Dealing With Pet Messes During the Dog Days of Summer—and Beyond

Can you believe that less than three months ago we were still shoveling the remnants of the winter of 2017-18 off of our sidewalks? It’s crazy when you think about it: snow in April, followed by two months of rainy season, and somehow we already find ourselves in the midst of the Dog Days of Summer!

 

Dog Days Defined

So… what does that even mean, anyway?

I was curious about the origin of the phrase “Dog Days,” so I looked it up. (Hey, I’m a writer, that’s what I do.) Turns out, it doesn’t actually mean that it’s so darn hot that we all just want to lie around panting like dogs. Apparently, the phrase “Dog Days” originated in ancient Greece and referred to Sirius, the dog star, which in July would appear to rise just before the sun.

Those of us who have pets, however, know that the Dog Days of Summer could also refer to that time of year when our dogs or cats are just finishing up the shedding season, losing their winter coat just in time for the summer heat.

Pet Hair and Other Messes

Yes, it’s pretty embarrassing to have guests come into your home, sit on your sofa, and walk away with a fresh coat of dog or cat fur sticking to their pants… Unfortunately, shedding is only one of many ways our furry friends can mess up our homes. Personally, we have a little non-shedding Havanese dog, so one might think we don’t have to worry about cleaning up after him. One would be wrong.

For one thing, our dog does not like to put his precious little paws in the wet grass when he goes outside to do his business in the morning. Instead, he seems to prefer to muddy those precious little paws in the mulch—and then track his precious little footprints right across the kitchen floor.

He also likes to spend a lot of time lounging on the back of the couch in the living room, waiting for all of his neighborhood dog friends to walk by so he can say hi by way of frantic barking— which he cannot do without pressing his paws and his nose all over the windows.

The other thing is, even though he himself is supposedly a hypoallergenic breed, every time he goes outside, he cannot help but carry allergens like tree and grass pollen back into the house in his fur and on his feet.

The Three Pet P’s

If you don’t have a pet but are considering getting one, here’s some unsolicited advice. Maybe you think you can handle a little stray fur, muddy paw-prints, nose prints on the window, etc. But if you’re extremely particular, you’d better think long and hard about whether you can handle what I call the three pet p’s: pee, poop and puke.

Here’s the thing: no matter what pet you own, you are going to have to deal with the three p’s at some point. Your cat is going to puke up hairballs on your bed, and her kitty litter is going to need to be scooped every single day. Your dog is going to get into the trash someday, eat something he shouldn’t, and have diarrhea all over your guest room carpet. Even the goldfish your kid won at the carnival is going to get really smelly and gross if you don’t clean out its poop-filled bowl pretty frequently.

How you handle your pet’s bodily fluids is actually really important. My husband is a Realtor, and although we both grew up owning cats, he refused to let us bring any into in our new house after seeing more than one real estate deal go sour because of the permanent odor of cat pee. Also, once your dog has an accident somewhere in your house, he’ll be drawn by the lingering scent of that as a place to pee again in the future.

So, you really do need to clean up the scene of a pet accident promptly and thoroughly. The best way to do this is to use some kind of an enzymatic pet stain cleaner. There are tons of these on the market. Experts also suggest soaking the area in a mixture of equal parts vinegar and water, followed by a baking soda treatment, to help completely eliminate the odor.

Hiring Outside Cleaning Help

One thing you should NOT do when you need to clean up any of the three p’s is ask your Eldersburg, MD house cleaning crew to do it. They’re not equipped to handle it and it is just not a service they should be expected to provide. If you want professional help cleaning pet stains, hire a professional carpet cleaner, many of whom do have special enzymatic treatments that they use on pet stains.

For all of your other pet messes, you can definitely count on Immaculate Clean! They’ll vacuum up the excess pet hair, dust away the allergens, mop up the paw prints on the floor, and wipe the nose prints from the windows. As a bonus—they love pets and will keep your furry friends company while they clean!

It’s All Worth It

Animal lovers understand that dealing with the occasional mess is a small price to pay for the cuddles, the purrs, the unconditional love, the true joy and companionship that a pet brings to our lives. No matter what kind of pet you own, relax knowing Immaculate Clean can help you keep your home clean so you can enjoy the Dog Days of Summer this year!

About the Author

Dawn Fiscella

Dawn Fiscella

Dawn Fiscella, the President and Founder of Immaculate Clean, embodies the spirit of a dedicated working mom. With a degree in Business Administration from the University of Maryland, Dawn founded Immaculate Clean in 2004 to alleviate the stress of juggling career, family, and home. Under her leadership, the company has flourished, offering exceptional cleaning services across Sarasota, Eldersburg, and various counties in Baltimore. A member of the Association of Residential Cleaning Services International since 2005, Dawn's commitment to creating cleaner, healthier homes is unwavering, making Immaculate Clean a trusted name in the industry.

Related Posts

Family engaged in cleaning the living room. | IC

The Time It Takes to Clean a Whole House: What to Expect

Cleaning a whole house can be daunting, but with the right plan and checklist, you can efficiently tackle the job. In this blog post, we’ll discuss how long it typically takes to clean a whole house and provide you with a comprehensive checklist for a top-to-bottom clean. So, if you’re ready to dive into cleaning the entire house, keep reading!

Read More »

Request A Quote

Fill out the form below, so we can assist you in selecting the perfect cleaning plan for your needs.