Our pets are everything to us, they are part of our family, they are loved, they give love back and we would not be without them. They are such an integral part of our family home. They are however not like us in that they do not wear clothes and shoes and therefore cannot discard the items at the front door, as a result, they bring the debris with them into the family home and bits of what they have been rolling around in outside reach our furniture, dust, dirt, debris, bacteria, and allergens stick to our furniture and become ingrained in our fabrics, the carpet, cushions and our sofas and even our beds and bedding.
Pet hair can be everywhere and if you have a pet with long hair or a pet that molts a lot, keeping your home clean and free of allergens and pet hair can prove to be a full-time job. It is not just the hair, which is usually visible, but it is the invisible bacteria and allergens that can cause problems and the odors that all of the ‘nasties’ create can cause difficulties for allergy sufferers and those with compromised immune systems. Very young children with the underdeveloped immune system can also be at risk as they crawl around the furniture, on the floor, and around the sofa, putting their hands in and out of their mouths.
So, how do you make sure that you find the best vacuum for dog hair?
1. Pick The Right Vaccum Cleaner
It is important that you choose a vacuum cleaner that is going to do the job for you. You will need a vacuum cleaner that is fit for purpose and you need to understand that it is going to have a lot of use, so a quality machine will be important. It will need to have a good suction quality as machines with low suction just will not lift pet hairs, pet hairs are very light and so require an amount of suction in order that they are removed. Your cleaner should also have a quality filter attached to it, look for the type of filter and find out about its properties if you are not sure. Your vacuum cleaner filter is what stops the bacteria and allergens entering the air again. If you use a poor quality filter, the allergens and bacteria will end up back where they started.
2. Use The Right Accessories
Use the attachments that come with the cleaner to their best advantage and if necessary purchase several types of attachments. You will be cleaning all surfaces, flat surfaces, fabric curtains, blinds, sofa, etc and you will need to be able to access all parts of your stairs and be able to get into very small corners, so make sure that you have all of the necessary attachments for the job and make sure that you manage to get under any furniture and take the time to move around what is necessary, you don’t want to miss any parts of your home. Make sure that your attachments are kept clean, they really should be cleaned in hot water after every use and stored carefully for the next use, too many people don’t do this and don’t realise the importance of using clean tools, after all if you use dirty tools, you are just spreading more of the dirt around.
3. Use Baking Soda
If you have a pet, you will notice or if you don’t notice it may be that your family or friends who visit may notice, (and it is worth asking them), your home may take on a particular odor. Regular vacuuming will remove the odor in part but it may be necessary to add some baking soda to the bag, or bagless container, of your vacuum. Baking soda can absorb odors and can leave your home with a nice fresh smell. Lavender oil or other essential oils are commonly used to add an extra fresh smell to your home. The natural oils are better for your health than the synthetic alternatives that are available.
4. Clean Your Vaccum Regularly
If you want to maintain a clean and fresh home, there is no point in cleaning it with a dirty vacuum cleaner and it is important that you empty your vacuum after each use and clean around the container if you are using a bagless cleaner and change your bags regularly if you are using the bagged variety. Unclean vacuum cleaners do harbour germs and can also smell, so keep it clean. You should also learn to maintain your cleaner, and instructions to do that often come with the vacuum, regularly remove or clean the filter and detach any removable parts for cleaning. Your machine should also be serviced regularly to keep it operating properly. It would be recommended to find a local maintenance firm or if you are very technically minded, you could do it yourself.
5. Vacuum Every 2 to 3 Days
With pets, regular sustained cleaning is going to be important if you are going to keep on top of pet hair removal from your furniture. Daily vacuuming is not a bad idea but minimally you should vacuum carefully every 2 or 3 days to keep your home clean. Some people choose to keep their pets confined to a particular area of the home and do not for example allow them to enter their bedrooms, it is up to the owner to decide upon what works best for them.
Vacuums come in all shapes and sizes and it is important that you pick one that is comfortable for your use. Be prepared to spend as much as you need to look around so that you can obtain a quality machine that will lift the pet hairs from your home, not all machines are equal and not all vacuums are going to be suitable for pet hair so check out the manufacturers information on their particular vacuum, some vacuums will guarantee to be able to lift pet hair so shop around to find the vacuum that is right for you and your purpose.