For many dog and cat owners, pets are a firm fixture of family life. And sensing this our four-legged friends think nothing of lazing on our sofas, setting up residence at the end of our beds and generally making themselves feel right at home wherever they are.
Related: 5 genius cleaning hacks from the Queen of Clean Lynsey Crombie that you'll want to try right now!
Inevitably they leave a trail of fur and more in their wake, and it's up to their human counterparts to clean up after them. Thankfully there are a number of easy-to-execute pet cleaning hacks – including those from online pet store My Pet Needs That below – that help to banish pet odours and restore our homes almost back to their pre-pet days.
Pet cleaning hacks
Here are five of the best...
1. Rosemary
This hardy, fragrant herb is easy-to-grow and works wonders on any smudges that appear on wood flooring or walls as a result of paw prints. Fill a spray bottle half-way with water, and put white distilled vinegar in the other half. Pop some sprigs of rosemary and a squeeze of lemon juice into the mixture, shake and leave in a cool dry place for a week and use as and when needed.
2. White Vinegar
Any water-soluble stains will be gone in a jiffy with this solution, and it works particularly well on mud stains (dog owners take note). Mix one tablespoon of white distilled vinegar – you should be able to pick this up at most supermarkets – with 1.4 litres of water. Spray directly onto a mud stain, leave to settle for a few minutes and rinse clean with warm water.
3. Vodka
Who knew that spirits could hold the key to a fresher scent? If you have lingering pet odours spritz a small amount of neat original vodka – the kind without any added flavourings – on fabrics and leave to evaporate to lift any unwanted smells. It shouldn't affect your fabric colour, but you can always do a test patch to be safe.
4. Apple Cider Vinegar
It's vinegar to the rescue once again. If the ‘smell of dog’ has taken hold in your rugs and carpets, then an apple cider mix could be the solution you've been searching for. Mix apple cider vinegar with 3 parts water in a spray bottle, spray the affected area and leave to soak for up to 5 minutes. Soak up the excess solution by blotting a towel over the area. Leave the remaining solution to evaporate.
5. Baking Soda
Baking soda is another great solution for neutralising unwanted pet smells. Dust baking soda over rugs, carpets and fabrics where it will absorb odours, and hoover up to complete this cleaning hack.
Related: How to keep your pets cool this summer
Which pet cleaning hack will you be trying out?
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