How do you keep your house clean?? W/multiple pets and/or longhaired dogs?

[Lyzelle]

In my mother's house, 'normal' daily cleaning was mopping the kitchen floor, vacuuming all floors(including baseboards and furniture), kitchen completely wiped down, all surfaces wiped clean of dust, dishes done, minor laundry and dog laundry done, and all major clutter or mess(strewn crap on counters or blankets or toys on floors) dealt with.

"Deep cleaning" was much, much more, and done once a week. Shampoo carpets, bed and curtain laundry, animal cages pulled out and completely hosed/bleached down, all windows, vacuum stairs, pantry and fridge/freezer cleaned out of old food and wiped down, window blinds sprayed down and wiped clean, furniture pulled out and floors 'properly' vacuumed, bathrooms completely bleached top to bottom, so on and so forth. Complete cleaning of the house, inside and out.

And it didn't matter what hours you worked, in her house. You did it, period. Full time student, full time job, or both. If anything else, the house was always clean and I have above-average cleaning skills that allow me to excel in maid/housekeeping type of work. Lol.

[Lyzelle]

Originally Posted by Paige

I go straight to the source and vaccum the dog.

I've done this. Zander doesn't mind. Just gives me a bratty look.

[Paige]

My cat hardly sheds at all. My mom's cat sheds a fair bit but really its the dog that sheds everywhere. We decluttered the whole house. Got rid of anything extra that could hold hair or he could lay on so we would have less laundry. Clean the floors daily. Brush him often. Change the bedding lots too. Live with dog hair getting on the clothes.

[sassafras]

Yea, I think the dogs are WAY worse than the cats as far as shedding.

I tried vacuuming Squash once, he didn't mind it but I don't think it really did much, either.

[Southpaw]

Lucy doesn't really shed, and Juno sheds a fair amount but with short hairs you don't really notice it. But my mom vacuums every day - we have hardwood floors and a couple rugs. Once a week or so she gets on her hands and knees and scrubs them (I keep telling her we should just get a Swiffer... she insists those don't do the job right).

The cat sheds WAY worse than the dogs. WAY WAY worse. Every time I pet him, a tumbleweed of hair falls to the ground. And he's short-haired too.

[JessLough]

Originally Posted by Southpaw

(I keep telling her we should just get a Swiffer... she insists those don't do the job right).

Definitely don't do the job right They leave the floors sticky and gross

[Romy]

Forced air dryer for the dogs and dyson vacuum for the floor. The dyson works great on kid mess too.

[Southpaw]

Originally Posted by JessLough

Definitely don't do the job right They leave the floors sticky and gross

They're convenient though!!

[crazedACD]

Vacuum everyday or every other day in the dog areas...especially the birds. The living room is cat only and there is way less hair.

[misfitz]

Originally Posted by Paige

I go straight to the source and vaccum the dog.

Haha! Totally. I think I need to suck it up (er, no pun intended) and pay for a professional groomer, 'cause those blow dryers they use are amazing at getting the hair off of the dog. Bathing her at home just makes more of a mess.

Lyzelle, wow! Props to your mother, that's a ton of work! I love a clean house but am still trying to figure out how to balance cleaning with working full-time.

Got rid of anything extra that could hold hair or he could lay on so we would have less laundry.

Did this, too. In my apartment complex the laundry room prices are a total ripoff. The less stuff I have to machine wash, the better. I was putting sheets over the sofas, but that ended up being an extra load of laundry a week at least. If it were just the dog, I'd use throws but the cat lays (and sheds) all over the backs and arms of both couches. Every time I take off/put back on (ie, wrestle with) the slipcovers I curse our &@*%&! Ikea sofas.

The cat sheds WAY worse than the dogs. WAY WAY worse. Every time I pet him, a tumbleweed of hair falls to the ground. And he's short-haired too.

Yeah, that sounds just like my cat! If you look at her, she sheds. Darn double-coated spitz cats.

I 'hacked' my swiffer - the cleaning solution that comes with it wasn't making my hardwood floors happy, so I made my own with Murphy's oil soap and dry swiffer cloths. Works much better! I like the smell better, too.