Spring cleaning with pets
Fighting the fur
As dog and cat lovers, we know we couldn’t live without them. The fun, the friendship, the loyalty. But there is one aspect of owning a pet we could do without. The ongoing battle to keep our houses beautiful whilst our friends flagrantly shed their fur like it’s going out of fashion. And. It. Gets. Everywhere. Sofas, curtains, kitchen floors, you name it, if you’re not on your game, they’ll soon be swamped. So, how do you stay on top in the fight against fur this Spring? Here are a few tips…
Preventative measures for your pet
Short of wrapping Fido or your feline in shrink wrap, there’s no stopping the spread of dog or cat hair completely, but you can slow the roll a little. Regular brushing is the obvious way to get rid of loose hair before it makes it to the surfaces in your house. But a bath before a brush will increase the efficacy still further, by loosening more of the moulting fur.
Preventative measures for your place
If your dog or cat has a favourite spot for a snuggle or a cat nap, it’s worth covering those surfaces with mats and throws – washing machine-friendly covers that are easy to keep clean. And, before you wash them, try throwing them in the dryer for ten minutes with a Dryer Sheet to draw out and loosen some of the hair.
If you’re redecorating, it’s a great opportunity to make your home more fur resistant with the choices you make. Hardwood, laminate, tile and vinyl floors are far easier to de-fur. As is leather furniture and curtains and upholstery that’s canvas, pleather, heavy duty cotton or ultrasuede.
Removal
Unfortunately, you can take all these precautions and your pets will still find a way to moult somewhere. Luckily, we’ve got a few tricks up our sleeve for dealing with a furry home. If you’re vacuuming a carpet, try spraying just a little water on it first and using a rubber broom. This will roll the fur into neat little balls that are easy to pick up.
For curtains and upholstery a lint roller will make your life a lot easier. It’ll quickly and effectively pick up a tonne of hair. And the great thing is, you can just replace the roll and keep on going. For similar results you can throw on a pair of rubber gloves spray on a spritz of water and wipe them over hair-covered surfaces.
Good luck!
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