
Our furry friends have a special place in our lives and homes, but their playtime, curiosity and daily activities can also have messy and sometimes even dangerous consequences. According to the National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA), pets play a role in starting over 700 home fires each year. While pet parents enjoy unconditional love and comfort, they also are exposed to pet dander, malodors, and unintentional accidents from younger or older pets.
From tackling everyday cleaning concerns to eliminating harsh odors to limiting potential safety hazards, there are details every pet parent should know to manage the safety, cleanliness and comfort of their homes with pets.
HOW TO REMOVE PET HAIR AND COMMON STAINS
Let’s face it, pets can be messy! Shedding fur, pet dander, accidental spills from litterboxes or puppy-potty-training are just a few of the many challenges to keep our homes clean. While some stains and messes may require professional help, there are many tricks and pet safe products owners can use to effectively remove pet hair and messes throughout our home and also to maintain clean pet bedding.
Muddy Paws On Carpets & Floors. Nothing can be more frustrating to pet-parents than a dirty trail of paw prints scattered across clean carpets and floors. But don’t panic! You can remove your pets muddy stains by first letting the dirt completely dry. Use a vacuum cleaner to remove as much loose mud as possible, then mix a tablespoon of dish soap with 2 cups of warm water and apply to the muddy areas with a clean cloth. Before letting your carpets air dry, blot the wet areas with a clean, dry cloth to remove as much water as possible. For stubborn stains, add white vinegar to the mix. Placing area rugs by doorway entrances and exits commonly used by pets can help you capture loose dirt and debris before they trek through the home, and prevent future stains.
Pet hair everywhere? Regular brushing of your pets fur can reduce shedding throughout your home. But when pets shed on upholstery and carpets, you can clean it up with more than just a vacuum. A quick method to effectively remove pets hair from upholstery and floors is to wipe-down the areas using a squeegee! If you don’t have a squeegee handy in your home, simply pick up loose pet hair using damp rubber gloves. When finished, take off your gloves inside-out and throw away.
Pet Dander Aggravates Allergies. Six out of ten pet owners are exposed to pet dander, which can irritate allergies, asthma and auto-immune concerns. While steps like regularly dusting your home, brushing your pets and washing curtains and furniture covers can help to reduce pet dander, you can also modify your home by replacing carpets with hard-surface floors, and covering air vents with a fine mesh to trap loose dander. Since the best way to manage a pet allergy is to minimize exposure, you may want to designate pet-free spaces in the home, where pets are not allowed. You can further prevent excessive pet dander exposure throughout your home by creating a consistent cleaning routine, to include:
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- Vacuum carpets and furniture regularly using a HEPA filter vacuum. Remove deeply embedded pet dander with a professional carpet cleaning.
- Wash pet bedding, blankets, and their toys frequently. And bathe your pets with a pet-specific shampoo each week.
- Wipe down surfaces like countertops and doorknobs with a damp cloth.
- Don’t overlook these preventative steps! The American Lung Association warns that exposure to pet dander can cause people with pet allergies to experience a runny nose, itchy or watery eyes, skin rashes, hives, or even shortness of breath.
Puppy Accidents: Accidents happen, and when your younger dogs have an accident, you should act quickly. First, dab the wet urine with a paper towel to remove as much as possible, then apply a solution of white vinegar and warm water with a clean cloth. If stains persist, use an all-in-one formula with a high level of enzymes and odor encapsulants to break-down the ph from the urine and also remove harsh odors. Unfortunately, pet urine can seep in-or-between hardwood floors or cracks in tile & grout, and may require professional floor cleaning services to thoroughly remove.
REMOVING FLEAS AND TICKS
Our pets everyday excursions outdoors can risk fleas and ticks hitching a ride inside your home and transmitting a variety of illnesses to both pets and humans. Once indoors, these tiny pests can quickly spread throughout your home, hiding between floorboards, baseboards, and carpet and upholstery crevices. When fleas and ticks invade your home, you’ll want to follow these cleaning suggestions from the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency:
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- Vacuum carpets, upholstered furniture, and floors (including crevices and along baseboards) every day and discard the vacuum bags
Professionally steam clean carpets. - Wash all pet bedding and family bedding where pets lay in hot and soapy water every two weeks. If the infestation is severe, throw away old pet bedding and replace with new beds and material.
- Limiting the amount of time your pets spend outdoors and using Veterinarian recommended tick and flea treatments can help reduce the dangers from these problematic insects.
- Vacuum carpets, upholstered furniture, and floors (including crevices and along baseboards) every day and discard the vacuum bags
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ELIMINATING PET ODORS
While it’s tempting to reach for over-the-counter aerosols or light scented candles, these are only temporary solutions to mask the odor, not eliminate it. And be careful! Some of the chemicals included in these aerosols, our perfumes or even hair sprays can harm your furry friends health. If you have cats in your home, avoid using the plug-in scent devices to hide odors by litterboxes or food. The chemicals from these devices can stick to the fur of your feline friends, causing them to be ingested when they groom themselves, and affect their health. There are effective solutions for combatting common pet odors, such as air purifiers, choosing odor-neutralizing products, and maintaining a proper cleaning routine to ensure a fresh-smelling home.
Refreshing Pet Beds. An easy solution to freshen-up your pets beds and fabric is to use baking soda! This household staple is effective at neutralizing a variety of harsh smells, including those from your pets. Simply sprinkle baking soda over the bed’s fabric including in all crevices, let sit for 15-20 minutes, then vacuum up.
Odor-Neutralizing Products. It’s important that pet parents use a product that neutralizes and eliminates an odor instead of masking it as with many sprays and candles. Otherwise, on the next hot or humid day, the smell returns! Many odors are a gas and need special treatment. When shopping for an odor removal product, pet parents should look for items that include enzymes for neutralization. These enzymes break down the protein from the pets urine or vomit, consuming those proteins and eliminating the source.
Air Purifier & Ozone Machines. These machines can be beneficial in eliminating odors but must be used safely to prevent harm to pets and people. Ozone is a potent oxidizer and must be used in small doses to be safe for pets. Large doses of ozone can be fatal. When purchasing an air purifier, look for one that includes a HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air) filtrations system. These systems can be 99.97% efficient at eliminating particulates down to .03 microns. HEPA filters can also be purchased with UV Light that addresses bacterial levels in the air, also eliminating odors.
HVAC Cleaning. Dirty air ducts aren’t harmless. Pet hair, dander, dirt, bacteria, insects and more get stuck in your HVAC system, and circulate over-and-over in your home’s air causing you to breathe in these harmful pollutants. The National Air Duct Cleaners Association (NADCA) recommends that residential HVAC ductwork be inspected and cleaned every two years. Having professional air duct cleaning can help eliminate odors, mold spores and contaminants, and improve your home’s air quality.
CREATING A SAFE LIVING SPACE FOR PETS
While home owners are creating a safe living space to co-inhabit with your lovable pet, there are many items to be aware-and-take care of, to avoid fire hazards, ensure the installation of needed detectors, and preparing a family emergency plan that includes your pets.
We need to be careful with pets in the home. These safety tips will help prevent fire damage and other concerns:
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- Keep pets away from stoves and countertops where they can bump into or knock over items into cooking equipment
- Keep pets away from space heaters, lamps and candles and use battery-operated, flameless candles instead
- Always use a metal or heat-tempered glass screen on your fireplace
- Regularly check electrical cords to ensure pets haven’t chewed and compromised them
- Have working smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors on every level of your home and test your alarms each month. Carbon monoxide is not only harmful to people, but can be fatal for pets too
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HAVE AN EMERGENCY KIT READY
When it comes to strong storms, winter weather or wildfire, it’s important to be prepared to keep your home, pets and loved ones safe. Be prepared for the unexpected by creating an emergency kit that also includes supplies for your pet, such as:
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- Immunization, pets medical records, and needed tags
- Cage or pet carrier
- Leash, bowls and litter box
- Microchip numbers
- Medication
- Food, water and litter
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PROFESSIONAL CLEANING AND RESTORATION SERVICES TO TACKLE PET MISHAPS & ODORS
If your property needs professional help to remove pet odors, pollutants from air ducts, carpet stains, or fire damage, ServiceMaster By Mason is here to help! For over 35 years, pet parents have relied on our expert cleaning and restoration services, state of the art products and the latest equipment to keep homes clean, sanitized, and odor free for all occupants, including the furry ones.