It’s showtime, and while you’ve taken every possible precaution, your dear puppy makes a mess before the first potential buyer even walks into your house. Knowing how to keep your house clean while selling and showing your home when you have a dog is challenging, but with the proper preparation, potential buyers may never know there was even a pet in residence.
Routines make keeping your house clean and show-ready easy, even if you have dogs on the premises. First, ensure you deep clean your home before listing the property. Once the initial cleaning is complete, it’s more about maintenance so your residence is ready when a potential buyer wants to view it at the drop of a hat.
Learn How to Keep Your House Clean While Selling When You Have a Dog
Discover the best tricks to getting a pet-friendly home show-ready and how to clean your residence when emergencies happen. “They’re all quick to do, and will help to keep your house clean and tidy during an all-important property viewing,” say experts at Palm Paradise Realty Group, a professional concierge real estate service.
1. Remove Fur
Following the deep cleaning, a daily fur run is essential. Use a handheld vacuum cleaner to quickly clean the hair your dog leaves behind. Having flyaway tufts decorate your home is unlikely to attract buyers.
2. Designate a Doggy Zone
Keeping your dog confined to a specific zone is a great idea when showing your home, making cleanup much easier before a buyer comes by. Consider restricting rooms that aren’t in use, such as guest bedrooms, the office, laundry and separate living areas. Close doors to keep your dog — and any signs of them — from these spaces.
3. Conduct a Timely Tidy-Up
Dogs have beds, toys, blankets and other items in your home. Potential buyers don't necessarily want to see those, even if they also have pets. It’s best to clean up, collect toys, fold and pack away doggy blankets, and leave dog beds out of sight in storage. A neat house is a powerful selling point.
4. Do Frequent Grooming
Before you vacuum floors, brush your dog well to remove any loose hair. If they are going to be home when a buyer comes to view the property, they must be clean. A well-groomed dog sheds less hair and dander and tracks in less dirt.
5. Monitor, Check and Repair Pet Damage
Some dogs love to chew on things, which may go undiscovered. Don’t let a sudden chewed door knob surprise you as the agent guides the buyer through your home. Check for damage and repair before someone comes to view.
6. Perform Daily Traffic Area Cleaning
Ensure the areas where most people walk in rooms, on the porch and in the yard are clean of dog signs. Vacuum, sweep and rake these areas to remove fur, dust and droppings. Always ensure the lawn is thoroughly poo-picked before receiving visitors. Keep a sponge mop on hand to wipe any telltale water drops in the home.
7. Deodorize Daily
Humans quickly become accustomed to a scent. You may not smell your pets, but other people certainly will. Use an automated scent sprayer or deodorize each room before letting the agent show buyers around. Activated charcoal also makes an excellent deodorizer that absorbs new smells, so don’t skip it, as a clean-smelling house is more likely to sell.
8. Plan Outdoor vs. Indoor Zone Defense
Because pets live indoors and outdoors, using a dirt-trapping rug that cleans your dog’s paws before they come back inside is vital. This prevents the spread of sand and organic material and controls other contaminants, like bugs.
Before the potential buyer shows up, ensure you clean and deodorize the welcome rug. The first step in the door says a lot about your home.
9. Create an Emergency Cleaning Kit
You should have an emergency cleaning kit for messy scenarios. Your dog may decide to “revisit breakfast on the lounge floor” five minutes before the buyer shows up, and you don’t want to look for cleaning supplies.
Your cleaning kit can include essentials like paper towels, a spray bottle with vinegar, dishwashing liquid and water, a stiff brush, cotton rags and a deodorizing spray. Store these in a designated bucket for easy use. If the spill happened the day before, you can remove “scent stains” by spreading ¼ cup of baking soda over the stain the night before and vacuuming it the next morning.
10. Send Them to Doggy Day Care
Even a well-mannered dog can have a down day when they are extra grumpy. Having so many people come in and out of your home and their territory is stressful for them. Consider arranging doggy day care on an open-house day or if multiple buyers book private viewings.
If your dog has to be home on an open showhouse day, you should consider offering safe pet tranquilizers to help ease any anxiety they may feel. Ensure a family member stays with them while visitors are on-site. Restricting your dog to a safe space like their crate is also a wise option, especially when you cover it with a sheet to give them some privacy.
Keep a Show-Ready Residence
Your dog is part of your life, and while you accept their quirks and presence, others won’t. Ensure your property has the best possible chance of attracting the right buyer by keeping it clean, removing signs of your dog and creating a blank slate that people can use to envision themselves in your home.
Be strategic. Start with a deep cleaning, keep it clean, prepare for emergency messes and ensure your house smells of daisies — not dogs.