Keeping your apartment clean when you live alone is a simple task. All you have to do is pick up after yourself a little bit each day. While not as simple, it’s still fairly easy to keep your apartment clean with a roommate. Just make sure to talk with them before moving in together about the apartment rules (i.e. pickup after yourself) and schedule cleaning times, like weekends.

However, when you live with pets, keeping your apartment clean is entirely different. Pets don’t always listen to you and obedience is hit and miss unless you are keeping eyes on them 24/7. What can you do? Below we have 11 ways you can continue to keep your apartment clean - even with pets who have a mind of their own!

Robot Vacuum

Having a robot vacuum can save you so much time an energy! You can control it from an app on your phone and run it when you are out walking your dog or when snuggling with your cat. It’ll help to keep the extra fur around your apartment to a minimum on both your carpet and floors. Just remember after every use to empty it out! That way the next time you want to use it it’ll pick up everything it needs to. To really cut down on fur, run it two times a week.

Grooming

One of the best ways to keep your apartment clean is to keep up on your pet’s grooming. Getting them regularly cleaned and having their nails trimmed will help make sure they aren’t always transferring the dirt hidden under their nails or within their fur.

You can do this yourself with the right tools or make a standing appointment with a groomer once a month or once every two months.

Couch Use

To really keep your apartment and furniture clean, making the couch be a no-no zone for your pet can help. It’ll keep any paw prints, flying fur, and strange stains from appearing on your comfy couch.

Yet, if you are set on having them be on the couch with you, think of covering your couch with a sheet of fabric you can easily remove and place within the washer! You can also invest in a waterproof/pee-proof blanket and make sure that when they are on the couch they use it.

Stain Removers

There are many different stain removers out there for different types of stains. But the most likely culprit is a urine or vomit stain. The number one thing is to make sure you clean it up ASAP to help eliminate odors and from your pet going back to that spot and doing it again.

For urine accidents, make sure that your cleaning product contains enzymes that can neutralize the smell. Before applying the solution, make sure to blot up (never rub) as much of the excess urine as possible.

Surprisingly shaving cream also has a good track record of cleaning up the toughest cat pee stains and vomit stains. Purchase the foaming kind, not gel, and simply spray it on the stain and let it sit for a minute. Then wipe it with warm water.

Cool Pet Gadgets

When you have a pet living with you, investing in a few of these items could help to keep your apartment cleaner than normal.

Paw-protectors

Like taking your dog on walks or hikes with you but always forget to clean their paws before going back inside your apartment? Purchase a pair of paw-protectors, shoes for your dog! That way when you get to your front door you can take them off and their clean paws will be the only thing walking into your apartment.

Hair Removers

With any furry friend, they will inevitably leave hair everywhere they walk, sit, or lay down. That’s why having a few hair removal gadgets on hand can be helpful for a quick clean up! The large lint rollers are good in a pinch but can get full so quickly with things that aren’t just hair. Here are 6 of the best hair removers on the market right now.

Regularly Cleaning Your Home

Of course, it all comes back to how often you clean your apartment. Regularly cleaning your apartment will help to keep all the dirt and pet hair from building up and seeming like it can never be fully cleaned up again. Luckily, with the list above (robot vacuum, hair remover gadgets) you’ve already started on the weekly keep up of your apartment.

Other Tips & Tricks

• Contain your pet to one room or put up a gate to keep them contained when you are busy cleaning or have to leave the apartment and don’t want them climbing on everything!
• If you don’t grab a pair of paw-protectors, then make sure you are regularly washing your pet’s paws to make sure there isn’t any dirt or mud trapped.
• Purchase a place mat for their feeding and water bowls. That way when things don’t stay contained to the bowls they at least stay contained to the mat.
• Air out your house, even in the winter! This will help to get any “pet” smell from staying for long periods of time. Turn on the fans throughout your apartment and open up some windows.
• Looking for simple and easy clean up? Purchase rugs that can be machine washed, it’s a simple clean of just throwing them into the washer!