How to Keep Your Home Clean When You Have a Dog

Dog lovers (and skeptics alike) often complain that as soon as a puppy enters the home, maintaining cleanliness and order becomes nearly impossible – not just challenging, but downright impossible. Is this really the case? Together with the experts at PottyBuddy.co, we’ve put together some key tips for maintaining a clean home when you live with a dog.

Having a dog isn’t for the lazy. Even the smallest pup will require a significant amount of your time and effort, not just in keeping your home clean, but also in training and bonding. So, think carefully about this before deciding to get a puppy.

However, keeping a clean home with a dog is definitely doable. Here’s a list of tips that will help you maintain a spotless home, even when you have a furry friend around.

Wash Your Dog’s Paws Twice a Day

First things first: dogs bring in a lot of dirt, sand, and dust from outside after their walks. Most owners tackle this in one of three common ways: wiping the paws with a cloth, rinsing them in a basin, or just letting the dog “dry off” in the hallway, then allowing them inside once the dirt has fallen off.

But think about what you do when you come back from being outside. You wash your hands with soap under running water – that’s the norm, even though you probably didn’t have your palms touching the ground. People don’t just wipe their hands with a cloth (even a clean one), rinse them in a basin, or wait for the dirt to fall off as their hands dry.

The same goes for dogs. If you want to keep your floors clean, you need to train your puppy to wash their paws under running water with a pet-friendly shampoo every time they come back from a walk. This routine should be non-negotiable, even when the weather is perfectly dry, because dry doesn’t necessarily mean clean.

To keep your tub from getting dirty, place a rubber mat at the bottom – it’s something you can easily find at any home goods store. This way, your dog’s claws won’t scratch the tub, their paws won’t slip, and the dirt and sand will drain away through the holes in the mat instead of sticking back to the freshly cleaned paws.

Clean Dog, Clean Home: How to Wash Your Dog’s Paws

For frequent paw washing, make sure to use products specifically designed for dogs. Pet stores offer a wide range of shampoos, from budget-friendly options to premium brands. Choose what works best for your dog. Concentrated formulas in large bottles can be cost-effective—just dilute them with water at a 1:3 ratio.

Remember, dirt and dust don’t just settle on paw pads—they get all over your dog’s legs, too. If you have a short-legged or long-haired pup, you might need to wash their belly as well. It’s crucial to rinse off all the soap completely; leftover shampoo can dry out or irritate your dog’s skin. After washing, let your dog stand in the tub for a moment, towel them off, and then they’re ready to roam free – and maybe even snuggle up on your clean couch.

Not every dog loves being washed multiple times a day, so it’s important to keep the mood positive. Praise your pup for staying calm, not trying to leap out of the tub, or squirm around. A full bath can be done about once a month, or even less often, especially if you wipe down your dog’s coat to remove dust that settles from the air. 

Clean paws mean at least clean floors! And also anything else your dog can reach. For instance, many dogs will lean on doors to open them or press against kitchen cabinets to sniff out those delicious smells.

But there’s another challenge…

Dealing with Dog Hair at Home

Another major headache for dog owners? Dog hair everywhere. Most dogs shed twice a year during their regular shedding seasons. But there can be “triggered” shedding too, like when your dog changes food, after giving birth, when the weather suddenly warms up, or if they’re stressed. And even between these shedding periods, you’ll find hair falling off your furry friend – especially if they have a thick undercoat.

The reality is, if your dog isn’t one of the hairless breeds, you’re probably not going to be completely free of fur in your home. Since our homes are usually kept at around 68°F (20°C) year-round, dogs tend to shed to varying degrees, but it’s pretty much constant.

However, you can minimize the fur on your furniture, floors, and other surfaces by grooming your dog regularly.

Regular grooming means daily brushing during shedding seasons (spring and fall), regardless of your dog’s coat type. When your dog isn’t actively shedding, you should brush them according to their coat length and type: long-haired dogs or those with dense undercoats should be brushed 3-4 times a week, while short-haired dogs need it about 1-2 times a week.

If you start brushing your pup when they’re young, they’ll likely enjoy it. Many owners say their dogs run to them excitedly at the sight of a brush. Problems arise when you try to groom a dog that hasn’t been brushed in years – the tangles can be painful, unfamiliar, and even frightening for them. After going through the ordeal of pulling out mats, some dogs develop a fear of brushes. If you need to get an older dog used to grooming, do it gently but consistently. Praise them while brushing, and remind them how handsome they’re going to look. You’d be surprised, but dogs care about their appearance too.

It’s important to get your dog comfortable with brushing not just on their back, but also on their legs, belly, and ears – some dogs become sensitive about these areas as they grow up. Trust between you and your dog is key, and that trust builds through routine.

During shedding seasons, a furminator is perfect for short-haired dogs or those with thick undercoats – it targets the undercoat specifically and does so painlessly. For long-haired dogs, use a comb with fine teeth. When buying one, make sure the teeth are rounded, not sharp, to avoid injuring your dog’s skin.

For daily maintenance, a simple grooming brush will do the trick.

How to Keep Your Home Fur-Free

Many people choose short-haired dogs thinking there’ll be “less fur.” But that’s actually a myth! Not only is there not less fur, but it can also be harder to clean up. The good news is, dealing with dog hair isn’t impossible, and you don’t need a special arsenal—just some simple, practical tools.

For a quick clean-up of floors, a regular broom or brush slightly dampened with water works great. To clean furniture, a sticky lint roller or a special pet hair brush will do the trick. But nothing beats the old-fashioned method: a rubber glove slightly dampened with water. The fur clings to it instantly, and you can reach even the tricky spots.

For a more thorough cleaning, you’ll need a vacuum cleaner—any standard one will do, but the more powerful, the better. Turbine brushes, often marketed as ideal for pet hair, are mostly effective for short hair that gets embedded in upholstery or lost in carpet fibers. Long fur and soft undercoat tend to wrap around the brush, which means extra time spent cleaning the tool itself. For owners of long-haired dogs, it’s usually better to stick with a regular vacuum attachment with a retractable brush.

And that’s pretty much it.

These basic steps are enough to keep your home clean. Let’s be honest—washing, brushing, and vacuuming aren’t that overwhelming. Keeping a clean house with a dog is not only possible but totally worth it!