Generally, you should mop 2-3 times a week to ensure maximum cleanliness of your floors, or whenever your furry friend brings in a little more dirt or mud. A little trick that you can do is to add a bit of a cleaning agent with fragrance, just to give your home a nice smell after you're done mopping.
Spot cleaning should occur on a daily basis to ensure a comfortable and sanitary environment for the cats. However, if a group is stable and healthy, thorough cleaning and disinfection may occur less often – but it still should be regularly scheduled at 2-week intervals.
To keep the excess cat hair in your home to a minimum, it is best to vacuum regularly. Some vacuum cleaners now come with high efficiency allergen filters, perfect for picking up those fine cat hairs that have embedded themselves into your carpet. We recommend vacuuming every two to three days if you have the time.
Use a vinegar and warm water solution on wood, ceramic tile, linoleum or vinyl flooring. Since cats are so low to the ground, using a non-toxic cleaner on floors is especially important. If you're using a carpet steam cleaner, use a water and vinegar solution (one part water to one part vinegar) in the reservoir.
If you wet floors or counters with disinfectants and cleaners, keep pets away until they dry. Ideally, rinse floors with water. These are the same precautions people should always take, but now they are more important than ever, says Dr. Tim Evans, associate professor of toxicology at the University of Missouri.
The cat may get sick if it walks on the floor while it is wet. It will dry its feet by licking them. To be safe, keep your cat in a different room until the floor is completely dry.
Generally, you should mop 2-3 times a week to ensure maximum cleanliness of your floors, or whenever your furry friend brings in a little more dirt or mud. A little trick that you can do is to add a bit of a cleaning agent with fragrance, just to give your home a nice smell after you're done mopping.
If you're cleaning floors or other areas pets use, keep them out of the room while you're mopping floors or wiping down surfaces. If using chemicals, rinse the area with clean water afterwards. Don't let them back into the room until everything is dry.
Cats are big fans of cleanliness—especially when it comes to their litter box! If your kitty's litter isn't clean, they may even “go” elsewhere (such as on your carpet) to avoid using a messy or smelly litter box. Therefore, scoop any waste and leave your cat with tidy litter in an accessible area.
Cats are famously clean animals. Just like us humans, they like to wash often and keep their waste hidden away. So, it stands to reason that a nice, tidy litter tray is best for both you and your cat – but even the cleanest cats can be messy from time to time!
How often should you clean your carpets with pets in the home? Pet owners should clean carpets by vacuuming one to two times a week to keep up on loose pet hair, dander, and tracked dirt.
This helps them maintain clean fur, reduce parasites and keep themselves cool. Cats have a special organ called the Jacobson's organ that allows them to detect pheromones and keep track of their territory. In addition to these natural grooming behaviors, cats also enjoy being brushed and bathed occasionally.
Another great way to clean tile floors is with an all-purpose cleaner and a microfiber cloth. Just spray the cleaner onto the floor and wipe it up with the cloth. This method is perfect for removing dirt, dust, and pet hair from grout lines. For tougher tile floors, try using tile floor grout cleaner.
“We would recommend vacuuming at least once or twice a week—and more often if we have pets—with the right tools to remove dust quickly and effectively," Patel advises.
Apply a heavy concentrated solution of floor soap and hot tap water. After soaking, scrub up dirt with your motorized scrubbing tool. Remove dirt-filled water with wet vacuum or mop. Mop floor again with fresh hot tap water to rinse residual soil and soap.
Vinegar is also an amazing natural cleaning option for more serious pet odors. Try using vinegar (diluted with a bit of water) in a spray bottle and spray on carpets or floors. Or use in combination with baking soda on cushions or bedding for an extra powerful, odor-eliminating punch.
But as a rule of thumb, you should mop your floors at least once a week—especially in areas that are more likely to get stains from drips and spills, like the kitchen and bathroom. “Of course, you need to vacuum or sweep the floor before mopping,” explains Leiva.
Fill a bucket with warm water (unless your floors are waxed; in this case, you should use tepid water) and a small amount of cleaner—generally, a squirt or two is sufficient. Using too much can leave behind a residue, which will make floors look dull.
The best way to clean hardwood floors and keep them in shape is to stick to a regular schedule of maintenance. Sweep, dust or dry mop daily. Vacuum weekly. Clean heavy-traffic areas with a damp mop twice a month.
Remove the Mess
First, remove the bulk of the mess with paper towels. Use dry paper towels to remove the poop or soak up the urine, then follow up with towels soaked in warm water to wipe away the rest of the smaller residue.
Cleaning Hard Surfaces
Sealed tiles and grout can usually be cleaned thoroughly with dish soap and water or a 1:1 mixture of water and white vinegar. Allow it to sit on the tile for 15 minutes and then scrub and dry the tile. Grout cleanser is necessary for cleaning affected tile grout that isn't sealed.
For our feline friends, make sure to provide plenty of scratching posts. While cats usually can't cause a lot of damage to hardwood, they can cause scratches and can tear carpets. Bribing them to scratch their toys with a little catnip doesn't hurt, either.