Top Laundry Tips for Pet Owners
Pets are our precious family members. However, the fur that they can shed can get attached to your clothes whether you are near them or not. So how can you optimise your laundry?
In this blog, we will be addressing key points, and additional information worth considering regarding top laundry tips for pet owners
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We provide laundry services, ironing services and dry cleaning, and more. Whether it’s a delicate piece of clothing or your sweaty gym gear, or even if you have commercial laundry needs, we have all the right solutions to clean your items in the best way for them.
Do Pet’s Clothes Need to Go in a Washing Machine?
Yes, pet clothes definitely need to be washed regularly. Just like our own clothing, pet clothes can accumulate dirt, germs, and unpleasant odours. Regular washing is essential to maintain hygiene and keep your pet comfortable.
Here are some factors to consider when washing pet clothes:
- Frequency: How often you need to wash pet clothes depends on various factors, including the type of fabric, how often your pet wears them, and their activities. For heavily soiled items or clothes worn frequently, weekly washing might be necessary.
- Washing temperature: Check the care label for specific instructions. Generally, a warm or hot water wash is effective for killing bacteria.
- Detergent: Use a gentle detergent suitable for pet fabrics. Avoid harsh chemicals that can irritate your pet’s skin.
- Drying: Most pet clothes can be machine dried on a low heat setting. However, always check the care label for specific instructions. Air drying is also an option.
- Pre-soak heavily soiled items: This can help to loosen dirt and stains before washing.
- Separate pet clothes from human laundry: This prevents cross-contamination.
- Use a pet-safe fabric softener: This can help to keep your pet’s clothes soft and comfortable.
By following these guidelines, you can ensure that your pet’s clothes are clean, fresh, and hygienic.
Do pets need clothing?
This is subject to the pet you own, their breed, and general health/temperament, along with the weather. For example, cats do not need any clothing to regulate their heat due to their fur, but a breed like a sphinx cat may need specially made items as they have little to no hair.
Dogs, unlike cats, require walks on a daily basis to maintain their health. However, some breeds with very short fur may struggle at certain times of the year. In this instance, a dog coat/jacket is ideal, and considering the dirt it will accumulate, there’s no doubt that it would also require cleaning.
What happens if I don’t clean my pets clothes?
Similar to what would happen if you don’t clean your clothes, the clothes will eventually smell, harbour unpleasant smells and be ruined by stains. This will speed up the deterioration of the clothing, potentially making it dangerous to wear for your pet.
In order to clean your pet’s clothes in the best way possible, you should ensure that you follow the directions on the label.
Top laundry tips for pet owners
Living with a beloved pet brings immense joy, but it can also introduce a new challenge: pet hair. Here’s a comprehensive guide to help you keep your laundry pet hair-free and your clothes fresh:
Pre-Laundry Preparation
- Regular Grooming: Consistent brushing of your pet helps to minimise shedding and the amount of hair that ends up on your clothes and bedding. Invest in a suitable brush for your pet’s coat type and groom them regularly.
- Lint Rollers and Brushes: Keep lint rollers and pet hair brushes handy. Give your clothes a quick once-over before tossing them into the washing machine. This simple step can significantly reduce the amount of hair that enters your laundry.
- Dedicated Pet Bedding: Providing your pet with their own clean bedding can help to reduce the transfer of pet hair to your human bedding. Wash their bedding regularly using a hot water cycle.
Laundry Day Tactics
- Sort Carefully: Separate pet-hair-prone items like blankets, towels, and dark-coloured clothing. This helps to prevent hair from transferring to lighter fabrics.
- Cold Water Wash: While hot water is effective at killing germs, it can set pet hair into fabrics. Opt for a cold water wash to loosen and remove hair more effectively.
- Vinegar Rinse: Adding a cup of white vinegar to the final rinse cycle can help to remove any residual pet hair and soften fabrics.
- Hair-Trapping Products: Consider using hair-trapping laundry balls or sheets. These products can help to collect pet hair during the wash cycle.
- Double Rinsing: For stubborn pet hair, run an extra rinse cycle to ensure all the hair is removed from your clothes.
- Drying Tips: Tumble drying can help to loosen and remove pet hair. Use a dryer sheet to reduce static and help capture hair. Clean the lint trap thoroughly after each load.
Removing pet-made stains
- Act Quickly: The sooner you treat a stain, the better your chances of removing it.
- Blot, Don’t Rub: Blot the stain with a clean cloth to absorb as much of the liquid as possible. Rubbing can spread the stain.
- Use Suitable Stain Remover: Choose a stain remover specifically designed for pet accidents. Test the product on a small, inconspicuous area of the fabric first to check for colour-fastness.
- Enzyme-Based Cleaners: For urine stains, opt for an enzyme-based cleaner. These cleaners break down the organic matter in the stain.
Washing Machine Maintenance
- Regular Cleaning: A clean washing machine is essential for preventing the build-up of pet hair and other residues.Run a hot water cycle with a washing machine cleaner or a mixture of white vinegar and baking soda regularly.
- Check the Filter: Clean the lint filter in your washing machine after each load to prevent clogs and improve performance.
- Rubber Seals: Wipe down the rubber seals of your washing machine to remove any accumulated hair or mould.
Additional Tips
- Air-Drying: If possible, air-dry your clothes to avoid exposing them to high heat, which can set in pet hair.
- Vacuum Regularly: Regular vacuuming of your home helps to reduce the amount of pet hair circulating in the air and landing on your clothes.
- Pet-Free Zones: Consider designating specific areas of your home as pet-free zones, such as bedrooms and laundry rooms, to minimise hair transfer.
By following these tips, you can significantly reduce the amount of pet hair on your clothes and maintain a fresher, cleaner living environment.
Save your laundry with the best service available
At Love2Laundry, we believe in the valuable services laundrettes and ironing, and cleaning services can offer, that’s why we dedicate our service to making your clothes clean, long-lasting, fresh and uncreased.
There are plenty of great hacks online that will make it possible to treat certain items that need dry cleaning, washing, or ironing. But without the professional products, services, and tools offered by a laundrette or ironing service, it may be difficult to consistently get the results you are supposed to have.
We are proud that we offer competitively priced services for you to achieve a perfect finish for your items for an affordable cost and a fraction of the time.
In this blog, we hope to have shown you top laundry tips for pet owners. Want to know how we can help you today? You can see our full price list or contact our friendly team to find out more about our services.
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