If you find yourself petting your sofa instead of your pet, you might have a pet-hair problem! Home cleaning is made harder by dog and cat hair that lodges in the most interesting places and builds up fast!
Following are some pet hair cleaning tips guaranteed to make your life easier and home cleaning faster.
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Wait! Read this before you vacuum pet hair again
Have you ever noticed, really noticed, what happens when you attack pet hair with a vacuum cleaner? Getting rid of pet hair might seem simple with your trusty old vacuum at first, but watch what happens when you initially turn it all. Poof! That’s right, due to the machine’s exhaust the hair goes everywhere. Now, instead of cleaning one area, you will be trying to get rid of pet hair everywhere! Video blogger, Melissa Maker offers some pet hair cleaning tips in a recent video titled, “Handy Tips for Cleaning Up Pet Hair Around the House.”
Getting rid of pet hair on hard floors can be challenging. Maker recommends using an electrostatic cleaning cloth or mop prior to vacuuming. The electrostatic fabric actually attracts pet hair (instead of blowing it around the house). Try wrapping a regular mop with a microfiber cloth for this.
For cleaning pet hair off carpets, Maker suggests sprinkling the area with baking soda. It will not only help loosen the hair, it will deodorize at the same time. When you vacuum the area, give it a three pass. Vacuum frontwards, pull it back and push it forward again.
Your bed, my couch – clean pet hair from upholstery
Jamie Birdwell-Branson offers some great recommendations for getting rid of pet hair from upholstery. In an article titled, “How To: Remove Pet Hair from Absolutely Everything,” Birdwell-Branson recommends using a dry squeegee to loosen hair before vacuuming. Simply put the squeegee on the upholstery and draw it toward you. You will be amazed by how much hair will release with this one simple tip. Birdwell-Branson also recommends using a light spray of one part fabric softener and three parts water to help beat static electricity that can keep hair hanging on to carpets. Before using the mixture on any upholstery, test an inconspicuous spot for color fastness.
Hard surfaces can be hard to clean!
If your cat loves to climb on hard surfaces, expert Birdwell-Branson can empathize with the mess often left behind. Cats are naturally curious and love to climb on tables and cupboards. There’s always something exciting to be found there – a pen, marker, note book, hairband or maybe even a child’s toy. The simple tip for cleaning up hard surfaces is this: Use a dryer sheet. Static electricity hates dryer sheets and will release any loose strands off the table and onto the dryer sheet.
Try your best to stay on top of pet hair clean up, the heavier the build-up, the harder it will be to clean. These home cleaning tips will help keep your house looking, feeling and even smelling clean and fresh.
