My house used to be spotless before we had any sort of pets. Once we got our first dog, that was it…no more spotless house with the routine I had! My routine had to change. Depending on the breed of dog you have will also determine the routine you’ll need to put in place to maintain your house clean.
Our first dog was a poodle. Now she didn’t shed unless her coat got really long. Now her name was Lady. She did not like getting dirty and was always careful where she stepped so as not to get herself muddy or dirty. She was one of a kind. She was a princess and a true lady. Even the way she walked and sat was like a proper little lady.
My routine while with just one dog was pretty simple. Every day I would sweep up with the swifter and then every other day I would vacuum and mop up. In addition to this I would dust everyday but with a damp cloth.
When we brought our darling Husky Sasha home. Well, this was a big, no no, huge difference. Huskies shed a lot. They usually shed 2 time as year. However, they could shed even more often and with this fact I knew that I didn’t want my floors looking like a cloud of hair! Another concern was that I didn’t want house smelling of dogs. To add to my concerns was our families that did not like the whole idea of having dogs or any other pets in the house. So, with most of our family members against having dogs in the house too and I knew I needed to maintain the house squeaking clean and prove everyone wrong in regards to the smell and cleanliness of the house. I also wanted to prove to myself that I could do this.
So, with the new type of breed in the house I needed to up my game. My routine became more consistent and it was a daily ritual. I would sweep in the morning and vacuum in the evening. Mop up every day and also dust every day.
Now the liquids I use to mop up the house varies. If I can’t keep the dogs outside, I use a solution of 1 cup white vinegar, 1 cup lemon juice and 5 cups water (usually warm water). On the days I can get the dogs outside I use set-top or chlorine (keep in mind that I only have tile through my house now). As for dusting, I use a damp cloth dipped in a Dettol solution.
Another part of my routine, or I should say my husband’s routine, was giving the dogs a monthly bath and a weekly brush of their coat. This minimised the dander and hair loss which was very helpful for me.
Now my routine didn’t stay the same! I now have a more hectic routine as I currently have 2 Huskies! Our beloved poodle Lady died and so we were left with 2 Huskies. Sasha and Wolfy. For those of you who are new to my blog… Sasha is the mother of Wolfy and we had Wolfy as a pup at the time that we found out that Lady had health problems. Sadly, she passed away in 2012. During that period of having 3 dogs in the house was really tiring. I found it very hard to keep up with my daily routine.
On the other hand having 2 husky dogs was not easier than having 3 dogs. Just 2 years ago I had an allergic reaction to house dust (otherwise known as dust mites) and so my cleaning routine changed again but also a lot of other things changed in my house.
Firstly, I got rid of all carpet and curtains. I left my blinds which I could was down with a damp cloth and kept only my door mat outside the house. Also needed to keep the dogs out of certain areas to minimise the dander and dust the brought in. I keep all doors shut apart from the kitchen and living area which is open plan. They do however sleep in our bedroom but I keep a towel on the floor for them to sleep on. This towel goes into an old dryer I have, daily so clear dirt and hair away, and then placed again at night. I used to wash these but now I throw them away and put a new one instead. Another thing I try to do is keep their coat brushed more often, especially during those months that they shed.
I have also placed those door bottoms that help with weather proofing but this also has helped me with the dog hairs too! It makes sure no hair escapes our house and gets into the corridor or stairwell! (I live in a block of flats). Another trick I found was to close the windows in the rooms that I now keep closed and only leave the kitchen window open just enough for the air to circulate around for the dogs along with the living room window.
These are the things I do to keep my house clean and door free!
I love them to bits and can’t imagine my life without them but all this cleaning is driving me insane! If any of you have any other tips, I would really appreciate it.
How do you keep your house clean? Any trick and tips you may like to share with us?
I would really like to hear from all of you.
*EDIT….I had written this way before Wolfy passed away and was waiting to get some photos of them and the messes they would get into but that saddly didn’t work out. Also I couldn’t bring myself to post this up until now, so here is goes. Hope you all learn something new.
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