Living With Pets - 5 Ways To Make Your Home Healthier When Living With Pets

If you live with pets there are often undesirable side effects that may keep your home from being the healthiest place it could be because of pet hair, fur, feathers, dander, dirt, sand, and the list goes on and on. Here are 5 easy ways to make your home healthier when living with pets.

1. Wash Bedding Regularly--If your pet has a bed, blanket, pillow, or if he sleeps with you on your bed, be sure to wash the bed at least once a week in fairly hot water to remove dander, dirt, dust, dust mites, odor. Use your dryer's hottest setting or hang outside to dry as dust mites are killed by sunlight. This will keep your pet's sleeping quarters fresh wherever they are.

2. Damp Mop and Dust--Pet hair, dander, and fur can settle on the tables, floors and other furniture. Use a damp mop to clean floors, and a damp dust cloth to clean hard furniture surfaces. This reduces the pollutants that would return to the air by sweeping or dusting with a dry cloth. Dispose of the dust cloth immediately and submerge the mop in water to trap and eliminate the pollutants permanently.

3. Vacuum Frequently--How often you need to be effective will depend on you pet, how many you have, whether it is an inside pet only, or is allowed to come and go at will. If you have a golden retriever who sheds constantly, you may need to vacuum several times a week or more. If you have a poodle that does not shed, and stays indoors, less vacuuming may be just as effective. Regardless, frequent vacuuming will rid your home of the pollutants that have fallen to the floor and will keep them from going airborne with your daily activities.

4. Steam Clean Carpets--If you have carpeting, have your carpets steam cleaned several times a year to reduce the oils, odors, and hair that has accumulates in your carpet even with regular vacuuming. Whether you intend to hire a professional, use your own machine, or rent a machine, make sure the cleaning agent is pet safe and environmentally friendly.

5. Use an Air Purifier--Cleaning pet dander, hair, fur, feathers, and odor is a constant job, and as such you need an air purifier that is designed to work constantly and efficiently. For best results, insist on an air purifier that is a High Efficiency Particle Arresting (HEPA) air purifier that has a substantial warranty, low maintenance, and a long filter life.