Three Tips Every Dog Owner Needs to Make Cleaning Your Home Easy and Affordable

As much as we love our four-legged family members, they aren’t so great at cleaning up after themselves. With shedding, spills, and those oh-so-wonderful odors, it often feels like a constant battle. Keeping your home cleaner and smelling fresh with a dog is possible, and it doesn’t have to cost a fortune. A few tips and tricks can make cleaning easier without busting your budget.

Tip #1 – Stock Up on the Right Cleaning Supplies

The trick to staying on top of dog messes is to clean frequently, and that’s easier to do when you have the right supplies on hand. Stocking up doesn’t have to be expensive when you look for special offers such as Amazon coupon codes. In fact, all it takes is a quick search online to find an assortment of other amazing deals to help you save money.

These are some of our top recommendations for which cleaning supplies to search for when you’re tracking down those deals:

• Spot cleaner – Bathroom accidents can be some of the toughest to clean if you don’t have the right products. For this type of mess, your best bet is an enzyme cleaner. Another affordable and all-natural option is to use baking soda, vinegar, and lemon.

• Lint roller – If you have a dog that sheds, a lint roller is a quick solution for getting fur off of furniture. Lint rollers aren’t very expensive, but the cost can add up. To save money, consider getting a reusable lint roller instead of the paper kind.

• Dust mop or vacuum – The best tool for cleaning your floors depends on the type of flooring you have. Dust mops are best for hardwood floors because they really trap the fur and dirt. You can save even more money by investing in a dust mop with washable fabric pads. If you have carpet or rugs, you need a good quality vacuum, ideally one that’s designed for homes with pets. This can be a big upfront investment, so we recommend shopping around online for the best deals.

Tip #2 – Extra Tools That Make a Difference

Along with having the right supplies to clean up messes, these other household items can help you avoid them in the first place.

• Air purifier – Using an air purifier is an easy way to get pet dander and other allergens out of your home and remove odors at the same time. The great thing is that you don’t need a pricey model to get a quality air filter, and you can save money on replacement filters by buying them in bulk.

• Use mats strategically – Placing mats at key spots throughout your home (like under food and water bowls and next to doorways) is an affordable way to keep messes contained. Just be sure you choose mats that are easy to wash.

• Cover furniture – If you have a pooch who likes to snooze on furniture, Modern Dog Magazine recommends covering it up. You can find blankets designed especially for this purpose, or save money by using an old sheet.

Tip #3 – Keep Your Dog and Their Stuff Clean

As important as it is to focus on cleaning your home, it makes just as much of a difference when you keep your dog—and the things they use—clean, too.

• Groom regularly – Giving your pooch frequent baths, and finding the right brush for them, will keep smells away and reduce shedding. In between baths, an inexpensive way to keep your dog smelling fresh is with this dry dog shampoo recipe.
• Clean beds and toys – Your dog’s beds and toys often end up being the smelliest items in your home, so don’t overlook these when cleaning. Search for pet beds that are machine washable to make this chore easier.

Keeping your home clean with dogs doesn’t have to be a major chore or expense. These shortcuts, along with having the right supplies on hand, will cut your cleaning time dramatically. That leaves more time—and money—left to spoil your pooch!