If you entertain a steady flow of company over the holidays or otherwise, you may have encountered this a time or two. Regardless of the time of year, house guests with pet allergies are not always going to share your enthusiasm for your furbabies (for shame). However, there are many things you can do to reduce the friction and keep everybody happy.
Here are some of my best tips to help you when visitors happen to have pet allergies.
1 – Get into A Lather
There are several different pet-safe shampoos available on the market these days. If you are not already giving Rover or Fifi a regular treatment, maybe now is the time to consider it. Shampooing your pet does a great deal in reducing the number of allergens carried in their coats. Massaging your pet with a good quality pet-safe shampoo will also feel good to them!
2 – Use Your Filter
Although this could be interpreted as ‘watching what you say around your house guests’, what I’m really referring to is an air filter – or two. Choose the type that traps small particles with HEPA filters to keep pet allergens under control. Place filters in the guest room as well as common areas and be sure to run them for a few days before your company arrives.
3 – Clean as A Whistle
Here’s where you get to sweat some of the small stuff. That’s because you’ll be spending time giving your home a complete cleaning. Wash, vacuum and mop each and every surface to remove as much pet dander as possible. Not only will you give your guests a nice clean place to stay, it’ll remove the highest volume of allergens that are currently sitting around your home.
4 – The Dog-Free Zone
Regardless of the amount of effort you put into cleaning and filtering your home, some of the most sensitive visitors may still have allergic reactions. One way to give them a break is to designate part of your home as being ‘pet-free’. You can do this all year round as well and not only will your guests appreciate it; your pets may enjoy being elsewhere as well.
5 – Be Ready…For Anything
One of the things about pet allergies is that no matter how much you scrub and clean, you won’t be able to completely control the situation. Therefore, it is a good idea to have a supply of allergy medications available…just in case. There are many different over-the-counter options available to you. It could make the difference between a sneezing and itchy houseguest and a pleasant experience for everyone.
Enjoy Your Gatherings with Family and Friends
Pet owners have a difficult job when they must juggle visiting with family and friends who are allergic to pets and trying to keep their pets part of the family. Hopefully I’ve been able to give you some helpful tips to help make that juggling act a bit easier. For all your real estate needs or to swap pet pics, give me a call, I can be reached at 289-213-7031.