Clean up your Dog Naturally and Eco-Friendly

Everyone who has ever owned a dog will tell you that cleaning up after a dog is not the easiest task in the world. They bring dirt and mud inside your home and leave paw-prints just about everywhere. Since nobody likes living in a messy and dirty home, we all try to clean up as soon as possible and that’s a process that never ends.

The fact that dogs’ bodies are much closer to the ground means they are more exposed to dirt than their owners. So, if we have to deal with this problem, can we at least make it as natural and eco-friendly as possible? Most definitely.

Treating carpets

You can use good, old baking soda to freshen up your rugs and carpets, but make sure you don’t overdo it. Allow the baking soda half an hour to set and then vacuum the carpet. You can also apply a handful of baking soda to the dog’s coat, but don’t forget to brush it immediately.

Urine stains

One of the most unpleasant things a dog owner has to deal with is urine stains. If the stain is still fresh, use a paper towel to dry it. When the paper towel soaks up most of the urine, apply a mix of vinegar and water in equal measure to neutralise the smell first. This should be followed by a good scrub of the spot. After that, sprinkle baking soda on the spot and wait until it’s completely dry. Finally, vacuum the area.

Hair

Depending on the breed of your dog, you’ll have to deal with its hair more or less frequently, but there’s no dog that doesn’t shed. You’ll have to invest in some good hairbrush or even take it to the groomer every once in a while. If you manage to make it a routine, your dog will look nicer and it’ll be less likely to bring filth into your home. There are also some organic products that you can use to make the hair shinier and better looking, so you might want to check them out, too.

Fleas

Almost every dog has had problems with fleas at least once. The market is saturated with various products promising to help you get rid of the fleas, but you really need to be careful about how many potentially harmful chemicals some products contain. It’s best to consult your vet and ask for a recommendation when it comes to a natural and efficient flea treatment for dogs.

Paper towels

The most popular choice for cleaning up is also creating much more waste. So, try using towels or rags instead, or reusable personal hand towels that you can wash in the machine. This will help you reduce the waste and you’ll be spending less.

Dog poop

Hopefully, you’re scooping your dog’s poop regularly. Now, think about the bags you’re using for this purpose. Are they regular plastic bags or biodegradable ones? If you think there is no significant difference between the two, consider that a plastic bag takes around 1,500 years to break down, while a biodegradable one needs around one month. Also, you can compost your dog’s waste, thus going even more eco-friendly.

Messy eaters

One of the biggest messes your dog can make is during and after eating. When your hungry friend starts munching its food, it happens very often that you can find food residues all over the place. Not only that, but sometimes the food ends up on its neck and gets spread around the house. One possible solution is to put a dog bandana around the dog’s neck before every meal and put a plastic mat under the food and water bowls. Once your dog has finished with the meal, you simply take the mat and rinse it with hot water. If the mat is big enough and you perform this action immediately after the meal, your floor will remain clean without any significant effort.

Cleaning up is a challenging, but necessary task. Still, it’s also an opportunity for you to go green and reduce the negative impact of using chemicals and help preserve the environment as much as possible. After all, we all want to enjoy our time with our four-legged friends in the most natural way, don’t we?

Author Bio
Amelia Atkins is an author at Smooth Decorator and a fresh architecture student. The love for architecture and design runs in her family and she knew what she wanted to do from a very young age. You can often find her with a notepad in hand, just looking at the clouds, dreaming about the next skyscraper.
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