13 Ways To Prevent Your Pet From Tracking Dirt Into The Home

Pets bring endless love and affection into your home. Unfortunately, when these furry companions go outdoors regularly, they often bring much more back than love into your home. Dogs and cats can track dirt, mud, and debris inside, especially when it’s wet outside. If you feel like you're constantly cleaning up the dirt your pet brings into the home, you’ll want to find ways to keep this mess outside where it belongs.

To help prevent your pet from bringing dirt into the home, keep absorbent mats at all entrances, and add a pet cleaning station. Use washable floor rugs near entrances, and train your pet to wipe its feet. Consider putting booties on your pet, and rolling out artificial grass when it rains. Add seed to any muddy outdoor areas to reduce the amount of dirt your pet can bring inside. 

If you work hard to keep your home clean and tidy, then it can be incredibly frustrating when your pet tracks in dirt. While it’s hard to get mad at a dog or cat for bringing in dirt, it’s surprisingly easy to reduce the amount of it that your pet tracks inside. If you want to put a stop to all the extra dirt on your floor and furniture, then try one of the 13 methods below to help keep it off your pet and out of your home

13 Ways To Prevent Your Pet From Bringing Dirt Into The House 

1. Put Absorbent Mats By Your Entrances

Since your pet can only walk into your home from one or two entrances, you must arm these entry points with mats. Place absorbent mats or an outdoor rug with bristles to help absorb mud and remove dirt particles from your pet’s paws and fur.

These mats act as the first line of defense in protecting your home from dirt. Just as they assist in removing dirt and mud from your shoes, they can be just as effective at getting it off dog and cat paws.

2. Lay Down Fake Grass When It’s Muddy

The main reason dogs go outside is to relieve themselves. If you have a dog that is always tracking in mud after it goes out, consider creating an alternative area for it to pee and pooh. Instead of insisting your dog go on the lawn, purchase a strip of artificial grass. 

You can train your pet to use fake grass rather easily. Whenever the ground is wet or there is rain in the forecast, place the fake grass just outside the entrance. This will allow your pet to relief itself normally, but without tracking dirt into the home.

3. Add Washable Floor Rugs Indoors Near Entrances

Sometimes it’s impossible to keep all the dirt from entering your home. Regardless of how hard you try, you may still see muddy paw marks near the entrance. The good news is there are now tons of washable rugs you can buy.

Purchase a washable rug or runner to place by each entrance. This way, if your pet tracks in some mud, it will stay near the entrance, and it can be cleaned easily. Putting this kind of rug into the washing machine is much easier to clean than shampooing all your carpets.

4. Put Booties On Your Pet

If you live in a wet climate and you want to protect your pet’s paws and your floors at the same time, then invest in some footwear for your pet. Booties are very popular for dogs, and some cats wear them as well.

Booties keep your dog’s paws safe in the winter, and they keep your floors clean, too. Just remember to take the booties off before the dog is allowed to run around the house. This is a great way to keep your home clean and keep your dog’s paws and nails healthy.

5. Keep The Hair Near Paws Short In Wet Months

Pets bring dirt into the home because mud, dirt, and debris cling to their fur with ease. Furry pets are magnets for dirt, which is why keeping the hair short near the paws is a smart idea. The less fur your pet has on its body, the less dirt it is likely to track into the home.

Keeping its leg hair trimmed short will keep both your pet and your home much cleaner than if you let the hair grow shaggy. It also makes it easier to spot and remove ticks from your pet.

6. Store Wipes By The Door

Pets get dirty when they go outside, and you can try as hard as you want to keep your pet clean, but it will always find something filthy to roll in. It’s in a dog’s DNA. Since this is an inevitable reality, you must be prepared to clean your pet before it’s allowed free reign in your home.

Keep pet-friendly cleaning wipes near all the doors. These wipes are good for wiping your pet’s bums but are just as effective at removing mud and dirt from their paws. Make sure you have a treat ready to keep your pet distracted.

7. Don’t Allow Dog Off Leash When It’s Raining

A muddy pet can make a total mess of your home. Because of this, it’s a good idea to keep your pet closely supervised whenever you take it out in muddy conditions. If you live in a wet climate, try keeping your dog on a leash whenever you bring it in areas where there’s mud.

This will keep your pet clean, and your floors will thank you. 

8. Bathe Your Pet More Frequently

Certain times of the year tend to be more problematic than others when it comes to pets tracking dirt into the home. Whenever there is mud on the ground, or any time you take your pet on a beach or forest adventure, remember to bathe it more frequently.

Keeping your pet clean when it’s getting dirty a lot is a great way to prevent your pet from constantly bringing dirt into your home.

9. Keep Pet Off Furniture And Bed When It’s Dirty

Getting dirt off a washable rug is fairly easy. Removing dirt from a couch, however, can be more challenging. Ensure your pet is trained to stay off couches and other valuable pieces of furniture, especially when it’s wet or dirty.

10. Add A Washing Station Outside

In addition to floor mats, consider adding a washing station near the entrance your pet enters and exits from the most. A washing station can be as simple as a gentle shower nozzle and pet shampoo. Having these tools readily available makes a quick pet rinse much easier and more likely.

11. Put Seed On Dirt Patches In Your Lawn

Another great way to keep your pet free of dirt and mud is to get rid of dirt and mud patches. Ensure you set your lawn up for success by adding seed or turf in any areas that are bare or damaged from a long winter. Remember that less mud outside means less mud inside.

12. Encourage Pets To Stay On Gravel, Cement Or Deck Areas

If you have a deck or patio area that is covered in gravel, cement, or wood, try and keep your pet in this area when it's raining or wet. By encouraging this behavior, it is easier to keep your pet clean, as it won’t come in contact with much mud or debris on clean deck surfaces.

13. Train Your Dog To Clean Its Paws

It might sound far-fetched, but did you know it’s possible to train your dog to clean its paws? Just like you can train a dog to shake your hand and roll over, you can teach it a command to “dig” on your floor mat. 

The act of digging comes naturally to many dogs. Simply train it to dig on a floor mat outside your home, and speak this command any time your pet is dirty. This is a great way to get dirt off your dog before it comes into the home and a fun way to show off how smart your pet is when entertaining company.

Final Notes To Prevent Pets From Tracking Dirt Into The Home

Having a pet comes with all sorts of positives, but pets like dogs and cats can also bring some negatives, like dirt, mud, and debris, into the home. To prevent your pet from bringing dirt into the home, add mats outside and train your pet to relieve itself on fake grass. Incorporate washable rugs near your entrances, and put booties on your pet when it's muddy. Keep your pet on a leash when it's muddy or keep it on a gravel or cement patio to keep your pet, and in turn your home, clean.

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