We all have a friend or two in our circle that have cats as a pet. Well, around 46{b3b47b4ce3613a8ae866741a21452b80454d4cde38f39b62399bbbfc1a1a9f3e} of all the households in America have a cat or two. As a cat owner, one can explain and talk for hours about the cuteness of cats and their little mischievous acts. They can boast about how good companion cats are and how they can reduce the stress with their purrs. As a cat owner, they are okay with the issue of owning cat brings, but not everyone likes cats or can stand the odor or fur that cat leaves behind.
Owning cats also brings the extra workload of cleaning their mess and fighting the odor that may surround your house and shoo the visitors away. Many people cannot figure it out when they enter a cat owner’s house, and they are disgusted by the odor that reaches their nostrils. Keeping a house clean with cats is indeed difficult but not impossible. Some cat owners are cleanliness freaks, and you will always find them cleaning their fur for hours. However, to avoid the litter odor, you can place cat litter boxes in your house. These litter boxes make the disposal and cleaning easy, and most of them neutralize the odor hence keeping your home odor-free.
If you are still looking for tips and tricks to keep your house neat and tidy, here are a few ideas for you.
- Brush your cats
Cats are known for their cuteness and fur. Many cat breeds are triple coated with long and thick fur layer. Although your cat cleans itself, you cannot stop their hair from shedding. To avoid the fur in your house and on your furniture, brush your cat every other day. Their fur is one of the biggest hurdles as it is fragile and settles everywhere. It will even stick to your clothes besides being locked in your wardrobe. Brushing your cat fur will collect all the loose fur in the brush and will prevent it from spreading all over your house.
- Use a vacuum cleaner
Cats are fond of all the soft surfaces like your bed, sofas, carpets, and rug. You will find your cats rolling over the carpet and even cleaning itself. Vacuuming these surfaces once a week will collect all the hair dander left behind by your cat. Try to have a vacuum that can pick up dust and allergens from the soft surfaces. It will prevent health hazards, and it will also keep your house clean.
- Clean the accidents asap
In case your cat is not well or having stomach issues, it might vomit out on your favorite carpet. Or if their litter box has no place left, they will leave the mess around. Do not leave these accidents to dry. Clean it as soon as you notice. Pat dry the surface and use an enzyme cleaner to cut off the smell and stain from the surface or rugs. If you do not have an enzyme cleaner, clean that area with any detergent and use some vinegar. The sour smell from the vinegar will keep your cat away from using the same spot again.
- Wipe your counters
Cats can squeeze anywhere, no matter how congested the place is. You will find your cat at unusual places like lounging on the counters or sleeping on the table. If your cat hops from one counter to another, clean your counters daily and more than once. Wipe it with a damp cloth or with a duster to get rid of any fur left behind. Many people use counters for placing dishes or doing other work; having cat hair lurking around can cause troubles like allergic reactions.
- Wash all the clothes
Yes, you read it right. Wash everything. Be it your clothes, rugs, carpets, curtains, or cat beds. Fabrics can also catch odor and leave your house stinging with bad smell. Gather all the materials once a week to keep them clean and odor-free. Wash the cat beds separately and clean them before putting it into your clothes washer. The fur can clog your drainage and might increase your workload.
- Let the sun in
Cat dander and fur can cause dirt, but it can also be the place for germs and microbes. While you are cleaning your house, open all the windows and doors to let in the sunlight. The air entering your home will ventilate it and carry the sour smell out, and the sunrays will kill the germs or other allergens. Other than that, your cats also love sunlight. So let them enjoy a bit while nature helps you to fight the odor and kill the germs.
Conclusion
Our pets are our babies. When we choose to bring a pet home, we are ready to take responsibility for the consequences of litter and odor as well. Keeping your house clean might seem difficult as cats prefer to be indoors, but it is not impossible. You can keep your home fragrant and clean by keeping the litter box clean, changing it timely, and wiping down the surface regularly.