We Brits are a nation of pet-lovers from fluffy four-legged friends to patterned fish, scaly lizards and everything in between.

There are some everyday cleaning tips that can make living with pets that much easier whatever kind you own. They may not be relevant to your particular beloved companion, but following some of our advice may allow for increased harmony in the home.

Keep it clean

Pets are often the scapegoat (or scapedog or scapesnake!) for any odours and grime around the home, but cleanliness starts with us bipeds. As pet owners, regularly air out rooms and vacuum and sweep floors to rid the home of dust, unpleasant odours and stray fur.

Meet their needs

Pets’ needs differ from humans, so make sure that you’re honouring your commitment to giving them a loving home and fantastic care. Whether this is additional heat and light, facilities for them to relieve themselves, room to roam outside etc., you’ll avoid a lot of the messy accidents if you pay attention to providing the necessary requirements for your pet.

Breathing room

Like humans, pets need ample personal space. If you have a very small home or many pets, you’ll need to adjust your household schedule to incorporate more regular cleaning.

Because they’re worth it...

Pets don’t need to bathe as frequently as humans, but like us, they need to freshen up every now and again. When it is bathtime for your pet, only use appropriate shampoos and other products suitable for animals – they may also help your pet to find bathing less stressful and therefore you won’t put off doing it in future due to a huge ordeal in the home.

Furnish for the future

Pets like to make a home their own, so if your pet gets up on the furniture or uses it to scratch, make sure that this is a factor when buying furniture. Consider more hard-wearing, pet-resistant materials and fabrics. Furthermore, if your pet scratches, invest in their own furniture in the form of a purpose-built scratching post and save yours!

Outside in

Be especially careful if you have a cat or a dog flap, or other means for your pet to come and go as it pleases, because there is a myriad of unpleasantness that they may drag in. Each evening, consider locking the flap once the pet is in for the night, or keep the animal in one part of the house until morning, when you can run any checks for something unwelcome that may be lurking in the home.

Cleaned and preened

Let’s give pets a little credit; many of them do a sterling good job of cleaning themselves, but it’s still good to be vigilant that your little friend is clean and smelling fresh. Rather than going through the rigmarole of bathing them more frequently than necessary, wipe their paws, brush their fur and give them treats to keep their teeth clean so you can avoid any lingering animal odours around your home and delay the need for a deep clean with very minimal effort.

Don’t fall behind on regular tasks. Whether it’s changing kitty litter, scrubbing fish tanks or taking your pet to get their fur trimmed, it all helps with hygiene and cleanliness.

If you feel you could benefit from an extra helping hand, cleaners Llandudno can help!