As the Sun seems to be starting to set later and later each day it’s getting to that point where all of us are considering having a deep spring clean. As with any dog owner, like myself, we can often find that having a dog means a few extra scrubs and washes to make sure the house feels fresh again. It can also be a little dangerous to use high street carpet and stain removers etc. as they can contain nasty chemicals. As such we have compiled our top tips on spring cleaning tips for dogs and a few recipes for chemical free cleaning.

Spring Cleaning Tips for Dogs:

Beds & Bedding: Make sure when you go to purchase any dog bed that the cover is easily removable and has a bit of space in case it shrinks a bit in the wash. Try to vacuum the bedding once a week to remove the usual hair, bits of mud and other odds and ends. If you have one to hand, after you have used the vacuum give the bedding a once over with a lint roller. Wash any pet cover in cold water, this will help reduce the potential for shrinking, using a mild natural detergent. A cup of baking soda should help neutralise any strong odours etc. that come from the bedding itself. If you have one, dry the bedding in a tumble dryer with an anti-static dryer sheet. This will help remove even more stubborn pet hair. To avoid the covers shrinking tumble dry for about 20 minutes and finish on the line outside for an extra fresh smell. Dog Collars – Cleaning tips for dogs collars can vary depending on the make but it is usually best to take a bowl add some warm water and soak your pets collar for about 30 minutes. Rubbing stubborn stains against other areas of the collar is a good idea to make sure you don’t damage the collar. You may also want to apply non-diluted shampoo to especially stubborn bits. Cleaning pet hair from furniture and carpets – There are a variety of ways with which to do this so we’ve listed our two favourites. accumulated dog fair. The hair will stick to the glove allowing you to roll it up into a ball and throw it away. Use a rubber glove – Slightly dampen the glove with water and rub across any fabric that may haveaccumulated dog fair. The hair will stick to the glove allowing you to roll it up into a ball and throw it away. For carpets use a squeegee. They really help get the hair that is stuck within the fibres free. They also collect it into a nice little lump for you to throw away easily! It might sound obvious but most of your dog’s dirt will likely come from your garden. If you can keep that clean then it will in turn keep your dog clean and as such keep your house clean. Try planting some grass seed on particularly patchy or muddy areas. To keep toys fresh and clean wash them in the washing machine on a cold cycle with pet friendly detergent. For hard plastic toys or bowls, soak them in water and vinegar, equally mixed. You may wish to rinse them after to take away the smell of the vinegar. Little ‘accidents’. If you dog has done a wee in your house chances are they will again, you may be asking why but it is because they can smell the traces of urine and as such think that it is still acceptable to keep going to the loo indoors. Soak up as much of the accident as you can with newspaper and a towel. Washing with some natural detergent to get rid of the odour. Remember that even if you can’t smell it your dog probably can. There are a lot of products on the market that can help neutralise the odours. As a final tip put the soaked newspapers outside, put a rock on each corner and it will remind them that the place for the toilet is outside.

Hopefully these tips will have given you some cleaning tips for dogs that you didn’t know or some which you may have slightly forgotten. Better yet it may have spurred you on to some early spring cleaning which we spoke about earlier this month (article here).

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