Nifty Ways to Clean Up after Your Pet: Keeping pets in your home has many benefits, including reduced stress, improved immunity, and increased activity levels, but animals also come with their own set of cleaning challenges. Learn how to clean up after your pet with these quick and easy tips.

DIY a covered litter box with a storage bin. Cut a hole in the side of a plastic storage bin, making sure the hole is large enough for your kitty to get in and out of the box, then add some kitty litter. Your cat will enjoy the privacy, and your home will smell much better with a covered box.

Keep pets off the furniture with plastic carpet protectors. Put carpet protectors with the prickly side up on chairs, couches, and other furniture to train pets to stay away.

Remove nasty skunk odors with baking soda, dish soap, and hydrogen peroxide. If you or your pet were unfortunate enough to meet with a skunk, try this allnatural anti-skunk remedy. Mix 1/2 cup of baking soda, 1 tablespoon of natural dish soap, and 1 quart of hydrogen peroxide in a bucket. Use the mixture to wash away the offensive odor, making sure to keep it away from sensitive areas like your eyes, nose, and mouth. Once the odor is removed, rinse thoroughly.

Store pet food in an airtight plastic container. Keep their food fresh and safe from pests by transferring to a plastic container.

Catch food and water with a waterproof dining placemat. Put a place mat under your pet’s food dishes to prevent food messes on your floor.

Protect a pet’s paws and your floors with a foot soak. Ice melt isn’t just hard on a pet’s paws; it can also damage your floors. Put a bucket of warm water and a towel at the door before you head out for your walk. When you get back, use the water to rinse their paws, then rub them dry with the towel.

Let vomit dry on carpets, then clean. The rule of thumb with most stains is to treat them as soon as possible, but pet vomit is the one exception to this rule. It’s actually easier to clean off carpeting if you let it dry first, then you can just vacuum it up. If a stain is left behind, just blot it with some plain (unflavored) club soda.

Stop dogs from digging with citrus peels. (Most dogs dislike the scent of citrus.) Scatter orange, lemon, or grapefruit peels where you don’t want your dog to dig up your yard. This will keep your yard looking pristine and your dog’s paws nice and clean.

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