine cleaner on the affected area and let it sit for 5-10 minutes (check the label to be sure).
- Blot the area with clean cloths or paper towels to remove the solution and the remaining urine.
- Rinse the area with warm water and blot it dry.
See this comprehensive guide on cleaning dog pee from the carpet, including a great DIY solution you can try too!
What cleaning ingredients are toxic to pets?
According to veterinary experts, ingredients in cleaning products that could be harmful to your pet include:
- Ammonia (found in oven, window and surface cleaners)
- Bleach (found in surface sprays and toilet cleaners)
- Glycol ethers (found in many household cleaners)
- Formaldehyde (found in some household cleaners and hand soaps)
- Hydrogen peroxide (found in surface sprays and disinfectants)
The thing is, as these ingredients are so common in cleaning products, they aren’t always avoidable.
If you can avoid them, great! Otherwise, just take a little extra care to keep these cleaning products out of reach of your dog.
And when cleaning, make sure there is enough clean air flow by leaving windows open or fans on.
Cleaning products that are safe for pets
When choosing cleaners for your home, subscribe to the rule of three for pet-safe cleaning products that actually work.
Choose cleaning products that are:
- 100% non-toxic – making them safe for pets, kids and pregnant women.
- Made with natural but high concentrated ingredients that clean effectively.
- Vegan and cruelty free – not tested on animals and free of palm oil. No animals need to be harmed to create a floor cleaner!
If I’ve inspired you to stock up on new pet safe cleaning products, see which cruelty-free cleaning products I recommend.
Phew, that’s it! I hope after reading this guide you feel more confident in knowing how to keep a clean house with pets.
Best of luck, and say hi to your pup for me!
Serena xo
Pretty Fluffy is the ultimate lifestyle destination for dog lovers. Discover the best designer dog brands and emerging small pet businesses, the latest dog accessories, healthy dog treat recipes, dog training tips and more. Thank you for being part of our dog-loving community!
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Our step-by-step guide to cleaning with pets will allow you and your pooch to enjoy a clean home everyday. This way every morning you get to enjoy a clean home to start with day with, as well as knowing the bigger jobs are covered as needed.