If you have more than one dog...how do you keep your house clean?
 

I have three little ones, by default, I love them all but would never have chosen to have three. I have a tiny house and I feel like it is always dirty because of them. They have ruined the carpet which I hope to be able to afford to replace in a couple of months with hardwood. Though none of them shed much, there is still always dog hair around. Their food stinks and their beds takes up too much of my kitchen. I have two grown sons and when they marry and have kids, I doubt they would want to bring their kids to my house because of this. I try my best to keep it clean. I vacumn and mop everyday. I did make the mistake of letting the dogs on the furniture and beds which I am very sorry about. I doubt though that I could stop that now. I grew up fairly poor and never felt like my mom was a great housekeeper, and I have tried to be different, but my love for dogs has now gotten in the way. If you have more than one...how do you make sure your house is clean?
Laura

it is difficult!
I just always make sure the pups are clean and that helps, I think they think I am crazy cuz I bath and wash their feet so much...
I use LOTS of lysol and also air cleaners. I sometimes feel that I can never keep it clean enough but I know it is clean under the puppy stuff... LOL
good Luck!
d

Febreeze helps, but I too am in that situation. The fault lies more on my sister though, when she visits with Zippy. Zippy poops, pees, and pukes all over the house, its to the point that if she is visiting I take up the rug, and beds in the TV room. Currently the main stinky is the living room carpet, especially since its humid right now. All the deep rooted animal smells are surfacing :( I'm trying to schedule a carpet cleaning so I can have at least a few weeks of clean carpet before Zippy visits again. You do what you can to keep tidy, no body is perfect. You just want to ensure a healthy living space for you and your pets.

when we moved into this house it smelled like cat pee we ripped up the carpets bleached the floors and when we replaced the carpeting we got padding that has rubber on both sides so the pee never soaks in and if the dogs do pee on it now i use natures miracle on it right away. i also steam clean it once a month. i dont really find that much dog hair for some reason. my main problem is the dogs take out more toys then the kids i babysit for lol. but thats ok i am more anal about clean rather then neat, toys are no biggie.

I hear ya, its a never ending job, with 4 iam always cleaning, they are all potty trained now but have totally ruined my carpets in the process, I just had my carpets cleaned and i use harmor hammer for pets in the air, Im thinking of putting tile in all my rooms except bedrooms, I scub there there kennels out every other day, and bath them all once a week, that helps but its a job. I wouldnt have it anyother way though:p :p

I wish I knew the answer to that question. I even went to the extreme to by a dyson vacuum, I try to vacuum every other day as well as mop, but they still track in grass and stuff even with that.

I bath the dogs once a week, and try to keep them off the furniture, but hubbie lets them get on, so thats a lost cause, I just do the best I can and try not to worry about it.

I don't have much advice for carpets...but for anyone who has a rug, I think I can help. Tia peed on and chewed up 3 little area rugs we went through at our front door. With our latest one, as soon as we put it down I invited my husband to lie down with me on it to pretend to nap, to play with Tia on it, and just relax (I know we must've looked nuts). She hasn't peed on it or chewed it since. i think we intilled in her that the rug is a place where mommy and daddy sleep and her too, so she won't do anything there that she would do in our bed.

Definetly look into hardwood....although ceramic tile can be a comparable (and sometimes less expensive) option that is easier to maintain, with less damage to worry about. Then there is a steam mop made by a company called Thane (they have an infomercial) that works like a CHARM!! Gets rid of the smell too!

This is a common concern of mine too -- we have 4 and they definately make a mess. We live in the country and all four of mine thoroughly love the outdoors. I shake my head every time I sweep the kitchen at the amount of grass/dirt/debris they track in. Toys are always here and there. Even as I pick them up to vacuum, my little Ben is busy dragging them back out as fast as he can.

Mine are a constant part of our family life and we have just accepted that it is like having perpetual toddlers. Thank goodness for Febreeze and my Bissell carpet cleaner! They do make for extra work, but they are worth every minute of it!

our Skip has had so many accidents on our carpet- eventhough we get it cleaned, thay still resurface. Right at this time- guys are working in my house to put down laminate in my family room, one guy just walked by me and said"the good old internet"....so they are as you can see- here right now. I was just talking with my husband in tyhe bedroom with my coffee in my hand when skippy jumped up to me...my husband said-well, now we need to get that cleaned too! AND I'm getting a new baby in December!!!:embarasse

.....I think everyone's comments are great advice....you just have to do the best you can and then don't stress about it.....I love hearing ......"we have accepted that...." and "my husband said..."....this means that the family is in it together....if you can raise the pups as members of the family and have the rest of the family's support I think that is HUGE because you don't need the added stress of a family member not understanding .....

I have two and it isn't too bad. They are not allowed upstairs (all carpeted) and are 'supervised' in the bedroom (also carpeted)...they are not dirty when they go in there, so they will only scatter toys and play chase, which is no big deal. ;) They love to sleep in the office, so I had very nice vinyl flooring installed. They have the kitchen, the greatroom, the office and entryways to run in. There's plenty of room and there is no carpeting. Also, when it is wet outside, I put the doggy towel on the floor when they come in. They know they are going to get their feet wiped somewhat. I walk them in the yard...they do not have free run in and out...so that prevents a lot of tracking dirt in and out. I worry too much about hawks, snakes, fire ants, etc. I just reread this...I guess I'm anal!! LOL :rolleyes:

I have three, and its really not that bad for me. I give the floor a good mopping once a week but every night after I do the dishes I run a damp mop to pick up whatever has trailed in and once a week I wash all the area rugs and their bedding. I have decorative throw blankets (which I painstakingly shopped for so it looks like part of the sofa) that I wash once a week. I give them a bath every week and comb their hair every day therefore, I don't have much hair around the house. Oh.. and it helps that I don't have carpeting... Actually, thats the biggest help of all...

As a mother of five 2-legged children, I learned pretty early on how to best keep things in order - - AND how to delegate chores!! So when the furfaces started coming along, it wasn't all that difficult since I'd already resolved to hard wood or stone tiled floors in the majority of the house (but the house is very small as well, so it's still tough with clutter issues sometimes) - as well as mostly leather furniture in the living room and stain resistant carpets in the bedrooms.
I still have two kids at home and now have SIX furfaces in the house.... from the tiniest of my 1.5 lb Yorkie baby to the big ol' 75 lb Border Collie mix - (and stair step sizes in between) - - - so chaos is a constant here... but with diligent feet, face and bottom washes - it's not intolerable to be here at home with them.
The biggest issue is the younger dogs who still have the "chew anything and everything" phase going on.... so keeping things out of reach is the hardest part, I think.
My Yorkie baby never touches the ground unless we're outside to potty.... her precious little feet never touch the floor.... so it's pretty simple to keep her and her area clean.... she's in my bed, in my arms or in her playpen or bassinet .... potties on the wee pads when it's too cold to go outside and that makes for easy clean up.
The rest of the dogs are all housetrained and go in and out all day.... (a doggie door helps!) - - - so aside from a quick clean up each night with the broom to keep the hair off the floors - a good mopping once a week - and the couple of baby gates that we've all learned to maneuver around - it's just your basic dishes, laundry and other yucky daily stuff to worry about!!

you dont lol. I have ma place clean but untidy if you know what I mean, stuff all over with him playing, can imagine what it will look like with two:eek:

I think alot of it is getting yourself in a routine. I have 2 little boys and also take care of my 11 month grand baby. We only keep one bed in the kitchen big enough for them both. I have to mop the kitchen everyday. The baby is learning to feed herself and she has learned that she can "drop" stuff for the boys. lol. Sometimes they eat it, sometimes not. We use potty pads. They boys do not go outside. I have to vaccuum every day also for the same reasoning. As for toys, they are everywhere. I do a pick up 3 times a day...lol...We also have baby gates on both sides of the kitchen to keep baby out of cabinets and to let the boys have time away from baby..lol.

We do have accidents- both the boys and the baby.. So we have the carpets cleaned every other month.

Food, we feed Canidae and they get fed twice a day. I pick up their bowls after they finish each meal. Water bowl is the only thing left down. So no food smells...

I do wash their bedding every morning. And for smell- No one has ever said anything bad. I have Wallflowers(airfreshners from BBW-best thing ever made IMO) They are fantastic. Can't smell dogs or baby..lol....

The boys also get bathe every Sunday afternoon.

There is 8 dogs in my household, well 11 if you count the pups but they are too young yet to be making a mess.

I have a routine that I do. I am very picky about the house being clean, I hate for it to smell or look messy.

I sweep the floors everyday, wash out dog bowls and water fountains everyday, change the pads twice a day,and I wash their toys and beds every week. The dogs have either been using the potty tent or going outside so we don't have accidents very often. But when we do I steam clean the carpets.
I also give the dogs a bath every week which helps the most. I can't stand a dog smelling like a dog so they are kept clean and nice smelling.
It is a lot of work but the result is great, I have a clean nice smelling house because of it.

You just have to find what works for you and stay on top of it and keep working at it.

Well...as everyone else has mentioned...it's not easy...BUT it's possible! I have two at the moment, but have had as many as 8, including the cats. By the end of January I'll have 8 again. Mine aren't too bad actually, Maddie is completely trained as long as I take her out every 2-4 hours (depending on how hard she's playing), and Sophie is learning...so she wears a diaper when she has free reign of the house. The diaper comes off when she goes into her crate to nap or goes outside to potty with Maddie. She gets used to the routine and now she's not having any accidents in her diaper...it's just there to remind her to hold it. When I get my little boy in a month and a half or so he'll wear a belly band all the same (of course neither the diaper or this stop the poop...but I'd rather clean up poop any day than pee because you can actually see it). Then when I get my two more adult girls in January I'll have diapers for them so they'll get used to going potty at their new house and get the hang of "potty outside and reward". It sounds tedious and monotonous, but it really pays off in the long run. Yes, they look silly with the diapers on, and yes it costs money to buy the pads and/or the disposable diapers, but I would rather pay it now than pay for a new carpet later. We have a fairly new home so my boyfriend wouldn't exactly be too happy if they ruined the floors! BUT if they DO have the occasional accident, I immediately clean the floor with Nature's Miracle, followed by the deep clean Resolve. I'm also going to invest in a steam cleaner soon, and do that once a week. I think the worst is when it's raining, because their feet get muddy since our grass isn't seeded too well in the backyard...:rolleyes: So the hallway from the back door is a little brownish/red...but I'd rather have mud on the floor than something smelly...lol

And as far as food and toys, etc. I always keep their bed by mine in the bedroom, and their toys are kept in a little basket. I just go behind them and pick up, and chewing on stuff is scolded with a loud clap and a NO! Their food is only out 2-3 times a day when they are fed (for no longer than 30 mins), and that keeps it not smelling, and also keeps bugs and mice away as well. I NEVER leave the food out all day. They're allowed on our furniture but not if they're dirty of course.

They are bathed anywhere from 3 times a week to once a week, depending on the weather and where they've been...lol, so they never smell (partly because it helps keep the house clean and partly because that's a pet peeve of mine...I can't stand the dog smell). I wash their beds/toys/crate pads/clothes/bowls/etc. at least every other day (on extra small load cold cycle because if you continue to keep them clean they don't need a heavy wash and it saves on water some). Annnd I also change their clothes every day, brush/comb their hair every day, wipe their faces with a washcloth or baby wipe, clean their ears and under their tail, clean their paws, and trim any hair that's getting in their way. Brushing daily is a LIFE SAVER!! We have three cats too who shed like crazy, and have to brush them all the time too. We still have a little cat hair on our furniture, but we use those roller brushes and the defurminator thing...and that works pretty well.

Probably the easiest thing to do is just to clean up after each individual mess immediately and stay on top of things the best you can. I know it's difficult, and it seems like I listed a lot, but it really doesn't take that much time once you're used to the routine. My babies are pretty smart, as are most Yorkies, and they pick up on things. They don't make NEAR as big of messes as they did as babies...I think they start to catch on for the most part!!

I knew before I got dogs that I wanted to have a house full, that I knew that meant CLEANING up after them constantly...but I'm willing to do it because I love my babies so much and they're worth it! My career involves working with children, so I'm certainly gotten used to cleaning up each mess as it happens through the years! :D

Hope this helps!

Swiffers are the best! I use both the dry and wet ones once or twice a week. I also change the linens (bed sheets, their blankets, etc.) once a week. It's also key to change the pads often! I think they are the worse things for smelling.

Also candles are great! I was them once a week as well.

I've never had any problems with smells! I think maintenance is the best way to prevent it.

First of all, I open my windows at least for an hr a day (I love fresh air). I wash their bedding weekly. They are currently on Canidae dry so there is no food smell. They also get weekly baths and they are not allowed on ANY furniture (they have their own). Wallflowers are my friends:). I am also a Clorox Clean Bleach fanatic. Our home doesn't have any indication that pets live there (except from the chewed walls in the master bathroom:rolleyes: :D ). Hope this helps:)

I have 9 yorkies and we've pulled up our carpet and have concrete floors but we are planning on getting tile in the future but we've accepted that they are part of our family and if anyone that visits doesn't like it well they know the door they came in and turn around and go right back out it :) coming home and taking care of my dogs is my second job with no pay (money wise). I sweep and mop when needed, wash bedding "DAILY" laundry has become a daily chore but they are worth it and it works for us. I can't imagine anything less than 5 dogs in my house LOL
Donna Bird
Brooklynn's Yorkshire Terriers

They pretty much only pee and poop on the paper and outside when i walk them. Sometimes Teddy will have accidents cause he is not neutered but we have tile floors and i hate them. When he pees on the floor i mop it and spray it with clorox. I want to change my floors to wood floors but my mom doesn't want to. There's no hair around cause mine don't shed.

Clean, clean and clean again. I'm a neat freak so I'm forever washing and vacuming the floors. Not to mention all the little nose prints on the windows.

I suppose I'm just lucky. I've been reading how most of you have to clean and shampoo quite a bit. I have two Yorkies and not one tiny bit of problem. I vacuum once a week and never have to clean up any "accidents". I never have to do any more cleaning with two dogs than I would with no dogs. I'm thinking it's in the training. First and most important is getting them house trained completely before they are allowed more freedom in the house. Second, either train them to their own beds or sleep with them. That's your preference. Second is to bathe them at least once a week and brush them each and every day. No hair in the house and no doggie odor!

Luckily you don't live down south where we have red clay.
I have 4 running around in the house, of course, all of mine are trained to piddle pads, of course, there are stains
in my family room carpet from pee, I clean it up with natures miracle, but you can still see the stain..I also use those febreeze fresheners in my wall plates, don't know why their food bowl would stink...you know, I guess none of this bothers me, I will replace the carpet one day, but these little dogs have such short lives, and they bring so much happiness, that these little things in life don't bother me in the last bit

how do you keep your house clean
 

I have two, and it's a never ending battle to keep the house clean. I purchased a small shallow plastic storage container from Ikea. I put about l inch of warm water in it. On muddy days, they go in it as soon as they walk in the door. I take a tooth brush or scrub brush and gently scrub their foot pads and nails. This helps a lot. I always have a towel ready and they know to step on the towel and get wiped off. They accumulate a lot of dirt in their nails. I vacuum just about every day to keep up with the crud they bring in!

I hear ya. I can top that because I have a 7 year old yorkie, a 4 month old yorkie and 5 cats. I do the best I can but there will always be cat/dog hair and I have ruined more than one vaccuum but I wouldn't take a million dollars for my pets so I just do what I can and if my guest don't like it they can always go home. My animals are my life and my yorkies mean everything to me since I don't have children. I am going to have knee replacement surgery next month and I am worried about trying to keep up but I just do the best I can.

Well I have 2 dogs, 2 cats, and 1 bird so I'm constantly cleaning. I vacume every day. I sweep the kitchen a lot. I clean crates every day and spray Natures Miracle on the dogs' crate trays even if they don't have an accident. The dogs get bathed once a week or more if they get into something. The bird gets a bath too. Lol! When I take my furbabies out to potty I always wipe their feet off if their feet are wet. I have towels just for their feet. When I feed them wet food I put it on a plate and set the plate on a paper towel to keep the food off the floor. As soon as the furbabies are done the food goes in the garbage and I wipe their faces off, wiping up food or any eye boogers at the same time. I don't even give them a chance to go on the carpet and wipe their mouths on the rug.

I am really nuts about cleaning so I clean every Friday night without fail. I mop the floors and make sure I clean well around their crates and food area. I also use a carpet steamer and clean the carpets every 4-6 months depending on how bad I think it is. I have my hallway leading to the 2nd and 3rd bedrooms blocked off with a gate so no one can go in there and mess up anything up.

I keep Yankee Candles burning a lot because I'm so paranoid my house smells like animals. I use Carpet Fresh once a month too and I use plugins. I would die if someone came over and said my house smelled. :D Thank goodness everyone says my house is spotless and there is nothing ever laying around, which to me is great to hear.:D

Me too! :D I'm so OCD I vacume my way out of rooms just so there are no track marks on the carpet!! All you can see are perfect lines where the vacume cleaner was!

I clean every single day. I vacuum every single day. I make sure the dogs are brushed and let out whenever they need to go(that way...no accidents). Yes, even if that means at 2 a.m. they need a potty break. I use glade plug ins throughout my house. I feed dry dog food and use the left over bottled water for the dogs dish so really, there's no food messes from them.

Cleaning is hard work and it is non stop. I have kids, pets and a husband who's always working on something. Everyone always comments on how clean my house is. That's because I'm always cleaning it :)