Clean Home Tips for the Pet Loving Parent

It comes as no surprise to anyone that Ollie is as much a part of our family that the hubs and I or the kids are. Since the day we brought him home at just seven weeks old, he’s become an integral part of daily life and honestly, I couldn’t imagine our home without him. He’s the sweetest little thing that loves to play and cuddle and just be with us all the time. Before we brought him home, we had been a pet free family for several years and I’ll fully admit that I did my research and put a lot of thought into choosing the right dog for our family. He’s hypoallergenic (which is a must for my son and husband’s allergies), he’s small enough to take anywhere with us (meaning he can’t tear up the house when we’re gone). And he’s easy to keep groomed (meaning he doesn’t smell doggy) so I really kinda figured with all these factors he wouldn’t make our home look and smell like a home with a dog in it. Well, I was wrong. Even his small 3.5 pounds of doggy cuteness leaves quite a few messes behind and while he’s pretty great at going outside to use the bathroom, this recent snow has freaked him out and and left me looking for the best fresh home tips for the pet loving parent.

So, how’s a pet loving mama to keep her home from looking and smelling like a dog cage? Well, there are ways and I’m finding that with a few tips and tricks along with the ARM & HAMMER™ line of Pet Fresh bags, filters and cleaning products, it’s actually not that hard! Here’s what’s working for us.

Realize and Accept that Accidents Happen

I’ll brag for a second and say that I did a really good job of house breaking Ollie when we brought him home. It was warm outside and I didn’t mind going out there and standing for thirty minutes waiting for him to sniff around long enough to do his thing. Now that we’ve got a foot of snow on the ground, it’s a little bit of a different story. You might thing that he would go outside, get his business done and hurry back in but the little stinker just won’t do it. He’ll actually pretend to squat so I’ll let him back inside the house which means that not long after we come back in, he disappears for a few minutes until I walk into the guest bedroom (his favorite indoor potty spot) and see him with this guilty look on his face.

When I see those ears laying down, I know there is an accident that has just happened. I do scold him when this happens but let’s face it, I can’t be upset at that sweet little face for too long (or in truth at all)! I’ve tried taking him back outside and a few other tips and tricks that people have told me works to keep dogs from using the bathroom in the house but I still get the occasional accident. Our vet says he’ll get better as he gets older (seriously, his bladder is like the size of a pea right now) so I’ve learned that while I try to avoid accidents any time I can, learning to handle them and clean up from them effectively with help from ARM & HAMMER™ Fresh Pet products instead of getting upset is a better approach.

Clean Up Accidents As Soon As They Happen

So, now that we’ve established that with a 3.5 pound dog accidents are going to happen, the question becomes how I do I ensure that I don’t have stains and odors left behind when they do and for me the solution is using ARM & HAMMER™ Pet Fresh Dry Carpet Cleaner as soon as the accident happens. This easy-to-use cleaning product uses the power of baking soda to help absorb allergens, eliminate pet odors and break down stains plus it is so easy to use and really does an awesome job!

I simply sprinkle the Dry Carpet Cleaner onto the area that is soiled and the cleaning particles work like sponges to help absorb pet mess and odors embedded into the carpet fibers. After using a brush to ensure that the Dry Carpet Cleaner is worked into the stain, all I have to do is allow it to dry and then vacuum it up!

Once I’ve vacuumed up my ARM & HAMMER™ Pet Fresh Dry Carpet Cleaner I’m left with carpets that are clean, dry and ready for use! Even better, they don’t look or smell like an accident ever happened there and Ollie and I can go right back to our normal routing of me telling him how awesome he is while he stars at me adoringly!

This is the number one product in my pet stain fighting arsenal right now and I love that it allows me to not only clean up pet stains but also helps me to keep my carpets smelling fresh and amazing even when Ollie might not! While this is my first go-to item for day to day care of my carpets, I’d be remiss if I didn’t share how I pair my ARM & HAMMER™ Pet Fresh Dry Carpet Cleaner with ARM & HAMMER™ Pet Fresh bags and filters to keep my home not only looking but also smelling fresh all the time!

Use the Right Vacuum Bags and Air Filters (and Change Them Regularly)

While my ARM & HAMMER™ Pet Fresh Dry Carpet Cleaner is great for making sure that accidents don’t have my home looking and smelling doggy, I like to keep the freshness going in my home even when Ollie is doing great at going outside. We all know that even when you’re not dealing with pet accidents on your carpet, dog hair and dander can get stuck in fibers and leave rooms smelling less than fresh! For me, the simplest way to combat this problem is to use ARM & HAMMER™ Pet Fresh Vacuum Bags each and every time I vacuum. These simple to install bags that are designed to help capture pet dander and allergens are a perfect way to ensure that my carpet is always clean and my house always smells great!

By simply using the bags that leave my rooms smelling fresh and remembering to change them every 1-2 months, I’m able to keep my carpet smelling fresh, which in turn keeps my home smelling fresh!

Inserting a new one into my vacuum cleaner literally takes seconds and even Ollie agrees that it’s the easiest way ever to keep our home from smelling like dog! Each time I change one out, I make a note on my calendar of when I need to change my bag again just like I do for replacing my ARM & HAMMER™ Pet Fresh Filters every 3-6 months so that I can safely and naturally absorb offensive smells through the natural odor-fighting power of ARM & HAMMER™ Baking Soda plus the power of Fresh-ins! With these two easy steps paired with my ARM & HAMMER™ Pet Fresh Dry Carpet Cleaner, I don’t have to worry anymore about my home smelling like it’s been taken over by a dog…..even a tiny one that doesn’t always smell tiny. Instead, I can rest assured that even when Ollie has accidents or needs a bath, my home still looks and smells as great as it always has! Even better, I never worry that the rest of my family is walking (or even rolling) on floors that aren’t completely clean!

I have to say that I can’t image us ever being without Ollie but I love the fact that our house doesn’t have to smell like him anymore. Now, instead of walking around trying to pinpoint where the dog odor is coming from, I can simply enjoy the fact that Ollie has so seamlessly become a beloved part of our family!

Now it’s your turn to get your home smelling great so that you can truly enjoy the holidays (and the rest of the year) with your four-legged and feline friend(s) without worrying about the odors and stains that they can sometimes leave behind! Be sure to head to Walmart or Walmart.com today to pick up ARM & HAMMER™ Fresh Pet cleaning products! Then clean up those accidents quickly with ARM & HAMMER™ Fresh Pet Dry Carpet Cleaner and make changing out your vacuum and air filters a part of your routine with ARM & HAMMER™ Fresh Pet bags and filters! That way you can really focus on the things that matter….like spending more time playing with your awesome pet!

Want to try ARM & HAMMER™ Fresh Pet products for yourself? You’re in luck because we’re giving away an awesome prize pack to help keep your home smelling amazing! Entry is easy thanks to Rafflecopter! Just use the form below.

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Now tell me, do you have a pet in your home? How will ARM & HAMMER™ Fresh Pet products make it easier to keep your home smelling fresh even when they don’t?