# Keeping a clean house



## drew123 (Feb 17, 2014)

Hello everybody! I keep my dog in the house as I'm sure some of you do, and I was wondering: are there any certain cleaning products you guys would recommend? My dog sheds a lot, I mean I have tumbleweeds of hair rolling across the floor if I don't vacuum every day, even after brushing her. What are some things you guys could suggest for cleaning up hair, minimizing pet odor, etc? I'm always looking for something new to try. 

Thanks a lot!


----------



## Emoore (Oct 9, 2002)

I live in a one bedroom apartment with two German Shepherds. Keeping the place clean is obviously paramount. 

To me the two most important things are hard-surface flooring and feeding the best food I can afford. I have noticed that feeding a high-quality food causes dogs to not smell doggie. My dogs are only bathed a few times a year. I have my mother, who's not a dog person, come over and ask her to tell me honestly if my house smells like dogs. We have the kind of relationship where she would tell me if it did, and it never has.

I only have carpet in the bedroom. Everywhere else is faux wood. I have a big microfiber cloth sweeper and I just walk through and sweep up once a day minimum, sometimes a couple times a day. I mop once a week or more frequently if needed.


----------



## MimiG (Nov 12, 2014)

German Shepherds are better known as German Shedders, so they will shed. Brushing regularly is the best option. We keep a handheld vacuum cleaner which comes handy and use scented candles and room fresheners. To minimize pet odor never leave them wet, wet dogs don't smell pleasant, dry them thoroughly and give them proper regular baths.


----------



## Saphire (Apr 1, 2005)

I guess I am one of few here who has very little issues with shedding. Gus sheds very little and has no odor at all. He just turned 2 and has had 2 baths in his life. 
Where I do have issues is spring and fall when it's wet and muddy out. Alot of keeping him wiped down but as he dries the embedded dirt falls off throughout the house as a fine dust so Yep lots of sweeping and mopping during the mud months.


----------



## llombardo (Dec 11, 2011)

I got everything under control except for muddy paw prints in the kitchen on the tile by the water. I get real tired of mopping that ten times a day


----------



## misslesleedavis1 (Dec 5, 2013)

Vinegar warm water and any kind of soap in a spray bottle.
Dyson vac 
I like to keep everything natural and chem free, but once a week i send my fiance into the bathroom with scrubbing bubbles to clean our shower door, scrubbing bubbles make me break out in hives so i leave for a while, its really the only thing that destroys soap scum


----------



## Shade (Feb 20, 2012)

I agree with Emoore, I have two dogs and two cats who do not shed a lot because they're fed a good diet. We have hardwood throughout and vacuum twice a week and mop (more when it's muddy out) and while the house isn't pristine it's clean enough I don't have to worry if someone pops over for an expected visit and I have very high standards for cleanliness. 

As for smell, no issue there either. Delgado has had one bath this year and he doesn't smell at all and his coat is soft and healthy. I brush him maybe once a month and furminate lightly when he's blowing coat once a year but that's it.

ETA - water with a touch of vinegar does wonderful for cleaning floors without being too harsh and I love Mr Clean with Febreeze added :wub:


----------



## Sunflowers (Feb 17, 2012)

Raw diet

K9 III blower

Roomba vacuum daily


----------



## misslesleedavis1 (Dec 5, 2013)

My 3 dont smell either, except for shiggs. When she gets wet she still has a faint skunk odor from being sprayed 3 yrs ago. Its really weird, i guess she got sprayed really well, it got her in the facial area.


----------



## Bella67 (Jun 22, 2014)

I brush Chloe with the furminator daily, and use the my Dyson everyday because if I didn't, it would be hair EVERYWHERE. You could also put dog shoes on her to help reduce the dirt she tracks in from her feet!


----------



## SiegersMom (Apr 19, 2011)

Funny about the skunk. Mine never smells bad but he was sprayed a month ago and now his breath smell like skunk. It is the moisture. No body smell unless he is damp from being outside.


----------



## drew123 (Feb 17, 2014)

Thanks for the info guys, I've been contemplating buying a roomba. Also my dog goes outside a lot so there's ample paw prints and mud all over the floor. As for a good diet, what would you guys suggest? My dog currently eats pedigree canned food, and pedigree dry food. Are there any better foods for controlling odor?


----------



## Waffle Iron (Apr 3, 2012)

Between me and my partner, we work double-time to keep the house clean and that's only to keep it "average".


----------



## Saphire (Apr 1, 2005)

drew123 said:


> Thanks for the info guys, I've been contemplating buying a roomba. Also my dog goes outside a lot so there's ample paw prints and mud all over the floor. As for a good diet, what would you guys suggest? My dog currently eats pedigree canned food, and pedigree dry food. Are there any better foods for controlling odor?


Raw diet and Feedsentials.


----------



## marshies (May 18, 2011)

raw fed but still lots of shedding. 
I do sweeper swifter a couple times a week. Works like a charm on hardwood floor.


----------



## Saphire (Apr 1, 2005)

Feedsentials? ?


----------



## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

drew123 said:


> Hello everybody! I keep my dog in the house as I'm sure some of you do, and I was wondering: are there any certain cleaning products you guys would recommend? My dog sheds a lot, I mean I have tumbleweeds of hair rolling across the floor if I don't vacuum every day, even after brushing her. What are some things you guys could suggest for cleaning up hair, minimizing pet odor, etc? I'm always looking for something new to try.
> 
> Thanks a lot!


A Dyson and a Housekeeper


----------



## Cheyanna (Aug 18, 2012)

Raw or candidae pure. I think you will get several comments about the poor quality of Pedigree. Buy the best dog food you can afford, but if you can afford it feed raw.


----------



## Pioneer53 (May 5, 2006)

Neato robotic vacuum, they have a rebate going on right now too. This thing is great! Someone recommended it here recently on another thread and we just bought a second one for a lower level (they do not do stairs...).  They go in a grid pattern instead of round and round and by all reports take less time to vacuum that way.

A little quirky, but vacuums while I work the dogs, can't beat that! Bought a couple extra filters and change them daily, you can rinse the filters out and let them dry to reuse. Less dusting lately too, could be less on the floor to kick up in the air.


----------



## Debanneball (Aug 28, 2014)

Jax08 said:


> A Dyson and a Housekeeper


I vote for this.... But as a housekeeper with a dyson! 

And, people, don't be in a hurry on christmas morning to clean the living room, thats one of the nicest messes in the world!


----------



## LaRen616 (Mar 4, 2010)

I have 2 dogs and 4 cats, all are fed FROMM, all shed like crazy. 

I don't have carpet in my house (thank goodness) I do sweep every day but an hour later it looks as if I never did.

I bathe my Dalmatian more than I probably should but he's messy and likes to roll in the mud. 

I hate the hair but I am getting another GSD next year, because I am crazy.


----------



## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

I vacuum a lot (daily, sometimes even 2x a day during high shedding) and I keep "dog blankets" on all surfaces my dogs touch, so I am washing these 1-2x a week and removing when we have company over. Our couch upstairs, our bed, our loveseat and both chairs in the basement all have designated "dog blanket" coverings that protect the furniture from smell or dirt and get washed frequently.

My mom doesn't like pets and is always complaining when peoples' homes smell like a pet so I asked her if my house smells and she said no, only if my dogs come in and it's been raining and they just smell like a damp dog, but according to her critical nose my house doesn't have a "dog smell" even though I have 4 dogs. I'm a neat and clean freak though, so I keep the house and the dogs pretty clean.


----------



## osito23 (Feb 17, 2014)

I keep the dogs clean by feeding a good diet and brushing regularly. They are very rarely bathed - maybe once a year at most. I only have carpet in the bedrooms, so the floors are easy to keep clean. I vacuum every day or so, mop and dust weekly, and do windows weekly. My living room furniture is leather and very easy to wipe clean, and I wash dog beds as needed. My cat's litter box is scooped daily and is in the garage; we have 2 doors going out to the garage, so we put a cat door in one of them with a large crate surrounding the litterbox. Doing things regularly on a schedule helps keep the house in order. My house may not be perfect, but it's clean enough for me, and people rarely believe we have 4 dogs and a cat living inside.


----------



## Magwart (Jul 8, 2012)

A vinegar/water solution in a spray bottle knocks out _most _doggie messes. Follow with an enzyme product (Simple Solution, Nature's Miracle, etc.) for dog pee, poop, or vomit.

If you find there's an overall smell in the home you don't like, diffuse some essential oils, according to your mood or preference. I'm partial to Aura Cacia's Mellow Mix, as it causes all the dogs to just relax in unison in a pile together, and it smells nice. 

Alternatively, if scent in cleaning products is your thing, try Mrs. Meyer's products, or the Ology eco products sold at Walgreens. Both smell leave a freshly cleaned kitchen or bath smelling lovely.


----------



## NancyJ (Jun 15, 2003)

I love my Metro forced air blower. It AMAZES me how much dirt I blow out of his coat if I go a few days between blowing it out. He does not seem to mind / even seems to like it. With daily brushing I don't get a ton of hair but, oh the dirt, lots of dirt from being outside and playing.


----------



## drew123 (Feb 17, 2014)

Thanks for the info everybody, I will see into changing to a high quality diet, and also I would like to get some more brushes to try. As for odor, I believe I will try the oils and keep diligently vacuuming!

I'm never let down here, thanks a lot!


----------



## Littleone00000 (Nov 13, 2016)

I have a German Shepard and he's constantly shedding. We have carpet throughout the entire house. The dog hair stays in the carpet and the carpet smells like dog. I just started brushing him outside and I feed him Purina one with meat as the number one ingredient. How can I make my house not smell like dog? Is there certain cleaning products? Is there a certain vacuum? I have no idea what to do to make the house smell better. Sorry about asking it here I'm knew and couldn't figure out how to make my own forum


----------



## Smithie86 (Jan 9, 2001)

Brush weekly, ears and nails. RAW and high quality kibble. We use natural products in house for cleaning, including carpet.

And rotate chores on vacuuming, sweeping and dusting... Daughter is 12.5 and does chores, along side husband and I....


----------



## Momto2GSDs (Mar 22, 2012)

Hi Littleone00000 and Welcome! :welcome:

This is an old thread, but there are a lot of good ideas in it! I haven't read the whole thing, so please excuse if I repeat some ideas.

IDEAS: :thinking:

Brush your dog more often.

*I'd change the dogs food to better product. Purina definitely does not contain quality ingredients! Have you heard the old saying...."You are what you eat"???:wink2:
FROMM's: 
Store Locator:http://frommfamily.com/retailers/usa/#progress=2 
 ACANA: Store Locator | Acana
NATURE'S VARIETY RAW BOOST: Find A Store | Nature's Variety

*If you do change foods: 
Always transition with small amounts of new food mixed with old, taking a week or two to change to avoid diarrhea. If stool get loose, go back to previous amount fed (where stool was solid) and hold at that amount for a few days until his gut gets use to it. Then increase again. This is called "bowel tolerance".

*BTW, your dog could have "yeast" which could make him smell! Changing to a quality food can help this *+* a probiotic to put the "good bacteria in his gut".
These contain quality ingredients: 
*Sunday Sundae* (Digestive Enzyme & Pro-Biotic Combo): Sunday-Sundae-12oz
*Gut Sense* (ProBiotic): http://dr-dobias-natural-healing-usa...ducts/gutsense 
 *Digest All Plus:* (Digestive Enzyme/ProBiotic combo) Wholistic Digest All Plus? - Digestive Support - Canine

*Wash your dog with an herbal shampoo that contains Lavender Oil or Cedar Oil . Then make a rinse of the following: 
Organic Raw Apple Cider Vinegar (helps neutralize odors) from a health food store, they usually carry the brand "Braggs". 

Raw Organic Apple Cider Vinegar has anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties. You will know it is organic because you will see “The Mother” (which contains the medicinal properties) floating around in the bottle. Regular Apple Cider Vinegar has been processed with heat and is different from Organic ACV. 

Make a 50/50 mix of the the Organic ACV with purified water (not city tap water) and rub the Organic ACV mix down into the skin/coat, working in small areas, until the whole dog is covered including legs and belly. Let dog drip dry, do not rinse off. Put the mix in a spray bottle and spray on his coat a couple of times per week. Do not put on open sores or get in eyes as vinegar stings. You can use this mix to carefully wipe out ears. Ears can also cause odor.


*"Skunked" recipe you could try:
one-quarter cup baking soda, 1 quart of hydrogen peroxide and 1 teaspoon of liquid soap.1 Lather it in, rinse it off, and the odor will be greatly diminished. Pet Nutrition and Animal Wellness - Mercola.com


*Here are some "Non-Chemical" Pet Wipes: Bio Degradable Pet Wipes, Biodegradeable, Non-Toxic Pet Cleaner 

I have a recipe for "homemade" wipes if you'd like it.


*CARPETS & UPHOLSTERED FURNITURE: 

Vacuum often.

Get your rugs and furniture professionally cleaned and ask them to add a deorderizer OR you can try good Old Fashion Baking Soda!

Baking soda *absorbs* *excess* *moisture* and it can also “*trap*” *unpleasant* *smells*. 

1. Simply sprinkle a generous helping of baking soda on the area of the room that is often inhabited by your pets and allow it to sit for a few hours to overnight. Make sure that the soda gets into the fibers.
2. Then all you will need to do is vacuum the area up and it should smell fresh and new once again.
3. You can do this as often as you need to, depending on the situation. The process of getting rid of pet smells couldn’t be easier. How To Use Baking Soda as Carpet Cleaner - The Best Way 

"Sprinkle baking soda liberally over all upholstered surfaces that smell: sofa and chair cushions, arms and back, and even a bed mattress. Allow the baking soda to sit overnight -- all day in the case of a mattress -- then vacuum the powder away."http://homeguides.sfgate.com/rid-dog-smell-furniture-94281.html 

If your dog is allowed on furniture, cover with sheets and wash these weekly or more often. Wash the dogs bed too. You can also use baking soda in the wash!

***NOTE:* Keep dog out of the room that you are using the baking soda in or away from/off the piece of furniture you are treating *until it is thoroughly *vacuumed. 


*You can purchase Lavender Essential Oil (or an E.O. of your choice) in a health food store or a store like Whole Foods. 
Using a clean spray bottle add 1 cup of purified water, 10- 15 drops of the Essential Oil and1 to 2 *small* *DROPS* of liquid soap (to keep oil mixed). Shake lightly each time before using and spray on dogs coat a few times per week.


*Wondercide products: Natural Pet Grooming & Skincare Solutions 


Good luck!

Moms


----------



## Smithie86 (Jan 9, 2001)

Perfect timing for today. I am cleaning out the dog trailer and the dog van...


----------



## maxtmill (Dec 28, 2010)

Living in Costa Rica, all of our floors are tile, thank God. I vacuum and mop weekly, and broom sweep the hair tumbleweeds as needed. I feed a quality kibble, and square an Alaska salmon oil capsule in my dogs' food daily. Brush once a week, except during shedding periods - then is when I use my equine shedding blade and Furminator on the britches. My couch is microfiber, and I try to keep a throw on it where the dogs like to lie.


----------



## Chip18 (Jan 11, 2014)

drew123 said:


> Hello everybody! I keep my dog in the house as I'm sure some of you do, and I was wondering: are there any certain cleaning products you guys would recommend? My dog sheds a lot, I mean I have tumbleweeds of hair rolling across the floor if I don't vacuum every day, even after brushing her. What are some things you guys could suggest for cleaning up hair, minimizing pet odor, etc? I'm always looking for something new to try.
> 
> Thanks a lot!


LOL no advise but I share your surprise! I always did short haired dogs. Boxers and Bullies and as a choice I avoided long haired breeds. For me that meant Goldens and Collies and such. 

Among my other surprises from lack of research with my first OS WL GSD (just a big furry dog with a pointy face) was the fur!! He did not look like a "long haired" dog to me .... surprise!! Our Rainbow vacume was rendered useless! The carper kept getting darker and darker before I figured out that the "Rainbow" could not pick up his fur??

So yeah ... in anycase welcome aboard.


----------

