by Pat Cummings, Certified Clinically Clean® Specialist
Pat is our logical Logistics and Warehouse Manager. She also holds a BA in Organic Chemistry with a minor in Physics and is a Certified Clinically Clean Specialist. Pat has such a heart for animals and helped start Paws2Help Animal Ministry which provides therapy animals to people in need. Pictured here with her boy, Mac (‘Ch. Old Drum’s Unchained CGC), Pat also has a rescue Doberman Pinscher named Lexie, a Birman cat named JJ and Laddie, a mini horse.
I’ve often mused, “What if dogs and cats could run the vacuum instead of running from it.”
Vacuuming is the best way to rid pet hair on carpets, hard surface floors and pet bedding, but there are some quick ways to clean up between vacuumings.
Wet Rubber Glove
To rid pet hair from an upholstered surface, moisten your rubber gloves and run your hands across the surface of cushions to accumulate pet hair.
Carpet Rake
Regular vacuuming, like once or twice a week, will keep pet hair from burrowing into the carpet. But if you have a rug or carpet that’s been neglected, try using a carpet rake to lift the pet hair to the surface before vacuuming.
Microfiber Mop
For quick hair removal on hard surface flooring, use a dry microfiber mop to sweep up and collect pet hair. Actually “sweeping” the surface with a broom just stirs pet hair around.
Brush Your Pet Several Times A Week
Collecting hair on the brush keeps it off the floor! Brush your pet outside if possible. Even your cat needs brushing regularly to keep down constipation and hairballs. Cats do clean themselves (unless they’re elderly or ill) so you may not need to bathe them. But dogs can use a once-a-month bath. Bathing dogs more often strips essential oils from their skin and leads to skin problems. With some dogs you may be able to bathe less often. A good rule of thumb, if you can smell a stinky dog, he or she needs a bath.
Blot Don’t Rub
When Fifi or Fido has an accident on a rug or carpet, remember “blot” it up. Don’t wipe or rub. If it’s urine, grab a roll of paper towels and keep blotting until the towel is dry. Use your foot to apply pressure to the towel. When you’ve blotted up as much as you can, put down another layer of towels and put a filled gallon jug on top of it to absorb any remaining wetness.
If vomit or feces, first remove the soil. Then use cool, clear tap water to soak the area, then blot with paper towels (as described for urine above) to remove the water along with any remaining soil.
For odor removal of any of the above use an effective oxidizer such as Aseptic Plus at full-strength. Aseptic Plus actually kills the nucleus of odor causing bacteria so that it does not return, unlike hydrogen peroxide. Spray on the area and allow to air dry. If any odor remains spray a second time.
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