Love, joy, companionship, fur, saliva, odors—these are all signs of a dog-friendly home. As awesome as it is to have a dog, keeping your home clean can take a lot of time and money. However, there are changes you can make to your daily and weekly cleaning routines that will help the process feel less overwhelming. Since having a clean home is critical for the health and happiness of your entire household, consider these time-saving and cost-effective cleaning strategies for a dog-friendly home:

Bring in a professional cleaner.                 

First of all, a professional cleaner can save you a ton of time and do a great job of minimizing the dog fur, dander, and saliva in your home. Rather than having your home cleaned weekly, consider having a cleaning service come out once a month. This will save you money and make it easier for you to maintain a clean and tidy living space. For stubborn furniture or carpet stains, you’ll need more than maid services. The cost of hiring an upholstery cleaning service typically ranges from $150 to $200, but it will depend on how long the job takes to complete, equipment needed, and labor.

Keep the clutter under control.

If you’ve had a dog for longer than 10 minutes, you understand what kind of clutter they can add to the home. Toys, bowls, leashes, collars, pillows, and all kinds of other items can be strewn about the home in no time. The most effective way to deal with this clutter is to deal with it each day. Get the whole family involved in picking up after your dog and putting things back after each use. Also, consider purchasing an inexpensive, decorative storage bin (sold by Amazon for less than $15) to keep all your dog’s toys in.

Go to the groomer.

Grooming your pup will significantly cut down on the amount of fur, dander, and dirt circulating through your home. Yes, it will save you time if you take your dog to a professional groomer, but doing this every other week or every month can do a number on your budget. Fortunately, you can learn to do a lot of grooming tasks (e.g., trimming nails, brushing, bathing, etc.) yourself by searching for online tutorials.

Always have cleaning supplies.

It’s also important to have the right cleaning supplies on hand each time your dog leaves a mess behind. The quicker you clean up urine or feces, the easier it will be to remove the stains and odors. Check with your local pet store about any promotions, and stock up on supplies whenever there’s a good sale. You can also save money through online discounts and by subscribing to certain products.

Contain the saliva.

Every dog leaves saliva behind, but some breeds leave a lot of it behind. You can help contain the saliva and bacteria that come with it by placing a towel under your pup’s food and water bowls, leaving a bandana around their neck, and regularly wiping their mouth with cheap paper towels (especially after eating, drinking, or exercising). As with urine and feces, try to clean up saliva as soon as you notice it because it can become hard to remove once it sets in.

Establish a cleaning station.

A lot of dirt, mud, and other debris are tracked into the home when a dog comes in from the outdoors. To combat this issue, set up a cleaning station near the door your pup most frequently uses. It doesn’t take much; a welcome mat, washable towel, roll of paper towels and cleaning solution can make a big difference.

Maintaining a clean and healthy home doesn’t have to cost a lot of time or money. Think about hiring a professional cleaner to come in once a month, and control the clutter on a daily basis. Regularly groom your pup, keep cleaning supplies handy, take steps to keep the saliva to a minimum, and put a cleaning station at your entranceway. These strategies will help you save a lot of time and money while keeping your household healthy and happy.

Guest Post by Tyler Evans  |  Image via Burst