Assessing the Damage: What Pets Can Do to Your Place

By Danni White on October 17, 2016

This article is brought to you by CORT Furniture Rental. We take the hassle out of furnishing your new place so you can do more important things like read this article. Learn more about why furniture rental is the best way to get a great looking apartment.

The Humane Society of the United States says, “Pet ownership in the U.S. has more than tripled from the 1970s, when approximately 67 million households had pets, to 2012, when there were 164 million owned pets.”

And the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals reports that according to the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association, “It’s estimated that 70-80 million dogs and 74-96 million cats are owned in the United States. Approximately 37-47 percent of all households in the United States have a dog, and 30-37 percent have a cat.”

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I’ve never been much of an animal person. But most people I know who own a pet, including many of the people in my family, absolutely love their pet. They will do almost anything to keep their pet happy and healthy. It is indeed a part of the family and rightfully so. But having a pet doesn’t come without its trials.

If not tended to properly, pets can wreak complete havoc in your apartment. Those furry friends can do quite a number on our carpets, furniture and upholstery. And it can cost a pretty penny, especially as a college student, to get smells and odors out of your place.

Of course, you love Max and Molly, but is it possible to love your pets and love your living space too? As it turns out, cleaning up pet messes doesn’t have to be all that difficult.

Here are a few ways pets can damage your apartment and what you can do to prevent it:

Groom your pet.

Taking the time to brush and groom your pet on a routine basis can keep your apartment in good shape. Of course, having hair on your couch may not be as bad as mud-covered carpet or scratch marks on your countertops, but getting excess fur off your pet first before it hits the furniture may remove one extra step in keeping your place clean.

Trim those nails.

You can minimize many scratching damages of your furniture, walls, and doors by properly trimming the nails of your pets. Cats especially feel the urge to scratch frequently so trimming their nails on a daily basis will be helpful in managing their scratching behavior.

When you do cut beware of cutting too deeply. Sanid Laird, the animal care director at Operation Kindness, says, “Be sure to use clippers that are specifically designed for your type of pet. Be careful not to cut them too short because of the bloodlines. Cutting them too short can injure your pet.”

Use a fabric protector.

Using a fabric protector for your couches, love seats, chairs, and sofas can help to prevent soiling and make any stains easier to clean up. If you have leather seating or furniture in your apartment, use a leather protector.

Have a designated place for pets.

Puppies especially like to chew. When we got our first puppy, she ran through the house chewing everything — chairs, bed sheets, internet cords, computer plugs — everything she could get her teeth into she ripped apart. Just like people, when baby teeth are falling out and new teeth are growing in, chewing on things is the best feeling.

Your puppy feels the same way. Set aside a part of your apartment and provide good choices for your puppy or other chew-prone animal to go and chew on permissible items. Your local veterinarian or local pet store can help you choose toys that are meant to soothe sore gums.

Tackle those odors immediately.

Nothing is worse than an odor you cannot get out of a piece of furniture or the carpet. Letting odors linger results in allowing the fluid (urine in this case) to get deeply into the fiber of your furniture or carpet and giving it a chance to dry.

Instead, right after the accident use absorbent dry paper towels to blot up all the liquid you can. Then apply some water and blot up again. As a final step, place a clean towel directly on top of the stain, use something to hold it in place such as a heavy book or box (but not too heavy). The absorbent action of the towel will help to pull all the liquid and the smell out of the fabric.

When it comes to rental furniture, it can be a particular hassle to keep your pet from scratching it up or smelling it up. However, your local pet store can assist you in finding cleaners with various scents that you can spray or wipe down certain furniture items with. The scent will repel your animal and cause it not to touch that particular furniture. For example, dogs don’t like the spell of bitter apple while cats tend to avoid anything with a citrus scent.

If your pet sheds a lot (as my family’s dog does) the hair everywhere can be frustrating especially when it gets into your clothes, bed sheets, and even your nostrils (for allergy prone people like yours truly). Your pet may be cute but hair everywhere is not.

One good tip is to use dryer sheets. If you wash and dry the curtains, pillows or throws over the couch or on the floor, it’s a good idea to include a dryer sheet or two as they serve as magnets for hair. Using a pet vacuum with HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) filters can be of big assistance when needing to pick up hair quickly such as when you have guests over.

All in all, furry friends and clean living spaces can co-exist. It all depends on how much time and effort you’re willing to put in to keep it that way.

Looking for an easy way to furnish your off-campus apartment? Renting furniture from CORT saves you time and money. See how easy it is to get great looking furniture without breaking the bank.

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