Many people would say that anybody could tell whether you have a dog or not just by looking at the cleanliness of your home. However, there is no reason to sacrifice the appearance and freshness of your home just so you could have a dog – if you’re willing to invest a bit more effort into taking care of your home and pet, you can have it all. With that in mind, here are a few tips you should follow if you want to keep your home fresh and your dog happy.

Take care of the fur

Some dogs shed less, some more, but nevertheless, most of them will leave their hair everywhere. Luckily, there are plenty of different pet-hair vacuums that can help you get rid of this type of mess quickly and easily. Plus, you can always prevent your dog from entering certain rooms that you prefer to keep hair-free, like your bedroom for example. Also, depending on your dog’s breed and fur’s length, you should brush it regularly so as to remove any excess hair before your dog sheds it off on its own.

Get rid of the odors

One way to control your pet’s odors is to bathe it; in general, you should do it every three months but if your dog likes spending a lot of time outside, you might need to do it more frequently. Also, make sure the pet beds can be washed in the washing machine, and do so once a month. Moreover, you should get a quality air purifier for mold and a couple of scented candles or air fresheners to ensure that the air in your home stays fresh, which is especially important when you have visitors.

Give them their own towel

Just like humans, dogs tend to have a favorite spot for relaxing during the day. If that spot happens to be on your sofa or armchair, consider covering it with a towel or a smaller blanket just for your dog. This way, your furniture will stay clean and your dog will probably like its spot even more because of the extra softness. Plus, if your dog somehow manages to get its dirty paws on your furniture, it’s always easier to clean one towel than an entire sofa.

Clean their bowls

Most people don’t pay attention to this because it just doesn’t seem so relevant, but pet dishes can get pretty gross if not washed regularly. If it’s too much work for you to clean them every day, try to give them a good rinse at least a couple of times a week. Also, don’t just clean the bowls – clean the whole eating area. You’ll be surprised how cleaner that area will feel once you start taking care of it regularly.

Be prepared

No matter how clean your home is and how groomed your dog is, unpleasant surprises can still happen. There’s no point in hoping they won’t – they just do, and they will. Therefore, the best way to deal with them is to be prepared. Keep all your cleaning supplies in a designated drawer – rubber gloves, some extra toilet paper, pet-friendly cleaning solutions, etc. This way, you’ll be able to clean up the surprise quickly and nobody will ever know that it happened.

Dogs bring lots of love into our homes, but they also bring lots of fur, mud, odors, and mess. Luckily, all those bad things can be taken care of easily with only a bit of extra effort and time invested in maintaining your home and grooming your pet. So, brush your dog regularly, give it baths when needed, don’t forget about its eating area, and be prepared for any messy surprises. This way, your dog will be as happy as ever, and your home will stay fresh and clean.