Dogster is reader-supported. When you buy via links on our site, we may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more.

Lifestyle

How to Keep Floors Clean With Dogs: 7 Helpful Tips

Kathryn Copeland
By Kathryn CopelandUpdated on June 17, 2026
Share
polish tatra sheepdog lying on the floor

You took your beloved pup out for a fantastic walk, but part of that walk involved your dog running through a mud puddle—and you’ve just cleaned your floors! This is just one of many scenarios that are part of being a dog owner. Still, what are the best ways to keep your floors spotless?

Here, we go over seven tips and tricks that can help you keep your floors clean. It’s not possible to keep your place spic and span at all times if you own pets, but we hope that this will make things a bit easier for you.

divider single dog paw oct 2024

The 7 Tips on How to Keep Floors Clean With Dogs

1. Keep on Top of Grooming

The less hair flying off your dog, the less hair on your floor and everything else. Whether your dog is long-haired or short-haired, brushing your dog every day is an effective way to reduce shedding. Also, consider using a de-shedder.

Try to brush your dog outside to reduce the fur flying around during the grooming session. If this isn’t possible, use a porch or set up a small room for grooming purposes.

While most dogs should not be bathed too frequently (usually no more than once a month, depending on the breed), you can use plain water or things like dog wipes or waterless shampoo.

The Hepper Waterless No Rinse Shampoo and Wash Wipes are great waterless products to keep on hand if you're looking to clean up your pet in a pinch. Both are all-natural, easy to use, and lightly scented, offering a great way to freshen up your dog when on the go. Find out if these products are right for you and your pet below. 

Comparison Table (block #761865)

At Dogster, we've admired Hepper for many years, and decided to take a controlling ownership interest so that we could benefit from the outstanding designs of this cool pet company!


2. Clean Up Your Dog Before Entering Your Home

If you have a mudroom, you’re probably already using it to literally clean the mud from your dog. If you have a laundry room, this is a good place to set up a little cleaning station, but otherwise, you can do a few things to set up your entranceway.

Make a point of keeping towels, a water spray bottle, and wipes there, so they’re easily accessible, along with treats.

Invest in a good sturdy doormat, and stand on it when starting the cleaning process. Use an old towel or dog wipes and spray bottles with water to get the worst of the mud and dirt off your dog’s paws and fur.

While your dog is wet, keep them in a room with floors that are easy to clean until your pup is dry enough to enter your home.


3. Invest in a Pet Vacuum Cleaner

Make a point of purchasing a vacuum cleaner that is designed for pet owners. It should have strong suction for clearing up dog hair. Some models also have steam cleaning or mopping, which can help sanitize and reduce odors and stains. Some pet vacuums can also be used on furniture.

You should also make a point of doing a quick clean every day, so you don’t get a buildup of dog hair and dander. Just sweeping with an electrostatic broom should be quick and easy, and then do a more thorough vacuuming once a week—voilà, clean floors!

Image Credit: jaromir chalabala, Shutterstock

4. Clean Accidents With an Enzymatic Cleaner

You should also invest in a good cleaner designed to reduce pet stains and odors. A good enzymatic cleaner is designed for all kinds of messes, such as poop, vomit, and urine.

These cleaners work well, usually on hard floors and carpets. You’ll first want to do a spot test on a hidden part of your carpet because there’s the possibility of discoloration.

If you're looking for an all-in-one, pet-friendly, enzyme cleaner, we highly recommend the Hepper Advanced Bio-Enzyme Pet Stain & Odor Eliminator Spray.

Hepper Advanced Bio-Enzyme Pet Stain & Odor Eliminator Spray

View on Amazon

It eliminates tough stains and odors easily and is excellent for accident prevention. Plus, it comes with a 100% satisfaction guarantee! Click here to order now.

At Dogster, we’ve admired Hepper for many years, and decided to take a controlling ownership interest so that we could benefit from the outstanding products of this cool pet company!


5. Use Indoor-Outdoor Rugs

You can find attractive indoor-outdoor rugs that you can use inside. You can place them in front of all doors to act as doormats or any other surface where your dog tends to hang out: in front of the sofa, under the dining room table, etc.

The benefit of these rugs is that messes will not soak in and can be quickly wiped up with a damp rag. You can also look into carpeting your space with carpet tiles. If there's a stain that is too difficult to remove, you can replace one tile instead of the entire carpet.

Image Credit: Africa studio, Shutterstock

6. Have a Special Space for Your Dog

Set up a room or corner that's specifically for your dog. Find a dog bed that isn’t too much of a hair magnet (in other words, it can be easily cleaned) but is super comfortable so your dog will gravitate toward it.

If your dog spends most of their time in this space, the majority of the dirt and hair will remain there. Just be sure to clean the dog bed about once a week.


7. Clean the Food and Water Bowls

Put a waterproof mat under your pup’s food and water bowls. We know how messy dogs can be when eating and drinking! Clean their bowls every day, and wipe up any messes after they’ve happened.

About once a week, clean up the area around the food and water bowls, such as the walls, floor, and baseboards.

Image Credit: MargaPl, Shutterstock
divider dog paws 3 oct 2024

Conclusion

Most dogs are messy by nature. It is a never-ending battle to clean up after other people, let alone a slobbery dog. Of course, the bigger the dog, the bigger the mess. If you have it in your budget, another option is to hire a cleaner to clean your home from top to bottom every week. Then all you have to do is spot cleaning the rest of the time.

Basically, you can’t own a pet and expect to have immaculate floors, let alone a spotless home, most of the time. But with these tips and your own due diligence, you can at least stay on top of it. Isn’t having your amazing dog in your life worth a little mess, anyway?


Featured Image Credit: mamillaria, Shutterstock

Want content like this delivered to you?

News, insights, expert advice, and everything dog

Kathryn Copeland
Authored by

Kathryn Copeland

How To Keep A House Clean With Dogs: 10 Tips To Consider

How To Keep A House Clean With Dogs: 10 Tips To Consider

While there are many joys to living with dogs, there are some extra chores and responsibilities that come with taking care of them. It's challenging for dog ow…

Jessica Kim
By Jessica Kim · 4 days ago
6 Vacuuming Tips With Dogs: Keeping Your House Clean With a Canine

6 Vacuuming Tips With Dogs: Keeping Your House Clean With a Canine

The benefits of having a dog far outweigh the drawbacks. However, cleaning up hair that ends up everywhere is one thing most dog owners would gladly do without…

Nicole Cosgrove
By Nicole Cosgrove · 2 weeks ago
How to Keep Dogs From Tracking in Dirt Through the House: 8 Simple Tips

How to Keep Dogs From Tracking in Dirt Through the House: 8 Simple Tips

Your dog probably loves to run around in the rain, dirt, and mud. It's an absolute blast for them and an absolute mess for us. While we don't mind our pups get…

Adam Mann
By Adam Mann · 2 weeks ago
How to Clean Up Dog Hair: 11 Easy Tips

How to Clean Up Dog Hair: 11 Easy Tips

The vast majority of dogs shed at least a little. Therefore, you can plan on cleaning up dog fur at least some of the time, even if you have a low-shedding dog…

Kristin Hitchcock
By Kristin Hitchcock · 2 weeks ago
June 29, 2026

Muddy & Dirty Dog Paws: 15 Effective Ways To Deal With Them

Muddy days are the worst. The floors and furniture are streaked with muck and it seems impossible to keep up with unless you barricade everyone inside until th…

Cassidy Sutton
By Cassidy Sutton
Muddy & Dirty Dog Paws: 15 Effective Ways To Deal With Them
June 17, 2026

How to Protect Laminate Floors From Dog Pee - 5 Great Tips

Having a dog is one of the many joys we can have in life. No companionship is quite like the kind we get from our four-legged friends. While having these famil…

Ashley Bates
By Ashley Bates
How to Protect Laminate Floors From Dog Pee - 5 Great Tips
June 17, 2026

9 Dog-Safe Cleaning Products You Must Have at Home (Vet-Approved)

Living with a dog can be a fun and rewarding experience, even if things at home don’t stay as clean as you would like them to. After all, dogs are not exactly…

Rachael Gerkensmeyer
By Rachael Gerkensmeyer
9 Dog-Safe Cleaning Products You Must Have at Home (Vet-Approved)
June 17, 2026

How to Get Dog Pee Smell & Stains Out of Hardwood Floors: 6 Vet-Approved Steps

Nothing is quite like the smell of dog urine. As much as we try to minimize odors in our homes, one accident can lead to a lasting smell. Cleaning it can be tr…

Chelsie Fraser
By Chelsie Fraser
How to Get Dog Pee Smell & Stains Out of Hardwood Floors: 6 Vet-Approved Steps
June 17, 2026

How to Keep Your House Clean When a Dog Is in Heat: 10 Simple Tips

Dogs are known for their messy ways, and when one is in heat, the messiness can become even worse. If you're a pet owner trying to keep your home clean during…

Sophie Herlihy
By Sophie Herlihy
How to Keep Your House Clean When a Dog Is in Heat: 10 Simple Tips
June 17, 2026

15 Ways to Keep Dogs From Slipping & Sliding on Floors: Expert Tips

Dogs are well-equipped for many different terrains. For example, their claws help them in muddy, wet, and even icy conditions. However, one terrain that they s…

Nicole Cosgrove
By Nicole Cosgrove
15 Ways to Keep Dogs From Slipping & Sliding on Floors: Expert Tips
June 17, 2026

How to Remove Dog Odor From Your House: 15 Vet-Approved Tips

There is no getting around it: Dogs can get stinky. No one even has to ask if you have a pet; it's evident when they enter your home. But no one wants their ho…

Chris Dinesen Rogers
By Chris Dinesen Rogers
How to Remove Dog Odor From Your House: 15 Vet-Approved Tips
June 17, 2026

How to Get Dog Poop Smell & Stains Out of Hardwood Floors: 4 Effective Ways

Our hardwoods are precious. They can be some of the most prized possessions in your household. Not only are hardwood floors easy to clean, but they are also be…

Ashley Bates
By Ashley Bates
How to Get Dog Poop Smell & Stains Out of Hardwood Floors: 4 Effective Ways

Love Dogs? So Do We! Join the Dogster Community

Stay informed with expert pet care insights delivered straight to your inbox! Discover professional guidance on animal behavior, feeding tips, trusted product picks, and much more.

You may opt-out at any time. View our Privacy Policy for more information.

The Dogster app on a phone