Cleaning Tips for Pet Owners: Hair & Odours

Pets make a house a home, but they also bring hair on the couch, paw prints on the floor, a doggy smell in the lounge room and the occasional accident on the carpet. With the right routine, you can keep your home fresh without spending every weekend vacuuming. These cleaning tips for pet owners cover the problems people ask us about most: hair, odours, accidents and keeping cleaning products safe for animals.

Start With Prevention

The less dirt and hair that spreads through your home, the less there is to clean. • Groom regularly. Brushing your dog or cat outside, especially during seasonal shedding, removes loose hair before it ends up on your floors. Ask your vet or groomer about the right tools and frequency for your pet's coat. • Use mats at every entry. A washable mat inside and outside each door catches dirt and water from paws. Keep an old towel by the back door for wiping feet on wet days. • Wash bedding often. Pet beds, blankets and throws collect hair, dander and smells. Choose beds with removable, washable covers. • Cover favourite spots. If your pet sleeps on the couch or bed, a washable throw is much easier to clean than upholstery. • Keep claws trimmed to reduce scratches on floors and furniture.

Removing Pet Hair

Floors

• Vacuum high-traffic areas and pet zones frequently, ideally several times a week in shedding season. • Use a vacuum with good suction and a brush roll suitable for your carpet. Many vacuums have pet attachments designed for hair. • On hard floors, a microfibre dust mop picks up hair without blowing it around the way a broom can. • Empty the vacuum and clean filters regularly. A clogged filter reduces suction.

Couches and upholstery

• Use the vacuum's upholstery tool, working with the direction of the fabric. • A slightly damp rubber glove or a rubber pet hair brush, run over the fabric, rolls hair into clumps that are easy to pick up. • Lint rollers are handy for quick touch-ups before guests arrive. • For a deeper clean, see our upholstery deep cleaning guide.

Clothing and bedding

• Shake items outside before washing. • Run them through a dryer cycle without heat for a few minutes first to loosen hair, if the care label allows. • Clean the lint filter after every load.

Dealing With Pet Odours

Smells usually come from a source you can clean, not from the air itself. Air fresheners and sprays only cover them up.

Find the source

• Pet bedding and blankets. • Carpets and rugs where pets lie or have had accidents. • Upholstery and cushions. • Litter trays, food bowls and the floor around them. • The pet itself, which may need a bath or a vet check if the smell is unusual.

Clean the source

• Wash bedding and throws in hot water if the care label allows. • Clean food and water bowls daily. • Scoop litter trays daily and wash them regularly with mild detergent. • Sprinkle bicarbonate of soda on carpets and rugs, leave it for a while, then vacuum it up. It helps absorb mild odours. • Ventilate the house. Opening windows regularly makes a big difference.

When odours keep coming back

If a room smells despite regular cleaning, the problem may be deep in the carpet or underlay, often from old urine accidents. A professional hot-water extraction clean can help. If urine has soaked through to the underlay, the underlay may need replacing in that area.

Cleaning Up Pet Accidents

Speed matters with accidents. The faster you deal with them, the less likely they are to stain or smell.

Urine on carpet

1. Blot up as much as possible with paper towel. Press firmly, and don't rub. 2. Blot with a solution of white vinegar and water. 3. Rinse with a little plain water and blot again. 4. Apply an enzyme-based cleaner made for pet stains, following the label. Enzyme cleaners help break down the compounds that cause lingering odour. 5. Let it dry completely. Avoid steam and very hot water on urine, as heat can set the stain and the smell. Our guide on how to remove carpet stains covers more stain types.

Vomit and faeces

Remove solids with a scraper or paper towel, working inwards. Blot with cool water and a little mild detergent, rinse, then use an enzyme cleaner if needed. Wash your hands thoroughly afterwards.

Hard floors

Wipe up quickly, clean with a mild detergent, and dry the area. On timber floors, don't leave liquid sitting, because it can damage the finish.

Why pets go back to the same spot

If the smell remains, even faintly, pets may return to the same place. Thorough cleaning with an enzyme product helps break this habit. Repeated accidents can also be a sign of a health or behaviour issue, so talk to your vet.

Choosing Pet-Safe Cleaning Products

Pets walk on floors, lick their paws and lie on surfaces we clean, so product choice matters. • Read labels. Follow directions and keep pets out of the room until surfaces are dry. • Be cautious with strong fragrances and essential oils. Some can be harmful to pets, particularly cats. Ask your vet if you're unsure about a specific product. • Rinse floors after using stronger cleaners. • Store products securely, out of reach of curious pets. • Never mix chemicals. Combining products such as bleach and ammonia can release toxic fumes. • Ventilate while cleaning and afterwards. Tell your cleaner if you have pets, so they can choose suitable products and know which rooms to keep pets out of.

A Simple Weekly Routine for Pet Owners

• Daily: quick vacuum or dust mop of pet zones, wipe paw prints at doors, clean food bowls, scoop litter. • Twice weekly: full vacuum of carpets, rugs and couches. • Weekly: wash pet bedding and throws, mop hard floors, wipe glass doors at nose height. • Monthly: wash pet toys, clean the vacuum filter, deep clean the litter tray area. • Periodically: professional carpet and upholstery cleaning.

When to Call a Professional

A regular professional clean takes care of the vacuuming, mopping and bathrooms, so you can focus on daily pet tasks. If you have several pets or a heavy shedder, a weekly clean is often worth considering. Our house cleaning service is pet-friendly, and our carpet cleaning service tackles embedded hair, stains and odours.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best way to remove dog hair from carpet?

Vacuum often with good suction and a suitable brush roll. A rubber broom or rubber brush run over the carpet first can lift embedded hair so the vacuum picks it up.

How do I get rid of pet smell in my house?

Clean the source: bedding, carpets, upholstery, bowls and litter areas. Ventilate regularly. If smells persist, a professional carpet clean can remove odour embedded in the fibres.

Are enzyme cleaners safe for pets?

Many are designed for use around pets. Follow the label, keep pets away until the area is dry, and check with your vet if you have concerns.

Do professional cleaners clean homes with pets?

Yes. Let the cleaning company know about your pets in advance, including any that are nervous or might escape, and which products to avoid.

A Fresh Home for Everyone

If pet hair and smells are winning, contact iCleanPro to book a regular clean or a carpet refresh. Related guide: Cleaning for Allergy Sufferers: Reducing Dust, Pollen and Mites at Home

Cleaning Tips for Pet Owners: Hair, Odours and Accidents