I’d say one of my most asked questions is “How do you keep your house clean with dogs?”
This question always makes me giggle because…. my house is NOT clean 90% of the time. I usually clean the entire downstairs in a day (usually weekend) and then the upstairs gets cleaned sporadically during the week. The secret is…. I clean a space before I shoot it. Sometimes I feel bad that someone might think my home is always clean because that’s extremely unrealistic and toxic to mental health. YOU ARE NORMAL FOR CREATING AND HAVING MESSES IN YOUR HOME.
However, I DO have some tips on how I clean and what to use. Let’s be honest, there’s no better feeling than having a clean house or space to come home to. Pets, children and spouses (any other person, really) makes that difficult sometimes though. Kick them out….. JK. Here are some of my tips:
Cleaning Products:
Method Lavender Spray – I’m super picky about cleaning supplies because I get really bad headaches and this one is great. It’s light and it leaves surfaces smelling, feeling and looking clean.
Soft Scrub with Bleach – I know some people are hesitant to use products with bleach but I feel like for areas that need deep cleaning this is necessary. I love cleaning the bathrooms with this and I even mix a bit into my mop bucket too.
Mr. Clean Magic Erasers – keyword: MAGIC. Always keep these on deck. I spilled some of my turmeric latte on the table and forgot. It stained the white concrete table we have and I used to magic eraser and it took it right out of the porous table. They work on everything.
Tools:
Bissell Pet Eraser Vacuum – We’ve had about 4 different vacuums in the last 5-6 years (we fly through them obviously. The Bissell one is my favorite so far. It’s a little heavier than I would like but it’s SO good for pet hair. The suction is awesome. I also wrote a blog post about that if you want more info.
Air Purifier – This one was a game changer for us because we have the dogs. After we got our third dog I would sometimes notice a slight doggy smell in the air when we got home. It wasn’t terrible but just not fresh as I wanted. After we got the air purifier it completely changed the air quality.
Fabric Shaver – I use a fabric shaver on our sofa because sometimes it pills up. It’s really the most satisfying thing ever and makes all of your surfaces look new. You can also use it on clothing.
Diffuser – I get migraines and headaches so it’s hard for me to have candles burning. I’m also terrified it will catch on fire or something lol. The diffuser is a great way to make your home smell amazing. Every time I have people over they tell me the house smells like a spa. My favorite oils to diffuse are peppermint, lavender and thieves. Thieves helps cleanse the air too.
Rug Shampooer – This is also KEY when you have pets or kids. I’m kinda crazy about our rugs because HELLO they’re expensive! I wrote a blog post all about keeping rugs fresh as well. We used to borrow Mike’s mom’s rug shampooer and it broke so now we need one. It would literally make the rugs look brand new. If anyone has any recommendations on that please leave a comment below!
Process:
Vacuum the sofa! – Yes, I actually vacuum the sofa. I’m not talking about with the handheld one LOL. I actually take the entire vacuum and run it across the cushions. I take all of the cushions off and vacuum and shave them. This includes the back cushions too. Sofa vacuuming with pet is essential!
Shave the Sofa – I use the fabric shaver to shave the cushions at least once a month. That helps keep the sofa looking fresh!
Shoes Off! – This really helps keep the home clean and I definitely suggest it. It can be awkward asking guests to take their shoes off but not as awkward as having millions of germs all over your feet. BLEH!
I start from the top and end at the floor – I think I might be a little weird when it comes to cleaning or OCD but I have to start with cleaning the highest surface first. I start with the counter tops so that crumbs fall onto the dirty floor instead of the clean floor.
Wipe dog paws! – This one is HUGE. I HAVE to wipe all of the dog’s paws before they come back into the house from being outside. If I don’t they’ll track SO much dirt and germs back into the house. It’s a pain in the butt but it’ll definitely help you keep the house tidy. I keep old rags at the back door for the wiping.
I hope that helps a little bit with understanding how I TRY to keep my house clean. Just know my house isn’t always clean and we have mess just like everyone else. Make cleaning fun by getting yourself some new supplies and throw on some music. You’ll be insta ready in no time.
Xo,
Cara!
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