how to keep your home smelling fresh with pets

Regular professional cleaning can prolong the life of your carpets and upholstery and give your home a quick pick-me-up in terms of looks and smell. By preparing for the cleaners before they arrive, you'll minimize the time it takes them to get the job done, which means your carpets and furniture will be dry faster.

• Do a careful vacuuming. Your carpets will need to be clear of any dirt, debris and pet hair for your carpet cleaners to do a thorough job.
• Inspect your carpets and any furniture you're having cleaned. Look for spots, odors or any other areas of concern so you can point them out to your cleaners before they set to work.
• Relocate any fragile items. Don't keep anything valuable or breakable in the rooms you're having cleaned if at all possible. This includes things hanging on the walls or on shelves. Professional cleaners are very cautious, but it's best to allow them to do their work efficiently without having to work around fragile items.
• Move your furniture. Tuck smaller pieces of furniture out of the way in rooms that your carpet cleaning company won't need to access. Make arrangements for help moving larger furniture, or contact your cleaning company before your appointment to see if they move heavier items, such as sofas and overstuffed chairs, for you. Ensure your cleaners will have easy access to any upholstery you're having cleaned.
• Locate your outdoor water spigots. Test the spigots to make sure they're in working order if you don't use them often.
• Plan for your children and pets to be out of the house if possible. If you need to keep them home, that's okay--just make sure they're in a room that isn't being cleaned and that they have access to a bathroom, water and anything else they'll need while the cleaners are in your home.
• Rearrange your vehicles. Your carpet cleaners will need to have easy access to the vehicle containing their equipment, and they'll likely need to run a hose from their vehicle to your home, so make sure the parking spot closest to the door is available for them.

Ask a professional cleaning service, like Beatty's Carpet Cleaners, about any special precautions or considerations you should take after they finish cleaning. They'll likely ask you keep any props or blocks they placed under your furniture for 24 to 48 hours. You'll also want to keep small children and pets away from damp carpets and furniture until they're full dry so they don't get any of the cleaning chemicals on their skin or in their mouths.