How to Keep Your House Clean with Pets in East Idaho

7/13/2026

If you live in Idaho Falls, your pet is family.

They are your hiking buddy, couch companion, door-greeter, and honestly, you don’t want to live life without them.

And you aren’t the only one who feels this way about their pet. About 58% of households in Idaho Falls own dogs, and Idaho as a state has the highest dog ownership rate in the entire country. Pets are an unmistakable part of your life — there’s no hiding it.

But, the truth is, keeping a clean house with pets is a full-time job.

Between the shedding fur, the muddy paws tracking in dirt from the backyard, the water splashed around the dog bowl, and the snowy Idaho winters that bring half the outdoors inside, cleaning with pets is difficult to keep up on.

So, this guide is for you, an East Idaho pet owner, who loves animals with their whole heart, but still wants to keep a clean home (and stay sane).

1. Bathe Your Pets Regularly

A clean pet means a cleaner home.

Regular baths cut down on shedding, dander, and that unmistakable "wet dog" smell that tends to settle into furniture and carpet. How often depends on the breed, but building a consistent bathing schedule into your routine makes a noticeable difference throughout the house.

2. Set Up a Pet Cleaning Station at the Door

During Idaho winters and muddy spring months, this helps keep your messy pet from spreading it everywhere.

Keep a basket near your main entry point with a few old towels, a paw cleaning tool, and pet-safe wipes. Wiping paws before your dog hits the floors takes about 30 seconds and saves you from needing to mop immediately.

3. Invest in a Pet-Friendly Vacuum

Not all vacuums are built for pet messes. Look for one specifically designed for pet hair with strong suction and attachments that get into furniture, stairs, and corners. A good pet vacuum is one of the most worthwhile purchases you will make for cleaning up after pets, and using it consistently keeps fur from building up into a bigger problem.

4. Choose the Right Couch Material

Fluffy, loosely woven fabrics are fur magnets.

So, if you are in the market for new furniture, leather and tightly woven fabrics are far easier to wipe down and keep clean. If replacing furniture is not in the cards, a washable pet-friendly slipcover gives you an easy solution that can go straight into the wash.

5. Keep Lint Rollers Everywhere

Lint rollers are your most low-effort, high-reward tool for pet messes. Buy them in bulk and plant them in every room where your pets spend the most time.

6. Upgrade to a Washable Pet Bed

Those big, fluffy, overstuffed pet beds look cozy, but they are a nightmare to clean. Choose a pet bed with a removable, machine-washable cover, or a waterproof base that can be wiped down easily. Washing the bed regularly cuts down on pet odor throughout the home.

7. Put a Mat Under the Food and Water Bowls

Dog bowl water messes are ongoing. A silicone or waterproof mat under the food and water station catches the splashes, drips, and stray kibble before they reach your floors. Wipe it down daily and wash it weekly.

8. Groom Regularly Between Baths

Brushing your pet a few times a week removes loose fur before it ends up on your floors and furniture.

This is especially important during peak shedding seasons, which in Idaho typically hit hard in spring and fall. Regular grooming is one of the most effective ways to manage pet hair throughout your home.

9. Use Doormats Inside and Out

A heavy-duty outdoor mat catches the first layer of mud and debris right at the door. An indoor mat catches everything that made it past the first one. Double-matting your entry points is one of the simplest upgrades you can make to reduce the dirt tracked in after a walk or a backyard adventure.

10. Vacuum and Mop Floors More Frequently

With pets, floors need more attention than the average home. Pet hair collects fast, and dander settles into carpet fibers quickly. Weekly vacuuming and mopping in pet-heavy areas keeps the buildup manageable and your home smelling fresh.

11. Wash Pet Blankets and Soft Toys Often

Anything soft that your pet regularly touches is collecting fur, dander, and odor. Pet blankets, stuffed toys, and soft accessories should be washed at least every one to two weeks. It is a small habit that makes a big difference in how your home smells.

12. Clean Up Accidents Immediately

Pet messes that sit too long set into floors and upholstery are harder to remove. Keep an enzymatic pet cleaner on hand that breaks down odor at the source. The faster you respond to pet messes, the better your chances of no stain and no lingering smell.

13. Keep Pets Off Certain Furniture With Boundaries and Training

If there are rooms or pieces of furniture you want to keep cleaner, consistent training and pet gates can help. Keeping pets out of guest bedrooms or off certain chairs cuts down on where fur and dander accumulate most.

14. Air Out Your Home Regularly

Even in colder Idaho months, cracking windows when you can helps move stale, pet-heavy air out of the house. An air purifier with a HEPA filter is also worth considering, particularly in rooms where your pets spend the most time. Fresh air and good filtration keep the home smelling noticeably cleaner.

15. Wipe Down Surfaces Weekly

Dander settles on counters, shelves, baseboards, and furniture surfaces. A quick wipe-down of hard surfaces every week, with a damp microfiber cloth, keeps dander from building up into a bigger cleaning project down the road.

Keep Your House Consistently Clean (Even With Pets)

Cleaning a home with pets requires consistency.

And that’s what we provide at Distinguished Cleaning. Serving Idaho Falls and surrounding areas, we help keep you consistent even when life gets in the way.

So, when you book a weekly or biweekly clean, we fold deep cleaning tasks right into your regular service. This way, your home gets the consistent attention it needs to actually stay clean, even when your pets are doing their best to undo all of it.

Ready to have a clean home with your fur babies and all?