Sharing your home with a furry friend is one of life’s greatest joys. But with all the unconditional love comes unlimited fur, dander, waste, and paw prints. Thankfully, you can find a wide array of powerful cleaning products designed to tackle every kind of pet mess. And as a writer with over a decade of…
The Best Pet-Safe Floor Cleaner
When shopping for a floor cleaner, a pet-safe formula is a must. This industrial cleaner from Simple Green keeps things, well, simple. It’s nontoxic, nonabrasive, solvent-free, and biodegradable. With a limited ingredients list, this cleaner and degreaser is safe for various surfaces, including hard, nonporous flooring materials such as vinyl, laminate, ceramic tiles, and luxury vinyl plank flooring, as well as carpet and upholstery. It safely removes stains and odors, leaving behind a nice, but not overpowering, lemon scent.
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The Best Vacuum for Pet Hair
To remove pesky pet hair from upholstered furniture, rugs, the corners of rooms, and even your window treatments, you need a reliable vacuum cleaner. So what makes a good vacuum for removing pet hair? One with strong suction, user-friendly attachments, and easy portability. We love the Shark Pet Cordless Stick Vacuum because it checks all those boxes while being lightweight and easy to maneuver, equipped with a HEPA filter, and offering 40 minutes of battery life to help you clean a large area of the home. It also functions as a handheld vacuum, perfect for cleaning hard-to-reach spots like in between couch cushions, around litter boxes, and near food and bowls.
The Best Spot Cleaner
Carpets, rugs, bedding, and upholstered furniture are all at risk of becoming stained in a household with pets, especially if you have a puppy or kitten with a tiny bladder or an older companion with incontinence issues. Even if you have a healthy adult in the prime of their life, keeping a spot cleaner on hand is a good idea because accidents just happen from time to time.
For occasional messes, a fast-acting spray formula, such as OxiClean Carpet Pet Stain Remover, will come in handy. Use it to remove tough stains, including urine, feces, and vomit, and eliminate odors to discourage your pet from marking the same spot. For more frequent soiling, it might be worth investing in a machine such as the Bissell Little Green Pet Deluxe Portable Carpet Cleaner, which can make tackling stubborn stains less frustrating.
The Best Stain Remover for Odors
A stain remover that also eliminates odors is a must, and in our opinion, no one does it better than Nature’s Miracle. We recommend Nature’s Miracle Urine Destroyer Plus, which is intended for cats, but can be used for any pet-related accident in the home or car. (Honestly, if it can get rid of cat pee smell, it can handle almost any odor, so we use it for all sorts of messes.) The heavy-duty formula contains enzymes that activate when they come into contact with organic matter such as pet urine. These enzymes keep working as long as there’s a food source for them to break down, helping to neutralize odor-causing ammonia found in pet urine. Rather than mask the smell with perfumes, this cleaner eliminates it at the source.
The Best Pet Wipes for Dogs and Cats
You may be able to simplify your home and car cleaning routine by keeping your pet’s fur and paws tidy. Wiping your pet’s feet, fur, rear, and the area around their mouths can go a long way in reducing dirt, debris, drool, and other pet-related messes. The thick, durable pet wipes from Best Pet Supplies come in eight scents, including unscented. They’re formulated with vitamin E, aloe vera, and cucumber extract, making them nourishing for coats between washes and safe on paws and other sensitive areas.
The Best Air Purifier
Fur, dander, and dirt just come with the territory when you share your home with a pet. Regularly using an air purifier goes a long way in maintaining healthy air quality — and it’s as easy as pushing a button. Air purifiers may also alleviate allergy symptoms, such as sniffling and red eyes, that are often triggered by pet dander. This desktop purifier from LEVOIT features two activated carbon filters to trap pet hair, dander, and other fine airborne pollutants. It effectively neutralizes odors, making it a worthwhile addition to your cat’s litter box space or your dog’s favorite napping spot. The unit weighs less than 2.5 pounds, so it’s easy to move from room to room if you’re looking to start with something small but mighty.
