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If your house feels furrier than it did a month ago, you’re not imagining it. Mid-to-late May is peak “coat blow” which is the four-to-six-week stretch when dogs and cats dump their winter undercoats all over your furniture. So we asked the TMS audience what you most wanted to know about cleaning up after your pets. Here are the five questions that came up most, along with our expert answers for fast, effective results.
Q: How do I deal with pet hair that’s on absolutely everything?
Most people grab the vacuum and start chasing hair around the house. But that’s like mopping the floor with the tap still running: yikes! You have to turn off the tap first. Brushing is the single highest-impact thing you can do, because it pulls the loose undercoat out before it lands on your couch.
The FURminator deShedding tool reaches through the topcoat to grab that loose fur. The brand says it reduces shedding by up to 90%. Use it on a dry coat for 10 to 20 minutes, once or twice a week, and do it outside if you can. It’s vet-recommended, and I used it on my own cat for years. When selecting the brush, make sure you pick the correct animal and size.
For the hair that still gets out, the vacuum tip isn’t “buy a vacuum”, rather, it’s use the right attachment. A motorized or turbo-brush head has a spinning brush that digs into upholstery and lifts embedded hair. A plain suction nozzle just skates over the top. If you’re vacuuming and the hair is still there, it’s almost always the attachment.
If you’re looking for a vacuum that can help you with this and has that motorized head, the Bosch Unlimited 10 is a new market entrant and has been performing really well.
Q: My dog had an accident on the rug. How do I actually get it out?
If you don’t fully eliminate the odour, your dog reads that spot as the designated bathroom and goes back. Woof! A weak cleanup actually trains the problem in.
Start with technique: lift the solids with a light touch using a paper towel and be sure not to press down, which only drives the mess deeper into the fibres. Blot, never rub. Then reach for an enzyme cleaner.
ez-clean is a Canadian-made bio-enzyme cleaner that kennels and groomers rely on, and the enzymes literally digest the organic matter, so there’s nothing left to smell and nothing calling your dog back. Let it dwell for the time the label specifies and follow the instructions for best results. I’ve had amazing results with it.
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Nature’s Miracle Advanced Stain and Odor Eliminator Cat – $40.99
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Q: My pet drinks from the tap and the toilet. How do I keep the bathroom clean without making it dangerous?
The bathroom is where the harshest stuff in the house gets used. Think bleach, disinfectants, strong acids, and it’s also where your pet is drinking water and licking its paws. Cats are especially vulnerable because they lack a liver enzyme that breaks down certain compounds. “Natural” and “scented” on the label don’t automatically mean products are safe.
For everyday cleaning, ATTITUDE Bathroom Cleaner (EWG Verified, made in Montreal) is built on citric acid and plant-based surfactants and contains no ammonia, bleach, or alcohol. That’s your day-to-day cleaner.
When you need to disinfect, ATTITUDE also makes an unscented disinfectant. The universal rule for any disinfectant and pets: many are safe once dry but not while wet. Keep your pet out of the room until every surface is completely dry, and check the label for that exact instruction. You can also rinse the surface with a clean cloth and water after wiping off the disinfectant for added assurance.
Q: How often should I wash my pet’s bed and blankets?
Pet beds and blankets hold hair, dander, body oils, and everything your pet drags in from outside (or litterbox…). In short: they get smelly, and they’re a real source of allergens. Wash them weekly, in a load separate from your own laundry, at the hottest temperature the care tag allows.
Use a fragrance-free detergent like Tide Free & Gentle since dyes and perfumes leave residue that sits against your pet’s skin all day, and strong scents can irritate their far more sensitive noses.
Two pro moves: run the bedding through the dryer first on no-heat to shed loose hair into the lint trap (add water to loose hair and it clumps, sticks to the drum, and can clog your drain), and add an extra rinse cycle for pets with sensitive skin.
Q: What about toys and leashes?
Pet toys and bowls are among the germiest things in the house, but some toys can’t just go through a hot wash because of squeakers, stuffing, and glued-on bits. Instead, be mindful and clean by material.
Fabric toys go inside an old pillowcase or mesh bag on a gentle, cold cycle with the same fragrance-free Tide, then air-dry. Plastic or rubber toys get a 10-minute soak in hot soapy water, then a rinse. For leashes, remove any tags, wash them in the bag, and hang to air dry. The National Sanitation Foundation recommends cleaning toys, bedding, and leashes weekly to monthly, depending on use, and washing food and water bowls daily.
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Chuckit! Interactive Dog Toy Ultra Fetch Stick – $9.89
PETLIBRO Battery Operated Water Fountain – $99.99
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