7 cleaning hacks every pet owner should master

If you’re a pet owner you’ll know it’s sometimes a full-time job looking after their welfare, environment and the mess they leave behind!

Here are some clever tips and tricks to embrace that will make life easier for both you and your pet to get along together, whilst going about one another’s business and focusing on the good stuff.

1. Hair removal

Possibly the bane of every pet owner’s existence is furniture covered in pet hair. One quick way to give your fabric upholstery a quick once-over is to wrap a paint roller with duct tape, sticky side out. Roll back and forth across your sofa or armchair to pick up surface hairs. Replace tape when it is covered or starts to lose its stick. Works on car upholstery too!

2. No-go zone

Rather than use towels to protect your furniture from your pets, warn them off with a spikey surprise. Cut a long strip of aluminium foil to lay across the seat and arms, or section of carpet protector and place onto the seat or surface with the spikes facing up. They’re not harmful, but certainly not comfortable so your furry friend should find another perch.

3. Litter liner

This may be obvious to many but not everyone lines their litter box for easy cleaning. Newspaper or recycled plastic bags work well.

4. Hidey hole

Think outside the litter box and keep things discreet by using a pull-out drawer with a tray inside it, or a plastic box with a lid and an opening cut into the side for your cat to come and go.

5. Enzymatic cleaner for pet stains

If your home-made cleaner doesn’t cut it on pet stains, it’s because you need to break things down in a chemical sense. Rather than simply removing the odour, the organic matter in pet urine needs enzymes to break down the acids, so keep a commercial spray handy for little accidents.

6. Door protectors

To protect your doors from scratches, secure a piece of scratch-resistant acrylic to the base. Measure up the width and height to cover below the handle or, depending on the size of your cat or dog, cut around the handle. Your hardware supplier should be able to cut it for you.

7. Drain strainer

Collect pet hair at bath time in your shower or laundry tub with a strainer fitted over the drain hole. A simple basket strainer or loose aluminium unit will generally do, but if your dog is one to shed heavily, consider having a heavy duty one installed by a plumber to save your pipes.