If you are expecting guests this holiday season, you are probably in full host/hostess mode, which includes thoroughly cleaning your house, preparing meals and recipes, buying gifts and decorating, etc. Pretty soon, you might start to feel overwhelmed. And who could blame you? There is so much to do! Therefore, I want to provide you with a brief checklist of pet items you will want to clean before your holiday guests arrive. Because taking care of this list will make your pet-friendly home smell great for the holidays!
1. Pet Crate
When was the last time you took all of your pet’s beds and blankets out of the crate to clean the inside? If you are a busy pet parent, this might have been a while ago. So, don’t forget to take everything out of the crate. Then, give it a good sweep and vacuum, and lastly, wipe down the inside of the crate with an environmentally friendly and pet-safe cleaner.
2. Dog Blankets
Since you will be taking the blankets out of your dog’s crate anyway, you might as well throw them in the washing machine. Since the oils on pet fur can change the smell of a blanket rather quickly, you might want to keep a few blankets aside for the day your guests arrive.
If you are interested in investing in a blanket that you won’t have to wash every week just to keep up with the smell, I highly recommend this anti-microbial blanket from World of Angus.
3. Dog Sweaters and Bandanas
When you look down at your pet amidst your scheduling, planning, cooking, and cleaning, you might think to yourself, “Oh ya, I wanted you to wear your Christmas sweater”. Most of Rooney’s sweaters and bandanas have been sitting in a box upstairs. So before anyone visits for the holidays, I want to make sure Rooney’s holiday related clothing and bandanas are freshly laundered.
4. Treat Jar & Shelf
In our house, we have a dedicated shelf for Rooney’s treats, in addition to Rooney’s treat jar. Think to yourself. When was the last time you cleaned the treat jar or the shelf? The shelf is probably covered in dust and treat crumbs. Additionally, the treat jar probably has a strong bacon odor. Today just might be the perfect day to take the time to clean both.
5. Kong & Regular Toys
Do you know what your dog’s toys and kong smell like right now? Imagine what your shirt would smell like if you drooled all over it and got your smelliest food crumbs on it. The answer is, pretty bad. Therefore, I would take the time to clean your dog’s Kong and wash any washable dog toys. You may not think these are a problem item, but each toy is adding to the cumulative smell of your home.
6. The Doors & Windows
Of course, these aren’t an item in your home that are specifically used by your pets, but I bet your pet lays by the doors or windows quite a bit. If you take a look at those windows right now, I bet you will see some nose art. Additionally, on the front door, you might see some dirt marks where your pet has been resting lately.
7. Under the Couch and Guest Bed
I don’t know about you, but these are the spots that seem to collect Rooney’s hair the most. Don’t forget to give these areas an extra once over with the vacuum before your guests arrive.
8. Pet Bowls & Placemats
Pet bowls can get dirty very quickly. If you aren’t already in the habit of cleaning your pet’s bowls daily, this is something you will definitely want to do before your guests arrive. Lastly, don’t forget to wash or clean your pet’s placemat as well.
M. K. Clinton
December 15, 2016 at 5:48 pmThese are all great reminders. Since we are at home most of the day, I keep the house and the boys’ stuff clean on a regular basis. When we both worked outside the home, it was a Saturday job. LOL!
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