We love our pets. According to the PDSA, around 57% of UK households own a pet, with dogs and cats being the most popular. But anyone who shares their home with an animal knows the cleaning challenges that come with it: hair on every surface, muddy paw prints on freshly mopped floors, mysterious odours, and that particular talent cats have for distributing litter across an entire room.
This guide offers practical, tested strategies for keeping your home clean when you share it with four-legged family members.
The Hair Problem
Pet hair is the single biggest cleaning challenge for animal owners. It embeds in carpets, clings to upholstery, collects in corners, and has an almost supernatural ability to appear on clothes you were certain were clean.
Daily Management
- Brush your pet daily: This is the most effective thing you can do. Regular brushing removes loose hair before it reaches your furniture. For heavy shedders (Labradors, Huskies, Golden Retrievers), brush outdoors.
- Use a lint roller: Keep one by the front door for a quick once-over before you leave the house.
- Vacuum high-traffic areas daily: Focus on the rooms where your pet spends the most time. A 5-minute daily vacuum prevents buildup.
The Right Vacuum
Not all vacuums handle pet hair equally. Look for:
- Strong suction on carpet and hard floors: Pet hair embeds differently in each surface
- A motorised brush bar: Essential for pulling hair out of carpet fibres
- A HEPA filter: Traps allergens and fine dander particles, improving air quality
- Easy-to-clean components: Pet hair clogs filters and brush bars quickly
Our recommendation for pet owners in the UK: the Shark Navigator series or the Dyson V15. Both handle pet hair exceptionally well.
Furniture and Upholstery
- Use washable throws on sofas and chairs: It is much easier to wash a throw weekly than to deep clean a sofa monthly
- Rubber gloves for hair removal: Put on a pair of rubber washing-up gloves and run your hands over upholstery. The friction collects hair into clumps that are easy to pick up
- Fabric softener solution: Mix one part fabric softener with three parts water in a spray bottle. Lightly mist upholstery and wipe with a microfibre cloth — hair lifts away effortlessly
Muddy Paw Prints
If you walk your dog in the West Midlands between October and April, you know the mud situation. Our parks and green spaces are beautiful but boggy.
Prevention
- Keep a paw-washing station by the door: A shallow tub of warm water and a dedicated towel. Dip and dry each paw before they enter the house.
- Microfibre door mats: Place two — one outside the door and one inside. Microfibre mats absorb more moisture and trap more dirt than standard mats.
- Dog boots or paw wax: For particularly muddy walks, dog boots prevent mud from getting between the pads. Paw wax provides a barrier layer.
Cleaning Mud
- Let mud dry before cleaning. Dried mud brushes and vacuums up easily. Wet mud smears and pushes deeper into carpet fibres.
- For hard floors, a damp microfibre mop picks up dried mud effectively.
- For carpet, vacuum first, then spot-treat any remaining marks with a carpet cleaner.
Odour Control
Pet odour is often the thing homeowners become nose-blind to. Guests notice it even when you do not.
Sources and Solutions
- Bedding: Wash pet bedding weekly at 60°C to kill bacteria and remove odour. If the bed has a non-removable cover, sprinkle baking soda, leave for 30 minutes, and vacuum.
- Carpets and rugs: Sprinkle baking soda liberally, leave overnight, and vacuum thoroughly. For persistent odour, use an enzymatic pet odour remover — these break down the organic compounds causing the smell rather than masking them.
- Upholstery: Baking soda works here too. For urine accidents, an enzymatic cleaner is essential. Standard cleaners do not fully break down urine, and the odour returns.
- Air quality: An air purifier with a HEPA and activated carbon filter makes a genuine difference in pet-owning households. Place it in the room where your pet spends the most time.
The Litter Tray (Cats)
- Scoop daily, full change weekly
- Place a large mat around the tray to catch tracking litter
- Wash the tray itself with hot water and mild detergent at each full change
- Consider a top-entry litter box to reduce litter scatter
- Baking soda sprinkled at the base of the tray (under the litter) absorbs odour between changes
Room-Specific Tips
Kitchen
- Store pet food in sealed containers (not open bags)
- Wash food and water bowls daily — they harbour bacteria
- Place a mat under the feeding area to catch spills
- Clean the feeding area floor daily
Living Room
- Rotate and flip cushions weekly if your pet sits on the sofa
- Vacuum under cushions fortnightly — this is where hair and crumbs collect
- Consider leather or faux-leather furniture for your next purchase — it is dramatically easier to clean than fabric
Bedrooms
- If your pet sleeps on the bed, use a dedicated pet blanket on top of the bedding and wash it weekly
- Vacuum the mattress monthly if your pet has access to bedrooms
- Keep wardrobe doors closed to prevent hair settling on clean clothes
Professional Cleaning with Pets
When booking a professional cleaner, always mention your pets. Relevant information includes:
- Type and number of pets: Helps the cleaner plan time and products
- Allergies: Some cleaners have pet allergies and need to know in advance
- Pet behaviour: Will your pet be friendly, indifferent, or anxious? Should they be kept in a separate room?
- Add-on services: Our Pet Hair Add-On (£12) includes additional time for thorough hair removal from upholstery, carpet edges, and hard-to-reach areas
A fortnightly professional clean combined with daily maintenance is the sweet spot for most pet-owning households. It keeps on top of hair and odour without the constant battle of trying to do everything yourself.