Clean your dog first. Here’s a twist on an old saying, “Cleaning the house while your dog is shedding is like shoveling the walk while it’s still snowing.” Any spring clean must start with thoroughly bathing and grooming your pooch and removing fur at the source before it ever hits the floor or furniture. 

When bathing your dog, use natural, eco-friendly products to protect your pet and the environment. We recommend Burt's Bees Oatmeal Shampoo with Colloidal Oat Flour & Honey for Dogs. Free of sulfates and colorants, this cleanser is pH balanced for dogs and contains colloidal oat flour to deeply condition dry skin along with honey to give fur a super shine. Speaking of conditioning, finish Fido's bath time with Burt's Bees Oatmeal Dog Conditioner for softness -- it's also free of  sulfates and colorants and is pH balanced for dogs. For more shampoos and conditioners including grooming products formulated for puppies, click here.

Bad breath. Most dogs let you know it’s time for a bath simply with their smell and that includes bad doggie breath. Check with your vet about whether it’s time for a dental cleaning. If not, a good brushing and some chew toys will help freshen his breath. There are an array of dental products for dogs, from teeth brushing kits to dental treats designed to remedy bad breath. We recommend Ark Naturals Brushless Toothpaste. Each yummy treat is made in the USA with abrasive ridges on the outside to help scrub dirty teeth clean and a toothpaste center to fight plaque and tartar. For more dental care products for dogs, click here.

Muddy paws. Be sure to trim fur around his feet, which will help avoid tracking in dirt and mud from outside after spring rain showers. For extra clean feet before you even get home, keep the Kurgo Mud Travel Dog Shower on hand to get yourself out of a messy situation no matter where you are. With a genius design that turns any standard soda bottle into a portable shower, it’s your answer to cleaning off a muddy dog after an outdoor adventure—and before he gets back in the car.

Trimmed nails will also help reduced scratched up floors and surfaces. Lastly, wash your dog’s collar, which can harbor bacteria and odors too. Better yet, treat him to a new collar and we have just the one in mind...the Evergreen Collar by Lodi and Lewi!

Your dog's den. Now that your dog is all clean, you certainly don’t want him sleeping on a stinky bed. This is the perfect time to wash all of his bedding with a pet-friendly, ecologically sound, odor reducing laundry detergent. We also recommend Skout's Honor Laundry Booster Stain and Odor Removal Additive. All natural and derived from plants, this eco-friendly and non-toxic formula is safe for the family yet tough enough to handle even the toughest stains and odors. In fact, we love all of Skout's Honor odor eliminators and cleaners -- their mild scents don't overwhelm the room like some odor eliminators. If your dog uses a crate, this is a great time to thoroughly clean the crate as well. Scrub and disinfect your pet’s dishes and eating area. If you’ve been using plastic feeding dishes, consider switching to stainless steel -- plastic can harbor bacteria. Skout's Honor also makes a Toy & Bowl Cleaner.

Clean your home. Now you’re ready to attack your house. As the weather warms up, start by opening doors and windows to ventilate rooms. Nothing freshens up a home like fresh air. Cleaning carpeting and upholstery will help rid your home of odors, germs and dirt that has accumulated through the winter. Again, make the investment in eco-friendly products to protect yourself, your pet and the environment.

Use baking soda on carpets before vacuuming. If you put a bit of lavender buds in the baking soda it intensifies the odor-fighting effect. Lavender is also a calming agent for people and pets, as well as a natural bug repellent—much better smelling than mothballs.

Accidents happen. Lemon juice and vinegar are also great natural cleaners and odor absorbers, but avoid ammonia-based cleaners, which can actually smell like dog urine and attract dogs back to the “scene of the accident.” 

Speaking of accidents, if your dog has had any, we recommend using Skout's Honor Professional Strength Urine Destroyer. This hard-working spray performs fast to break down and eliminate both old and new pet urine stains and odors at the molecular level.

Hairy situation. Most people share one main complaint about having a dog in the house -- pet hair everywhere. It’s on your clothes, in your furniture fabric and all over the inside of your car. Investing in a good quality vacuum that’s designed for pet owners is something to consider. The Bissell Symphony Pet All-in-One Vacuum & Steam Mop gives you the ability to vacuum and steam clean at the same time or separately, with touch controls that allow you to switch seamlessly between functions.

Whatever you use, spring is a good time to have your vacuum serviced and cleaned so it doesn’t take on pet odors.

For day-to-day pet hair removal from your home and car, there are numerous gadgets on the market that claim to help with this tedious task, but good old-fashioned duck tape still works great. A pair of rubber gloves rubbed across upholstery works wonders too.

For years, CityDog readers have raved about the FURminator deShedding Edge Dog Brush, which claims to Reduces loose hair from shedding up to 90% with regular use. 

Now that you’re equipped with inspiration and information, don’t procrastinate -- get a jump on spring cleaning so you and your dog can enjoy the season!