Pets and a Clean House- Can you have both?

Pets, for any animal owner, are part of the family, From the moment you bring that little bundle of warmth, fur, and unconditional love through the front door, they become part of your household and a member of the family.  But unfortunately, it is true that with them they also bring a wide range of inconveniences, the primary one being… MESS. Whether it be mud from the morning walk, hairs from the constant scratching or that ever-present odour of animal, it is a constant battle between keeping the house clean and not becoming incredibly frustrated at those puppy dog eyes when the next wave of dirt hits the carpet.   

And speaking of carpets, carpet cleaning is probably the most thankless job of the lot. For my dog, laying down in front of the fire, after a long day of eating, playing and tail wagging is a real treat. But from the sofa I can see each and every piece of sludge, hairs, and speckles of dirt imprinting into my thick pile cream carpet. I know that tomorrow morning I will need to repeat the task of vacuuming and cleaning the carpet cleaning. Again.  

So back to my original question, having a pet and keeping a clean house, is it possible? The short answer is yes but it requires training, hard work, and some home design consideration. For example, whilst I enjoyed the luxury of my cream lounge carpet, I loathed the hours of cleaning needed to keep it looking decent. And so, the carpet is now gone laminate flooring took its place.  

A more realistic answer is that you can keep a clean house, but perhaps not a spotless house. For me, the reward of coming home to my bouncy pup makes the pay off completely worth it. But if you like to keep a pristine house, maybe think twice before bringing a furry friend through the front door.