The weather is (slowly!) warming up and restrictions are easing, so we’re all getting out and about more whether it’s for extended dog walks or letting the cat out more often. But that means more muddy paws to clean!
Time-saving hack:
- For dogs, fill an old water bottle with water and dip each muddy paw into it individually, followed by a wipe with a moistened paper towel. You can take this with you on the go, or keep it in your car after muddy walks. Alternatively, invest in a spray bottle which you can fill with warm water if the paws need a quick, gentle wipe
- For cats, simply use the water bottle or spray bottle to dampen the paper towel first before quickly wiping their paws, as cats are a little less welcoming of water!
- Remember to pay close attention to the areas in between the toes and around the nails. Consistent cleaning will also help prevent the build-up of bacteria and infection
- If your pet (especially cats) really doesn’t enjoy this and is prone to scratching when being handled this way, wear garden gloves. They are thorn-proof, so will be useful in protecting your hands
If you’ve got time:
- Create a DIY muddy paw washing station for your dog – anything from large storage boxes to baby paddling pools will work for this. Have it set up and ready to go with a towel by the front door or carry/pop your dog in a travel carrier (if they’re seriously muddy!) and take them straight through to the garden or bathroom (wherever you have your station set up)
- For cats, get them to stand on a damp bathroom towel instead, whilst you give each paw a wipe with a moistened paper towel
How to remove pet stains/smells from the car
Now that we can, we’re getting out and about more in the car, so we can treat our dogs to the best walks. So what do you do when there’s been a little accident in the car?
Time-saving hack:
- Immediately place a few layers of absorbent paper towel over the urine stain. Once most of the stain has been soaked up, rinse the area with cold water and use more paper towels to pat it dry.
- To get rid of any offending odours that may linger (including general dog smells) lay down a piece of bread on a tea towel and simply leave it in your car to absorb any odours
If you’ve got time:
- Immediately place a few layers of absorbent paper towel over the urine stain. Once most of the stain has been soaked up, rinse the area with cold water and use more paper towels to pat it dry. Repeat a couple times depending on the size of the stain
- Mix together equal parts of white vinegar and water, then spray/pour this over to neutralise the odours
- Place some baking soda in a bowl and leave it in your car overnight to absorb any smelly odours
Pet hair everywhere
With us ALL spending more time at home over the last year, the build up of everything from dust to pet hair is even more noticeable than usual and needs to be managed regularly!
Time-saving hack:
- Grab the squeegee from the bathroom/your cleaning cupboard and do a quick wipe of the carpet/specific area, as you would when wiping down the shower screen or window. Alternatively, you can even use the heel of a clean shoe, a fabric softener sheet, a lint roller, masking tape, pumice stone or wear a latex glove and do it with your own hand. This should only be used as a quick fix once in a while though, as overuse of this technique could risk damaging the durability of your carpet over time
If you’ve got time:
- Simply dampen a Plenty paper towel with water (don’t soak it completely) and lay it across the areas caked in fur and hair. Wait for the sheet of Plenty to suck up all the hairs (top tip – you can also spritz a little bit of hairspray onto one side of the paper towel and it’ll have the same effect)
Help, there’s pet wee in the…!
Likewise, perhaps our pets are getting a little too settled and we’re finding them joining us on the sofa or even in our bed more and more! We risk those little accidents happening in places we really don’t want them to…
…carpet!
- Grab a wet sheet of Plenty quickly and blot the stain. Mix a small amount of detergent (no more than half a teaspoon) with a cup of warm water and spray the solution all over the stain area. Use a sheet of Plenty to scrub and soak up the mixture, then rinse the area thoroughly until the stain disappears
…sofa!
- Grab a wet paper towel quickly and lightly blot the stain (if you press too hard you may risk spreading it even further)
- Mix a small amount of detergent (no more than half a teaspoon) with a cup of cold water and a dash of white vinegar. Dip the paper towel in this solution and lightly blot the stain from the outside in
- Repeat as many times as needed, before rinsing the area with a wet paper towel
- Then use a dry paper towel, to blot the stain until it is no longer wet
…the smell is lingering!
- Blot the pee stain with a wet paper towel to soak up as much as you can. Dust some baking soda over the area and let it sit. Mix together equal parts of white vinegar and water, then spray/pour this over. Leave for five minutes, then continue to blot with the wet paper towel until the stain has gone
…mattress!
- Blot the pee stain with a paper towel to soak up as much as you can and dry the stain. Pour baking soda over the offending area and once it turns yellow (from absorbing the urine) add more and repeat until the baking soda is completely white. Then use a vacuum to hoover it up
- Mix together equal parts of white vinegar and water, then spray this over the stain area to neutralise any odours
