Whether you live in a small apartment or on a large estate, one thing is sure to unite all homeowners: the constant battle against dust, dirt and mud entering the home – especially during the autumn and winter months! Another factor that increases the likelihood of dirt coming in through the front door? A dog. Chances are, your four-legged friend loves to go outside AND bring the outside in. In this article, we share our top tips for keeping your floors clean and tidy.

We all know how much work it takes to keep a clean home. Hoovering, dusting, mopping, it’s a seemingly endless cycle. What makes it worse is your furry housemates tracking mud, sand and dust all over your floors. Here’s what you can do about it:

Tip 1: Keep a handheld hoover in your hallway

You won’t know the ease and comfort of having a handy hoover close by until you actually do. No more dragging heavy equipment out of cabinets or cellars several times a day – simply buy a standing hoover (which will sit upright when stalled) with a handheld attachment or buy a separate handheld vacuum cleaner that you can easily attach to the wall. Whenever you see sand, crumbs, dust or mud, you can take out your vacuum cleaner in a jiffy and get rid of it all. Highly recommended!

Tip 2: Consider installing a boot room

Not all homes are suited for this, but most country homes certainly are: a boot room. It’s usually located near a separate entrance to the house and is often tiled and supplied with water and heating facilities, making it the ideal place to wash down your dogs after a long walk. With towels and warm water at the ready, you’ll have them back to their shiny selves in no time at all. And the dirt they leave behind will be perfectly contained within this area.

Tip 3: Rethink your landscaping

It’s a bit of a chore but reconsidering your garden design may prevent your dog from bringing in dirt. Any areas they may cross before walking through the door should be taken into account. Can you cover it with bark or dry mulch? Can you extend the patio to reach the back door so they get the chance to shake off any dirt before entering? This might significantly change the muddiness factor of your barking bunch.

Tip 4: Invest in hard floors

As an extension of the previous tip, we cannot stress enough how much easier your home maintenance will be if you install wood flooring, laminate flooring or tiles. Carpets simply won’t hold up to the dirt that pets bring in, not to mention the difficulty of erasing stains and getting rid of unwanted smells. If you don’t like the look of tiling, these days you can even buy tiles with a faux wood print for an added touch of warmth. Or go all out for everyone’s comfort and have underfloor heating installed.

Tip 5: Buy high-quality indoor and outdoor matting

Honestly? In addition to these costly investments you might be considering for your home, there are some simple solutions available as well. Have a look at indoor and outdoor matting, for example. If you place an outdoor mat in front of your entrance or even combine them with indoor mats, your dogs will – unbeknownst to them – wipe their paws every time they enter the house, several times a day.

The bigger the mat, the more dirt you’ll be able to catch. It’s probably one of the easiest, most stylish and most cost-effective ways of keeping out whatever is meant to stay out. And when the dog mats are saturated, you can simply hoover them down or hang them over a clothesline and bang out the dust with a broom handle. It’s that simple!

Looking for ways to limit the amount of dirt and dust entering your home? Consider investing in high-quality mats. We’re happy to help you find a new dust-busting and perfectly fluffy floor friend to keep your home free from outside dirt.