Pets

Removing Dog Hair

Q. I’ve got a dog that sheds quite a bit. I’ve tried the "Swiffer Sweepers", but they don’t pick up the hair like I’d hoped. Can someone give me a tip for picking up all this hair efficiently? I have hardwood and tile floors. – J

I am not sure how to help you pick it up but may I can help it not fall out so much put 1 teaspoon of olive oil in you dogs food per day and believe me it help the dog not shed so much BM.

A damp sponge (or sponge mop) worked great for us when we had a dog. Pat

We have a cat who also sheds quite a bit, I’ve found that the best way to keep up with the shedding fur is to use our vacuum on the lowest possible setting. We also have hardwood floors and this works quite well. Also, if you then use a swiffer after vacuuming I find it works well at picking up the residual fine hairs. Hope this helps. Hannah

I also have hardwood floors and a dog that sheds. I know if can be frustrating dealing with dog hair on a daily basis. I was give a small broom vacuum from a friend that did not use it (she had carpet) and I have found that it works better than anything for our situation. It is very light weight and not cumbersome to drag out like a heavy conventional vacuum. I have priced these broom vacs in stores and found them to be a reasonable $25.00 – $40.00, though mine was free. I would recommend a cordless, rechargeable style for even more ease in quick cleaning. Ours has a cord and it does not reach very far, therefore it takes more time to plug and unplug (I have child-proof sockets) and I am still considering buying a cordless vac. ( I am trying to be frugal and use the one I was given.) These vacuums do not replace regular rug vacuums, they don’t pick up heavier items, but have worked well and quickly with dog hair. Stod.

The best way I know to pick up a lot more dust and dog hair when sweeping is a trick I learned from a VERY old housekeeping book. Go outside and pick up some freshly mowed grass clippings or damp leaves (a couple of handfuls). Sprinkle them all over your kitchen floor. Then sweep. The dampness from the grass will stick to more dust and dog hair than sweeping alone, and it will show you very clearly where you missed. This also helps keep the dust from landing on the furniture to dust off later. Lorraine

I just vacuum up my dog’s hair on my tile and wood floors. Betsy.

I heard about someone who trains his dogs from puppy hood to accept being vacuumed — stop it at the source! This is not an option for me. I have 2 fuzzy, shedding dogs & 2 cats, and I have found that the rubber brooms that are being sold now really do work! The rubber doesn’t generate a lot of static electricity, so the hair rolls up almost like a piece of rope, and it doesn’t tend to drift the way it does when using an ordinary broom. I also use the rubber broom for getting the pet hair off of upholstery and carpets. (A very slightly damp sponge is also good for this.) The broom is washable, and has an adjustable handle. I got my broom on sale, with a coupon, at a local discount drugstore for less than $10. I put the hair on the compost pile; sometimes birds take it from there for nesting material, and the dog smell discourages other animals from getting near the compost or the garden. Suzanna

Shedding dogs, cats and even molting pet birds litter our floors nearly year round! Grooming the 4 legged friends, outdoors with old rubber gloves helps the shedding and indoors I lightly spritz my swifter cloth ( or old rag or sock, those refills are so expensive!) with water, wait 5 minutes and then dust the floors. A bit of moisture seems to make cloth work better, and the rubberized mat sheets that come with some of the duster units work the best! Renn

My dog also has a shedding problem and I could never seem to stay ahead of it until my vet recommended a 3M Lint Roller. I just gently roll the roller over the dogs coat and it picks up any loose hair. At first my dog was afraid but now that he is used to it he loves it. I usually use about 4 sheets at a time and by getting the loose hair before it falls off I don’t have a mess. I Hope it works for your dog. Kathy

Keeping Cats Out Of The Garden

Q. Does anybody know of a way to keep cats from using my garden and potted plants as a toilet?

I found a remedy which works for us. I hope it does the same for you. We sprayed the plants with a solution of a little cayenne and water. It’s nontoxic to the animals, doesn’t hurt the plants, and boy, the cats sure hate the smell of it when they sniff around to prepare to answer nature’s call.

One is to put human hair around your plants (on top of the soil). It’s my understanding that animals hate the smell and are deterred from it. Any hair salon would probably be more than happy to sweep some up into a bag for you. Another is one my neighbor uses. She puts moth balls around her plants. Again, I think it’s the smell. I don’t know, however, how viable either of these options are for a food garden.

Moth Balls–place a few around the edges of garden, flower area, in pots, etc.–keeps them TOTALLY away!!! And doesn’t hurt the plants or vegetables at all.

This is cat repellant recipe I heard on a radio gardening show that featured a well respected garden expert. Her formula is simple:
2 parts cayenne pepper
3 parts dry mustard
5 parts flour

Mix it together and sprinkle where ever you wish to repel cats. It must be reapplied periodically and after a rain.

I took plastic canvas of a complementary color, matching the flower pot, or using brown to blend with soil, and cut a cover to fit round the plant. My cats can not dig in the dirt, so they go elsewhere to "do their business".

If you place some lemon peel or any other citrus peel on the soil of potted plant, the cats should leave the flower alone as they do not like citrus smell.

I use aluminum foil or pine cones around the bigger plants, put cayenne pepper on the soil of the smaller plants. However you questioned "pot plants" and I don’t have a tip, except to plant some catnip for the kitties.

My cats used to dig in the houseplants, which would annoy me to no end. So, one day I decided to cover the surface of the dirt in the pots with large pine cones that I had picked on a hiking trip. It worked! No longer did the kitties mess with my plants. The pine cones added a decorative flair, too. However, I now have three children, one of whom loved to grab the pine cones. I solved this problem by tying a large pretty scarf around the plant and covering the pine cones. No more hassles!