Whilst standard vacuum cleaners will be reasonably effective at cleaning up after your pets, over time they can become less efficient, leaving behind fur and odors. A ‘pet-friendly vacuum usually has extra strong suction to deep clean your flooring, preferably with anti-wrap technology to prevent the brushes from getting clogged with fur.

Welcoming a pet into your home can make it feel complete. They can offer you companionship and endless love. However, what they can also offer is a laborious cleaning routine, focused solely around tidying up their mess.

Ask some owners and they’ll tell you that owning a pet and having a clean house are mutually exclusive. However, whilst your animal companion will certainly give you more to think about when it comes to your cleaning, it is possible to maintain a clean and healthy home despite their best efforts. Follow our three simple tips to stay one step ahead of your pets and their messy habits.

Use a pet-friendly vacuum cleaner

This will be particularly important to people with pets that shed their fur more often. When talking about dogs, certain breeds, such as beagles or German shepherds, can be particularly heavy shedders, and you should devise a vacuuming regime that reflects this. Many experts recommend that pet owners should be vacuuming on a daily basis to maintain a healthy living environment.

This isn’t just to reduce the buildup of fur around the home. Particularly adventurous pets are prone to bringing unwanted bacteria and germs into the house from their travels, so a daily clean can help to mitigate the threat of illness or infection.

For the eco-conscious among you, bear in mind that some vacuums will be more eco-friendly than others. Typically, plug-in vacuum cleaners will be far better for the environment. This is due to the absence of lithium batteries, which have been found to have significant environmental impacts, particularly during the lithium extraction process.

Keep your pets clean

In this section, we’ll be referring to potentially the muddiest of pets – the dog. It may sound obvious, but cleaning your dog, especially after a particularly muddy walk, means any dirt on their paws or coat will not be transferred to your pristine carpet or upholstery. Whilst this may seem a chore at first, washing your pup will be far easier than dealing with stains you’ve let build up around the house.

Keeping your pet clean doesn’t just refer to washing away the mud, however. There are several other cleaning methods you should be considering. For some breeds, regular brushes of their fur can make a world of difference in preventing hair from getting caught up in the carpet and furniture. Furthermore, regularly washing their bed will prevent the buildup of harmful bacteria, which can not only create health problems for your pet, but also for their human companions.

Dealing with accidents

It can be one of the most frustrating parts of pet ownership. Just as you’ve finished your weekly clean, the cat decides now is the best time to have an accident on your previously unblemished carpet. Unfortunately, accidents are unavoidable. But, failure to deal with them properly can create far worse problems further down the line, so it’s imperative that you begin the clean-up efforts as soon as you notice the problem.

At times like this, stain removers can be your best friend. Whilst most all-purpose stain removers will be effective in this situation, there are pet-friendly products designed specifically to not only lift stains but also to reduce the pungent odour attached to them.

When stains are attended to improperly, or not at all, not only will your house quickly be filled with a bad smell, but in the worst cases, it can result in carpets or upholstery needs replacing. This can be a costly process, not only to your bank account but also to the environment. Improper disposal of carpets is still a widespread problem across America, with an estimated 5 billion pounds worth sent to landfills in 2017 alone. Keeping on top of any marks will prolong the life of your carpet and keep your home looking clean.

There are so many ways in which you can take your garden in new directions. If you feel as if it’s been a long time since you did that and you’re feeling like it’s time to enhance your garden, there are some additions, in particular, that’ll help you improve the space decisively. We’re going to take a look at those additions and what they’ll bring to your garden today, so read on to find out more.

#1: Compost Bins

If you’re looking to make your garden more functional and a little more sustainable, one of the things you might want to add is compost bins. When you have the ability to complete your own composting, it makes your life a lot easier and it means that your garden and flower beds will ultimately be a lot healthier as well. That’s exactly what most modern gardeners want.

#2: Paths and Walkways

Having a range of clear paths and walkways through the garden is something else that’s generally a good idea too. This is particularly important if you have quite a large garden and you want to make the most of the space that’s available to you. Paths that make it clear how the garden flows and how to make the most of it are definitely a good thing to have in place.

#3: A Water Feature

Water features always manage to add something important and significant to a space that might otherwise be missing. There’s nothing quite like the tranquility that comes with flowing water in your garden and there’s definitely no way of artificially recreating it. If you want your garden to feel calm, relaxed and at ease, it’s definitely worth considering the installation of a new water feature.

#4: A New Bonsai Tree

If you want to add a tree to the garden that’s going to improve the aesthetic and offer some real character, you should probably consider a new bonsai tree. You can buy bonsai trees online these days, and there are so many different varieties, depending on what it is you’re looking for. A new bonsai tree can make a big difference and really add a new aesthetic to the space. You could add other Japanese features to complement it.

#5: A Vegetable Garden

Finally, you should think about whether you have the space to add a vegetable garden. This will enable you to create a space in your garden that’s fully dedicated to growing foods. You can grow different things as the seasons’ change and serve up dishes for your family based on what you’re able to grow. There’s nothing more rewarding than cooking a meal with ingredients fresh from your own garden.

Whether you want to improve the look of your garden, the general feel it delivers or the functionality it can offer, there’s something for everyone. Be sure to make the most of the additions above if you want to add something new and valuable to your garden space. Each of them will offer the space something important and valuable.

Are you currently in the process of looking for your dream property? While it can be easy to get carried away by the beauty of the garden and the size of the bedrooms, it is also important to ensure that you aren’t going to have a nightmare on your hands when you move into your new home. Unfortunately, rather than dealing with any issues with their property, some sellers will simply try to cover them up during the sales process. One such issue can be a pest infestation. Below, we reveal signs of pest infestations to look out for when you are house hunting.

Grease tracks and marks – Mice and rats often travel the same paths each and every day, and so they will leave tracks and evidence when they do so. Rats will run along walls, and this can result in grease marks. Other signs of infestation include urine trails and fecal droppings. 

Signs to look for outdoors – You don’t only need to have possible pest infestations at the front of your mind when you are evaluating the interior of the home, but also the outside area. There are several key signs you should look out for, including ant hills, damaged plants, mole holes, damaged patches, and nearby breeding grounds.

When it comes to moles, it is wise to pay attention to the garden and soil around the property. A mole infestation means these burrowing pests have made holes underground. That can pose serious foundation problems for the building. The tunnels these pests dig accumulate water when it rains or snow thaws on the ground. This leads to water damage and its subsequent effects on the property. If you suspect an infestation, you can set up mole traps to deal with these pests. Your best option, however, is to hire an exterminator.

A pet that is constantly scratching – If the current owners have pets, you should monitor their behavior. If their pet is biting their fur, licking, or scratching excessively, this could be a sign that they have a flea infestation. There are plenty of products that can get rid of this, such as flea bombs, but it shouldn’t be your responsibility, so make sure you explore the issue further and get it resolved before signing on the dotted line.

Gnaw marks and holes – Keep an eye out for any small holes in the floors and walls of the property you are viewing. Holes in or around a house are giveaway signs of a possible infestation. Rats, in particular, love to gnaw on things. If you see a chewed-up wire, this is a sign that there could be a problem.

Odd sounds and smells – Some pests give off smells that are easy to recognize. For example, experts state that roaches will give off an oily smell, which can be compared to ‘fecal soy sauce.’ Rats smell like ammonia, whereas mice will give off a musty, urine smell. And, what about bedbugs? They are said to give off a musty, sweet odor. Of course, if you can smell garbage, this is also a bad sign, as it is much more likely to attract pests. From tick control to rat control, no matter what the smell indicates, you need to call the professionals!

Dead bugs indoors – Last but not least, keep a lookout for dead bugs inside of the property, for example, in the basement or on window ledges. If there are a lot of bugs of the same species, it is probable that they live on the property.

Chemical-laden cleaning products for the home aren’t as good as they purport to be. Yes, they can effectively clean and disinfect your house. When you dispose of them, though, they can leak poisons into your home and the environment around you. Plus, disposing of the packaging and bottles isn’t always eco-friendly either. 

With this in mind, it could be that you’re looking for better, greener, safer ways to clean your home. Yet when you start to look around, this can seem almost impossible; products are expensive or hard to get hold of, and you just can’t be sure you’re doing the right thing. Luckily, there are some easy ways to get past these challenges; read on to find out more.

Open The Windows 

The air quality inside your house can sometimes be more hazardous than the air quality outside. Everything from pet dander to pollen to mold to chemicals may aggravate allergies or asthma, making the air dangerous to breathe. 

To keep things fresh, open your windows every now and again to allow in some fresh air. As an added benefit, you will be able to enjoy the smell of fresh air drifting into your house. Although this won’t help clean your furniture, it will make your home smell good, feel fresh, and make the air much better for you and everyone else in the property. It’s a great place to start when it comes to making things cleaner in the most eco-friendly way. 

Try Baking Soda… Everywhere

Who knew this kitchen essential had so many applications that would enable you to have a clean and green home? For starters, include baking soda into your cleaning regimen to combat odorous carpets. Sprinkle it on, let it rest for a few minutes, and then vacuum the baking soda up. You’ll find that all the smells go along with it. 

You can also make an oven-cleaning paste out of baking soda and water, which you can leave overnight in the oven and scrape off with all the muck it gathered. Alternatively, mix baking soda and vinegar to make a fizzing toilet bowl cleaner; it looks exciting (so the kids might want to get involved in cleaning), and it does a fabulous job. 

Use Lemons 

Lemons contain antibacterial and antiseptic properties, making them a critical component of any natural sanitizing routine. To eliminate germs, rub a slice of lemon on a chopping board. Alternatively, soak lemon peels in vinegar for a few days. After straining out the zests, you’ll have a strong all-purpose cleaner. You can even bring a copper kettle back to its original luster by dipping lemon halves in salt and rubbing them over the outside. 

In other words, the natural cleaning properties that lemons have make them an ideal alternative to the chemicals and powders that you might usually use around your home. 

White Vinegar Is Best 

Only one vinegar should be part of your green cleaning routine, and that’s white vinegar. White vinegar, plain and simple, provides the antibacterial qualities you need to sanitize your house. 

Diluted white vinegar is an effective stain remover, and spraying a fifty-fifty solution of vinegar and water can make your windows sparkle and shine (especially if you use newspaper to wipe it off again, as this prevents streaks). You can even simmer some vinegar while cooking a smelly fish meal, for example; all of the odors will be absorbed by the vinegar, and your home will stay fresh. 

Don’t Use Air Fresheners 

Once you’re done cleaning your home, no matter whether it’s a daily, weekly, or monthly occurrence, you might decide to use air fresheners around the place. Spraying these in your property will keep the place smelling fresh and clean. 

The problem is, despite their nice fragrance, store-bought air freshener mixes are often loaded with artificial chemicals that can degrade air quality. Choose a natural version instead. Boil cinnamon, lemon, or any other plant of your choice that you like the smell of, and wait for the natural fragrance to fill your house.

Invest In Some Greenery

On that same note, having plants in your house, as opposed to commercial air fresheners, will offer a pleasant and welcoming aroma while also organically purifying the air. Plants such as spider plants, peace lilies, or English lilies are some of the best plants to have in your home. Furthermore, in addition to acting as natural air filters, you can use houseplants to decorate your home, so not only are you cleaning and making the place more pleasant in terms of the air you breathe, you’re making it look better (and feel more homely) too. 

Don’t Use Too Much Water 

Fill a bucket halfway with water and use just the water inside to clean. You will save water by not having to open and close the faucet every time you need to wet your cleaning cloth, plus you won’t accidentally leave the tap running. 

When it comes to the exterior of your home, it’s always best to use professionals such as Top Down Exterior Cleaning. In this way, you’ll not only know that they will finish the job to a high quality, but you’ll be sure that the most modern cleaning methods are used, which includes saving water in many cases. 

Buy Green Products 

You don’t have to go completely natural on your own when it comes to changing or adding to your home cleaning habits. A plethora of businesses have released safe – eco-friendly – versions of your favorite cleansers. Buying ready-made green solutions can help to ease the shift from conventional to green goods, showing you what’s available and saving you time. 

With that in mind, after you’ve made your routine more environmentally friendly, you’ll want to get rid of any items that are no longer useful to your family. If you don’t want a product in your house, you shouldn’t want it to end up in the water supply or landfill either, so be careful how you get rid of unwanted chemicals. Find out whether your town has a recycling day for such items. At the same time, you might be able to recycle other potentially hazardous materials, such as batteries.