It’s the Dog Days of Summer but we ‘re not talking about the massive heat waves draping across the country (though you have our sympathies). No, our message this month is much more literal…Dogs and how to keep your home and Fido-friendly business clean of shedding hair, tracked dirt and the occasional “accident” that may take place.

Like all of you, we love our dogs and we treat them as one of the family. This typically means they have full run of your home, your car and you probably take them everywhere you go when possible. After all, when your best buddy brings you as much joy as a dog does, you want to ensure they are having as much fun as you are running errands, exploring the city, and getting out of the house as much as possible.

With all that joy comes the realization that like you, they too must relieve themselves every few hours. Additionally, your home and car are going to look like it spawned a litter of new puppies with all the extra, available hair that sheds from your furry little family member.

Here are a few hacks from Anago Cleaning Systems on how to keep up with your pet’s very natural tendencies:

• Vacuuming isn’t enough. In our experience, to remove dog hair from large area of carpet it is best to use a rubber blade like a window squeegee to rake the area. The rubber blade will easily gather the hair like raking pine needles where you can easily pick up the mounds of hair and dispose. Afterwards, you can give the room a good vacuuming.
• The car is a bit more difficult because of the small spaces, crevasses and hard to reach areas. An old sock wrapped in packing tape or lint rolling tape does wonders. Simply wrap the old sock, wear it like a hand-puppet and start scraping the seats, floors and mats. This will gather the hair much like the rubber blade and allow you to get a great deal of hair out of your car. It is recommended to vacuum afterwards.
• When it comes to urine and other accidents, don’t panic and make sure you use the accident as a teaching moment. After that, blot the area as best you can with towels to remove excess (if it is poop, please do not blot. Standard pick up technique applies depending on the type of poop). After the area is free of excess waste, use a mix of vinegar and baking soda to spray on the carpet. Let it sit for a few minutes then gently blot with a fresh cloth. Repeat as necessary. For more stubborn stains and aromas, there are several green enzymatic cleaners you can find to spray on your carpet.

The most important aspect to cleaning up after an accident is to remain calm and patient. Doggies learn from your reactions, tone of voice and general energy you emit. If you want to curb your dog’s natural tendencies to “wee in the room,” spend a few extra seconds on properly addressing the situation with your doggie. We are not professional dog trainers but encourage you to seek out the never-ending resources online to find the best dog training methods.  To locate an Anago office near you for a customized proposal to clean your office, please visit our website at www.AnagoCleaning.com