help! how do i deal with all this dust?
I’m adjusted to the fact that pets = dirt, like cat hair, dog hair, dirt tracked in on paws. But I wasn’t prepared for just how much dust would result when we added a second dog to our household. Seattle’s rainy season, a puppy who likes to run and dig, and a lot of mud has added up to an astounding amount of dust that builds up on surfaces inside, even though we regularly bathe her and wipe both dogs’ feet each time they come in. I know that dust is a never-ending battle, but do you have any favorite products or tips for making it easier? Aside from hiring a housekeeper, that is. –Mary T.
Photo by Andy Culpin
Swiffer and the pet version of febreeze are my go-tos.
I have two large dogs here in the Bay Area, and I have the same problem. Apart from dealing with the dirt once it gets in the house (two towels on the floor near the door to catch the dirt, training the dogs to sit still when they come in the door to get wiped off, and sweeping every day), I have no idea what to do about it, either.
My first ideas involve changing the outside conditions somehow: a paved pathway instead of a sand one, a long dirt mat on the porch, that sort of thing. Or maybe just little dog wellies that they take off and put on at the door?
i have the same exact problem and forever i blamed it on construction behind our house. WRONG! we have a small cap cod, so i also blame close-quarters. one thing that helps- that i unfortunately don’t keep up with- is taking a damp wash cloth and just running it over their coats a few times a week. this collects the loose dirt and grime that eventually takes over my house. i have hardwood throughout the entire house, so i sweep once or twice a week and then take my dyson to clean all of that up instead of a dustpan. i deep sweep my daughter’s rug in her room as well.
i try to dust once a week, but will also spot dust throughout the week. i have two rugs in our kitchen that the dogs have no choice but to walk on when they come in to catch loose dirt and when it rains and in the winter, i place an old towel between the two rugs to dry off wet feet. sure, it’s not the most inspirational decor choices, but the towels stay down for a few days at a time and not year round. i used a bathmat in the kitchen as well to catch wet feet and it was the smartest thing i did. i always found mats are just a little too hard and tightly woven to really catch much.
every two months or so we do an overhaul. we move all the furniture out out of each room and really clean everything- mop floors, clean off shelves to be super cleaned- the whole 9 yards
it’s a lot of work, but i’d rather do all of that than get rid of my pooches! good luck!
For dust but not really mud…try PermaTack from MattingExperts.com. It is a washable, permanently tacky material used for contamination control. They suggest cleaning it with a low Ph cleaner like Simple Green. It is usually used in labs, hospitals or computer assembly areas but it really does great at home keeping dust in one place.
Another mat they have is called Sanitizing Foot Bath. It is 2 1/2 inches high with a recessed area that has rubber fingers inside. The idea is to put up to 1 gallon of fluid of some sort in there and it washes shoes. This might work for a dog if he stepped into it and marched around. Then a drying mat or towel right after.