You might think that hygiene doesn't matter to people who rescue, foster, and adopt dogs - but you might be quite wrong. Banish the image of the "cat lady" or "doggie do-gooder" as a filthy slob. In actual fact, the compassionate souls who do dog's work pride themselves on keeping things clean, orderly, and "up to sniff""” especially if they live with two or more pets. In some cases, believe it or not, the multiple-pet caregivers are even more house-proud than those who don't have a single pet!
But keeping things stylish and spotless is not always easy when you live with several animals, for maintaining an "animal house" does present certain homekeeping challenges. In a home with no pets, cleanup is easier because no animals are present to detect microscopic scent particles that easily go undetected by human nostrils. In a pet-free residence, all you need to do is remove the superficial evidence of a stain. But in a pet residence, a much more thorough clean-up effort is in order.
Rather than merely masking an unwanted odor with a pleasantly-fragranced cleaning product, you want to select a stain and smell remover that actually extracts the offending substance"”even if it's already set in. You also want a cleaner that is nontoxic, since inquisitive pets and children investigate the world with their mouths and mitts"”and it's a relief to know they're not ingesting harsh chemicals when they do.
There are several so-called "pet stain and odor removers" on the market, but in all honesty, not all of them work. The best products out there"”the ones that rescuers and foster caregivers will tell you they can't function without"”are the ones that work by actually extracting odors and stains from carpeting, upholstery, and fabrics (including sheets and clothing).
This means that, if your pet has accidentally soiled something in your home, or tracked in something unpleasant from outdoors, s/he won't be compelled to return to that same spot to re-mark it. And in any home with multiple pets, that's a real dogsend. Pet lovers tend to care about the environment, so they take pains to select non-toxic cleaning products that won't endanger our home planet, Earth"”and that were not tested on animals. The fringe benefit of being a compassionate consumer is that your pets' immediate environment"”your home"”won't include anything harmful to irritate them or you.
Those of us who adore animals are appalled that several million pets wind up euthanized at animal shelters each year, many of them abandoned for having had just one unfortunate "accident" indoors. But if we all take care to use effective stain- and odor-extracitng products when we do our housework chores, we can erase all traces of "accidents""”and by recommending these products to fellow dog lovers or people contemplating pet adoption, we can actually help prevent prevent animals from being dumped by frustrated owners!
Equally important, truly effective cleaning products help banish the "slob" stereotype of the multiple-petlover. With a supply of the best, environmentally-friendly home cleanerss on hand, any animal house can be smart, stylish, and smell-free. And that means more people will be motivated to rescue animals"”and more rescued animals will find the forever homes they deserve.
