Pet hair, poop and other pet-related cleaning challenges

[Sister Fracas 5]

Pet owners know that their furry friends can add a little something extra to the spring cleaning chores. CNN spoke with "the Queen of Clean," Linda Cobb, a New York Times best-selling author and television personality. Cobb, who owns three cats, knows a thing or two about getting the best of pet messes.

CNN: What can pet owners do about pet hair?

Cobb: You can use what's called a soot and dirt removal sponge. You simply run it over a lampshade [or the] upholstery on your furniture, and it actually pulls the hair right off.

You can also use a damp sponge. Another good thing to use is rubber gloves. Dip them into water -- keep a bucket of water near you -- shake off the excess water and rub that over the upholstery, and the hair will collect on the rubber gloves. It does a great, great job.

The other thing you need is a really good vacuum cleaner. I have found that I prefer one that has a bag in it. I use an Oreck XL. If you're using a canister vacuum, you have to take it out and then shake it into the trash, which puts all of that dust and that dander and that cat hair and everything else back up into the air.

Another good vacuum that is newer to the market is the Halo [uXV Ultraviolet Vacuum Cleaner]. That's the one with the ultraviolet light that kills germs and bacteria as you vacuum. Now, you have to vacuum correctly and go back over the area of the carpet enough times, but that's a very good vacuum too.

If you have someone in the house that is sensitive to cats, has an allergy from them or something like that, there is a product called Allerpet that you can actually just spray on to your pet, and it neutralizes the enzymes in the saliva, which is what people are usually allergic to. This is something that even if the cat licks itself, it won't hurt it.

CNN: What about pet accidents?

Cobb: If you've got a hairball, or spaghetti didn't agree with the dog, accident on the carpet, the first thing you do is scream and run to get the paper towels and start trying to pick it up, which drives it down into the carpet fibers.

Instead, reach for your baking soda. Sprinkle on a really heavy coat, and I mean heavy, so that it's completely covering it totally. Walk away. The baking soda will pull the liquid, the bile, the acids from the accident up into it away from the carpet. Once it's dry, you take the suction hose from your vacuum and simply vacuum that up, and many times you can't even tell there was an accident there.

For pet urine, the first thing you want to do is put a very heavy, heavy pile of paper towels on it, stand on it, draw all the urine you can away from the carpet. Then pour on club soda and do the same thing. Then you can go in to neutralize it with about a half a cup of water quarter cup of white vinegar. [Then] blot that dry.

If you have any odor, you want to use an odor eliminator to remove that. Now, that's not a spray that smells like lavender or oranges or flowers. An odor eliminator has no odor. A really, really fine one is Odorzout. It's all-natural, so it can't hurt the pet. The man who invented it powdered his grandson's little butt with it when he changed his diaper, that's how natural it is.

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If there's a larger accident and you have a bowel movement on the floor, as long as it's not diarrhea-like, you can pick that up with a paper towel. I recommend that you immediately treat that with Odorzout, because if your pets can smell what they've done, they'll go back to that area because they think it's OK.

CNN: What about the litter box?

Cobb: Cats like to be very, very clean, so to avoid having accidents in other areas because their litter's dirty, you want to clean every day. If you're using a regular litter box, there is a product called a Litter Locker; it's a little sanitary container for the [waste] removal. It's a fantastic product. I use it for my cats, and I just love it.

Now, if you're using [an automatic cleaner], every few days, you need to make sure that the catch basin is cleaned out. If it overfills and the cat smells that, they don't want to go in, and then they're going to start using corners of your house. And you know what? That's not their fault. That's our fault if we don't keep their litter clean.

CNN: How do you keep your pets safe when you're doing a big spring cleaning?

Cobb: Well, you look for natural products. Don't use harsh chemicals; it's not necessary. Disinfectants have to stay wet on the surfaces for five to 10 minutes to work; then they have to be rinsed off. They're not safe for food surfaces. You know what that says? They're not safe for your pets to walk on, either.

Read when you go to the grocery store. If there's a natural seal or if they have a green cross on it, they're a natural, safe, organic product. I recommend so highly the ACT Natural microfiber products from Sweden, the cloths and the mops. Because with nothing but water, they remove 99.9 percent of germs and bacteria and soiling from surfaces. You're not getting any residue on surfaces, and you're not spending any money on chemicals, and you're saving the environment and your health too.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/LIVING/homestyle/0...ning/index.html

[eau_xplain 2]

Thanks Sister Fracas! I especially like the one about using rubber gloves for pet hair removal

[Sister Fracas 5]

Thanks Sister Fracas! I especially like the one about using rubber gloves for pet hair removal

I like the own about using baking soda for the pet urp... LOL

[Nagishkaw 510]

Yeah, that was a great recommendation.

[PlatyPius 5]

What about for people who are gone 12 hours per day for work, have 8 cats, and get a headache from cleaning the litter boxes? Will this person come clean them for me until Mags gets back?

[kerewin21 2]

I got a Woolite cleaning pod... it has liquid in it, plus a sponge thing attached to it and a little brush. It works GREAT to get out the presents my cat sometimes leaves on the carpet. I highly recommend it! (No I don't have stock in the company). I've been using the same one for about a year, so even though it's not refillable it lasts a while.

http://www.epinions.com/content_325918559876

[Sister Fracas 5]

What about for people who are gone 12 hours per day for work, have 8 cats, and get a headache from cleaning the litter boxes? Will this person come clean them for me until Mags gets back?

[Ban Hammer 12,878]

What about for people who are gone 12 hours per day for work, have 8 cats, and get a headache from cleaning the litter boxes? Will this person come clean them for me until Mags gets back?

we'll send sister fracas over in her maid outfit.

[Sister Fracas 5]

What about for people who are gone 12 hours per day for work, have 8 cats, and get a headache from cleaning the litter boxes? Will this person come clean them for me until Mags gets back?

we'll send sister fracas over in her maid outfit.

hang on!!! you've trimmed me habit...

[Ban Hammer 12,878]

What about for people who are gone 12 hours per day for work, have 8 cats, and get a headache from cleaning the litter boxes? Will this person come clean them for me until Mags gets back?

we'll send sister fracas over in her maid outfit.

hang on!!! you've trimmed me habit...

just made a few minor modifications.

[Nagishkaw 510]

What about for people who are gone 12 hours per day for work, have 8 cats, and get a headache from cleaning the litter boxes? Will this person come clean them for me until Mags gets back?

we'll send sister fracas over in her maid outfit.

hang on!!! you've trimmed me habit...

just made a few minor modifications.

[Dr. A ♥ O 203]

What about for people who are gone 12 hours per day for work, have 8 cats, and get a headache from cleaning the litter boxes? Will this person come clean them for me until Mags gets back?

Get the Litter Robot. My friend who I house sit her cats for had one and it made my job so easy. If you've got 8 cats you need one of these seriously.

[F1Belle 0]

I have 10 indoor cats and should qualify for home delivery of cat litter!

Add to that my 13 dogs, and I think I help do my part to keep the pet industry going strong!

[Kathryn41 3,205]

Thanks for the article. I will try that baking soda technique - with 2 Maine ####### type cats we end up with pretty regular 'hairballs' in spite of regular brushing and hairball remedies. I have found Folex Instant Carpet Spot Remover actually works really well. I don't know what the active ingredient is but it is CFC and Petroleum free and is listed as non-toxic. We have the litter locker too - it isn't too bad but with 5 cats you go through a lot of their plastic bags. Still, it is a good idea. I'll have to try the rubber gloves trick - I've got one of those sponges and while it works at first it ends up being less effective after a while. And I wish I had an Oreck vacuum - we have a Hoover Windtunnel and it is a monster!. Who needs to go to a gym to lift weights when you have to wrestle with one of these 'suckers!' I hate vacuuming!

FIBelle -10 cats and 13 dogs? Yipes - we have 5 indoor cats and an outdoor 'stray/abandon' who wants to be indoors and Joe says no. Anyone here in the Atlanta area want a sweet little muted calico charmer? I'll even deliver.

Edited June 12, 2008 by Kathryn41

[F1Belle 0]

FIBelle -10 cats and 13 dogs? Yipes - we have 5 indoor cats and an outdoor 'stray/abandon' who wants to be indoors and Joe says no. Anyone here in the Atlanta area want a sweet little muted calico charmer? I'll even deliver.

I stay quite busy...and I am happy to say all were rescues.