As a pet owner, keeping a clean home can feel like a never-ending task, especially with fur, muddy paws, and unexpected messes.
That’s why having the right essential cleaning tools on hand is so important, so it's always the perfect time to stock up and invest in those must-have items that can make pet cleanup easier.
Here, we’ll round up the essential cleaning products every pet owner should grab. From the best vacuums for pet hair to pet-friendly stain removers, these items will help you stay on top of the mess and keep your home fresh, no matter how much your furry friends roam around.
The Amazon cleaning essentials people with pets need
Knowing all the best cleaning tips is all well and good, but if you don't have the right tools and cleaning supplies for pet owners at your disposal, keeping a clean home when you have pets will always be a struggle.
1. Carpet rakes
Removing pet hair from fabric is a task many pet owners struggle with. Lint rollers and vacuums do a lot to help the problem at the surface, but hair always finds a way to matt itself into carpets and upholstery, seemingly for good.
That is unless you have a carpet rake. Having tried five ways of removing pet hair from fabric, I can attest to the carpet rake being the best way of removing stubborn matts of hair from carpets and furniture, without leaving any lingering offenders behind.
The only down side is it requires a lot of time down on your hands and knees with some elbow grease, but I think they pay off is more than worth it for fresh looking carpets.
Head of Solved at Homes & Gardens, Punteha van Terheyden, has used this style of fur removing tool and seen how even after vacuuming daily, there is plenty of cat hair pulled up from her carpets.
She says, 'It's actually horrifying the way carpet traps fur from my two cats in its fibers. I always thought because we vacuumed daily it would be OK but using a carpet rake for the first time gave me a shock. Now it's a weekly task in our house and my favorite cleaning product for pet hair which helps keep the build-up much lower.'
The Uproot carpet rake has over 18,000 five-star reviews from customers on Amazon. They love how easy it is to use and effectiveness, and say it works on everything from carpet to upholstery, to car seats. One thing to note is that it may damage delicate materials, so it worth patch testing before committing to a large, noticeable area.
2. A pet-specific vacuum
When looking for the best vacuum as a pet owner, we highly recommend investing in a model made specifically for homes with pets. You need a good mix of suction, brush strength, and capacity to see results when tackling mud and pet hair everywhere from your home to your car.
I use my handheld vacuum cleaner every day to stay on top of small messes before they get bigger, and they are perfect for tackling pet hair.
Rated H&G's best upright vacuum for pet hair, the Dyson Ball Animal has excellent suction power and is particularly excellent on carpet to help remove stubborn spots. It also has a huge dustbin to make emptying less frequent. The main downside is it is heavier than some vacuums making it a bit awkward in multi-level homes.
The Ultenic Cordless Vacuum was rated H&G's best value pet hair vacuum. It is lightweight and compact, with great suction. However, it can need cleaning and emptying more frequent than a larger upright vacuum.
If you need a small handled vacuum to help tackle hair on furniture before it builds up, the Brigii is our choice. While it has limited capacity, it has impressive suction power and is great for quickly tackling small messes before they get worse. It is super lightweight, too.
3. A stain and odor spray
Trying to make a home smell nice when you have pets can be difficult, especially if you have pets that love to roll around in puddles, or are prone to a few accidents.
While you can try to mask odors with the best candles and the best essential oil diffusers, it is always best to treat them and any stains at the source.
Remember to always pick options that are specifically for pet stains and odors, as they will be more effective against organic marks while being safe for use around your precious animals.
Then, once stains have been treated and cleaned, you can use a home fragrance favorite. Ottilie Blackhall, news writer on Solved here at H&G has four dogs, and has never received so many 'your home smells amazing' compliments since using a Jo Malone diffuser. She opted for the bestselling Jo Malone London Pomegranate Noir Scent Surround Diffuser available at Amazon, but any of their scents is worthy of a place in a pet lovers home.
With over 80,000 five-star reviews, Amazon customers love this spray for its effectiveness at breaking down organic stains without being toxic to their pets. Thanks to its enzyme formulation, it's great at tackling stubborn pet smells on a variety of surfaces.
4. An air purifier
When you think of cleaning tools, the best air purifiers don't always come to mind. However, keeping your air clean when you have pets can make a world of difference to both your and your furry friend's health. Not to mention it can drastically reduce dust and hair that you would have to manually clean up later.
There are ways to improve air quality indoors without an air purifier, but it is a lot easier once you have chosen the right air purifier for your home and lifestyle.
In busy households with pets, we suggest getting a purifier with cleanable filters, such as the Shark NeverChange Air Purifier MAX, so you can save money at home on filter replacements.
Rated H&G's best overall air purifier The Shark NeverChange Air Purifier MAX can cover spaces up to 1,400 square feet with smart air quality detection. Cleanable filters avoid any filter replacement costs for up to five years.
Investing in the best pet-specific cleaning tools does more than ensure your home stays neat and tidy. It is a great way to make a home pet friendly, too, helping to keep their spaces clean to prevent pests and illness that could have been otherwise prevented.
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