Let’s face it: Dogs are messy creatures. They tromp around outside in dirt and mud and track it all inside immediately upon entering the house. Muddy paw-prints are just part of the deal of being a pet owner. We love ‘em anyway. So why not clean up naturally? Good for you and good for your dog.
The never-ending quest for a clean house continues when dogs are involved. With that being said, here are some tips for how to safely clean up the house, control pet fur, pick up after accidents, and control odor in a natural way, using eco friendly cleaning supplies and techniques.
Clean up Naturally
Baking soda is your best friend!
Our pets don’t need to be exposed to manufactured cleaners if they don’t have to. Their bodies are much closer to the floor, which exposes them more than their two-legged owners. Good old-fashioned baking soda is a great odor-absorbing and mildly-abrasive product that serves a variety of purposes.
Deodorize carpets – To freshen your carpets or rugs, simply sprinkle baking soda on them. You don’t need to go overboard on the application. Let the baking soda set for 30 minutes, and then vacuum. Another pro tip: Freshen your dog by rubbing a handful or two of baking soda into his coat. Follow with a thorough brushing.
Get urine stains out of carpet – Use a paper towel to blot the stain dry (Don’t rub the stain back and forth with a paper towel because that motion grinds the stain into the carpet.) Once most of the urine is soaked up by paper towels, mix together a 1:1 ratio of vinegar and water. Soak the stained spot with the solution. The vinegar cuts through the ammonia in urine, neutralizing the smell. Now is the time to scrub! Once you’ve thoroughly scrubbed the spot, sprinkle baking soda on it, using your hands to work the baking soda into the carpet fibres. Wait until the carpet is completely dry before vacuuming the spot that once was a potent urine stain!
Here’s another urine-removing formula, with a few more ingredients, from Whole Lifestyle Nutrition:
5 oz hydrogen peroxide
1 tsp vinegar
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp orange dish soap (even better would be 3 drops of wild orange essential oil)
Mix the ingredients into a spray bottle and treat the affected area with the solution. Allow the stain to completely dry before vacuuming up the spot.
Take care of the hair – Along with all the wiping and scrubbing of messes and accidents, you might want to also invest in a good bag less or bagged vacuum, take your dog to the groomer periodically, do your own brushing, feed your best bud quality food, and add fish oil pills to the diet for a shiny coat. Read more about how to clean up dog fur on our blog here.
General clean-up solutions – Mix together 3 cups of very hot water, 2 tbsp of baking powder and 2 tbsp of lemon juice. Another is just equal parts white vinegar and water. For a paste, equal parts water, baking soda and salt. As you can see, the main non-toxic ingredients in homemade pet cleaning remedies include some variation of vinegar, water, baking soda and some type of citrus, such as lemon.
While we love our faithful companions, no one loves the mud and dirt they bring into the house. With our tips for safely cleaning up the house, we hope you can bring a little more peace of mind into your life. Or you can always buy dog booties!
