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- Oct 11, 2006
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I have 9 cats, and on top of it, 1-2 cats that regularly have accidents. Hobbes prefers to urinate on piddle pads (yet does #2 in the litter box; go figure!). We have to always have 3 down on the carpet in the master bedroom, under which I laid plastic runners. I hate it, but we have to do it. Marge is gotten much better with her going in bad places; I had to move a litter box into the foyer, near her hiding spot, which is under the chest of drawers there. Again, I hate having a litter box inside (the others are in the garage, accessed via a cat door in the laudry room; we only use the garage for this and storage--now cars, so it is safe for them). And I especially hate having that box greeting the visitors! If I know someone is visiting, I move it into the laundry, as Marge will hide anyway.
On top of this, 4 cats are long-haired. Imagine the fur! Dust is not my problem; it is the fur! I cannot stand to see the fur *tumbleweeds* lying around--drives me nuts.
I just have to clean more often than most folks. I am a neat freak, but even I don*t want to spend my life cleaning! I vacuum almost every day. Luckily, we only have carpet in 2 rooms upstairs; the rest are laminate flooring, so any accidents don8t sink through, and smell. I have large area rugs in those rooms, which I vacuum, and I use the Dust-Buster on the stairs, which are wood (this is where most of the fur collects; I think they tussle on the stairs). I try to sweep the kitchen floor every night, and mop it more often now. I also use a lot of vinegar-water mix in a spray bottle, which neutralizes odors, and is an excellent cleaner. In warmer weather, I leave some windows open to air the house. I think this really helps. I sprinkle baking soda on the rugs & carpets, let it sit, then vacuum. This removes smells. Some people also mix a bix in the litter for this reason, but some cats dislike it (when they pee, it fizzes up, and scares them).
I know I talk about the Swiffers a lot (no, I don*t own stock!), but they are great for quick clean-ups, and the scent lingers, & is fresh. I highly recommend them, even if you are a mop and bucket person--just keep some on hand for quick clean-ups, accidents, etc.
I also love the Clorox-type cleaning wipes that disinfect. Again, they leave a nice, fresh scent. They would be good to use if you have unexpected company arriving soon--go over a few surfaces, Swiffer the main part of the floors, and throw open a window.
On top of this, 4 cats are long-haired. Imagine the fur! Dust is not my problem; it is the fur! I cannot stand to see the fur *tumbleweeds* lying around--drives me nuts.
I just have to clean more often than most folks. I am a neat freak, but even I don*t want to spend my life cleaning! I vacuum almost every day. Luckily, we only have carpet in 2 rooms upstairs; the rest are laminate flooring, so any accidents don8t sink through, and smell. I have large area rugs in those rooms, which I vacuum, and I use the Dust-Buster on the stairs, which are wood (this is where most of the fur collects; I think they tussle on the stairs). I try to sweep the kitchen floor every night, and mop it more often now. I also use a lot of vinegar-water mix in a spray bottle, which neutralizes odors, and is an excellent cleaner. In warmer weather, I leave some windows open to air the house. I think this really helps. I sprinkle baking soda on the rugs & carpets, let it sit, then vacuum. This removes smells. Some people also mix a bix in the litter for this reason, but some cats dislike it (when they pee, it fizzes up, and scares them).
I know I talk about the Swiffers a lot (no, I don*t own stock!), but they are great for quick clean-ups, and the scent lingers, & is fresh. I highly recommend them, even if you are a mop and bucket person--just keep some on hand for quick clean-ups, accidents, etc.
I also love the Clorox-type cleaning wipes that disinfect. Again, they leave a nice, fresh scent. They would be good to use if you have unexpected company arriving soon--go over a few surfaces, Swiffer the main part of the floors, and throw open a window.