Most homes we clean have at least one four-legged resident. Once your cleaner has a way in — see Keys, Lockboxes and Door Codes: Letting Your Cleaner In if you have not set that up yet — the next question is usually about the dog. Or the cat. Or the bearded dragon.
Pets and cleaners get along fine with a little planning. Here is how to make cleaning day easy on your animals, your cleaner and your house.
Tell us about every pet
Pet details go in your entry notes so your cleaner knows what to expect before they open the door. Helpful details include:
- What kind of pets you have and their names.
- Whether they are friendly with strangers, shy or protective.
- Whether they will be loose, crated or in a closed room.
- Any escape risk — a dog that bolts out the front door or a cat that slips into the garage.
- Anything they should not be given, like treats.
- Which doors should stay closed.
Even small pets count. A hamster cage that should not be moved or a fish tank that should not get cleaning spray near it are good to mention.
If anything about your pet changes — a new puppy, a dog recovering from surgery, a cat that suddenly started hiding under the bed — just let us know before the next visit. Your cleaner would much rather hear about it ahead of time than meet a brand-new rescue dog at the door with no warning.
Loose, crated or in a room?
There is no one right answer. It depends on your pet:
- Friendly, calm dogs are often fine loose. Many just follow the cleaner around or nap through it.
- Nervous or protective dogs usually do better in a crate or a closed room with a toy or treat.
- Dogs that are scared of the vacuum are happier somewhere away from the noise.
- Cats mostly hide on their own. Let us know where they like to go so we leave that spot alone.
- Escape artists should be crated or shut in a room, especially if the cleaner will be using an exterior door.
If you crate or close a pet in a room, let us know whether we should clean that room or skip it.
Same cleaner helps pets too
Pets that are wary of strangers usually warm up to the person who comes every week or two. That is one more reason recurring clients keep the same cleaner whenever possible. After a few visits, a dog that barked the whole time often greets the cleaner at the door with a wagging tail.
Keep pets safe during the clean
A few things keep pets safe while cleaning products and equipment are out:
- Mopped floors can be slick. Older dogs or pups with hip trouble do better off the floor until it dries.
- Cleaning products should not be left where curious noses can reach them. Our cleaners keep supplies with them, not sitting open on the floor.
- Pet bowls should stay out of the way of the mop, or be moved to a spot the cleaner can skip.
- If you prefer a specific pet-friendly product for your floors, let us know and we can use it.
Litter boxes, cages and accidents
Litter boxes, cages and tanks are usually the owner's job, but let us know if something special applies. If there has been an accident since the last visit, a note on the counter helps. We would rather know where the spot is than find it with a mop.
Doors, gates and the backyard
If your dog is outside during the visit, make sure the gate is closed and let us know if your cleaner should avoid the back door. If the dog comes inside afterward, tell us whether to let them in or leave them out. This is one place where clear notes really matter, because a gate left open is the last thing anybody wants.
Pet hair and paw prints
Pets mean extra cleaning, and that is fine. It is what we are there for. Pet homes are some of our favorite homes to clean, honestly, because the difference after a visit is so obvious. Pet hair on couches, nose prints on the back door glass and muddy paw prints on the kitchen floor after a Texas storm are all part of a regular visit in a pet home. If you have multiple shedding pets, a more frequent schedule usually keeps things more manageable.
Have pets? That is no problem.
Tell us about your animals on the quote form and we will plan your visits around them, with a price usually the same day.
Get a free quoteHappy pets, clean house
With good notes, a plan for where your pet will be and the same cleaner each visit, cleaning day becomes a non-event for your animals. We clean pet homes every week across Midlothian, Cedar Hill and south DFW. See how recurring service works on our weekly and bi-weekly maid service page.