Living with Pets Means Playing a Different Cleaning Game
If you have a dog, a cat, or both, you already know that regular cleaning advice just doesn't fully apply to you. The tips written for pet-free homes are missing entire categories of mess — shedding, dander, muddy paw prints, that smell that creeps in over time, and the way pet hair finds its way into things you'd never expect.
At Simply Done Cleaning, a significant portion of our clients are pet households in Grande Prairie. Here's what we've learned works, and what doesn't.
Pet Hair: The Ongoing Battle
Pet hair is relentless, but it's manageable with the right approach.
- Vacuum more often than you think you need to. For shedding breeds, twice a week beats one thorough session. Frequency matters more than duration
- Use a vacuum with HEPA filtration — standard vacuums blow fine dander back into the air while picking up the visible hair. HEPA traps it
- Rubber gloves on upholstery — put on a damp rubber glove and run your hand over couches and chairs. The friction grabs embedded hair that vacuum attachments leave behind
- Lint rollers by the door — a quick roll before you leave handles the visible hair on your clothes without a second thought
- Wash pet bedding weekly — pet beds and blankets are concentrated hair and odour sources. Regular washing keeps them from contaminating the rest of the room
Managing Pet Odour
The smell that builds up in pet households comes from a few sources: dander embedded in carpet and upholstery, oils from pet fur on furniture, and urine if there have been any accidents. Each one requires a different approach.
- Enzymatic cleaners for accidents — standard household cleaners mask pet urine odour temporarily. Enzymatic cleaners break down the proteins and eliminate the odour permanently. This is non-negotiable if you're dealing with accidents on carpet or upholstery
- Baking soda on carpets — sprinkle over carpet, let sit for 20–30 minutes, vacuum up. It absorbs ambient odours without introducing chemicals
- Air purifiers with HEPA filters — especially helpful in rooms where pets spend most of their time. They catch airborne dander continuously
- Wash your dog more regularly — the frequency depends on breed, but most dogs benefit from bathing every 4–6 weeks. A clean dog means less oil transfer to your furniture and floors
Muddy Paws and Entry Zones
In Grande Prairie, this is a real problem from October through April — snow, mud, and slush getting tracked in multiple times a day. A few habits make a huge difference:
- Keep a dedicated towel and a small tub of water by the door for paw wiping after walks
- Use a washable mat just inside and outside the door — it catches most of the grime before it reaches your floors
- For carpet near entries, a quick spot vacuum after muddy walks prevents ground-in staining
Protecting Furniture
If your pets share the furniture (most do, regardless of what the rules say), a few practical measures help:
- Use washable furniture covers or throws on favored spots — wash them weekly
- Wipe leather furniture regularly with a conditioner — pet oils can degrade leather over time
- Vacuum under cushions weekly — this is where dander concentrates
When Professional Cleaning Makes the Difference
There's a ceiling on what regular home cleaning can achieve in a pet household. Dander embedded deep in carpet fibers, odour that's settled into the carpet backing and pad underneath, pet hair worked into upholstery seams — these require professional hot water extraction to properly remove.
We recommend our pet-household clients schedule a professional carpet and upholstery steam clean every three to four months. It resets things in a way that daily maintenance can't, and it makes a noticeable difference for anyone in the household with allergies.
Carpet steam cleaning starts at $55/room. To book or ask questions, call us at 780-831-8950. We understand pet homes and we bring the right products for them.