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Is free flying pet hair getting the better of you? Lack solutions for this furry problem that don’t involve shaving the cat or giving the dog a buzz cut? Is there anything that can be done about the pesky problem of pet hair?

It’s not just you. Millions of fellow pet lovers face this dilemma daily as well. Sometimes it makes you think it’s not just the hair balls, it’s in the air, your couch, floors, clothes and carpets. It’s everywhere. At times it seems there’s nothing much you can do about it

But there are some tricks of the trade for coping with it better. Since it sometimes feels like that shed fur has taken on a life of it’s own. Fortunately, there are lots of ways you can get rid of what your pet leaves behind.

For one you can brush your dog. A lot! If not daily then at least regularly enough so most of the hair accumulates on the brush rather than being left free to roam anywhere and land everywhere.

But don’t expect to get ahead of shedding with brushing alone. To remove pet hair from your upholstery, you can use a moist rubber glove. You might also try a slightly damp sponge or fabric softener sheets. These require very little investment and are very useful in collecting all the stray hair. If you’re ready to spend a little more money, there are specially designed rakes, pet hair magnets and wipes that will help you eliminate the hairy mess quickly.

Of course, you can try the man-made dirt sucking wonder – the vacuum cleaner. Vac companies have produced special ones designed for pet hair removal. They can definitely make your job a lot easier. A good option if removing the carpets isn’t an option. Just don’t expect an easy answer as to which model is best.

Now it may not be an option to choose furniture colors that go along with the color of your cat’s hair. But why not see if you can find cushion covers that can be thrown into the washer. Or at least make easy care micro-fiber fabric your first choice.

Now more than a few pet lovers are ready to take drastic action. That is get rid of their carpets and go for hardwood flooring. The hair wouldn’t stick on to anything then. And it’s no sweat sweeping the hair up. But is it a worthwhile solution? Like I said it’s a bit drastic. But some are ready to go to great lengths like this to solve the problem.

Well, at least now you know there are a lot of ways to go at this problem of flyaway pet fur. Which is best depends in the end on your budget or how much time you wish to spend to keep ahead of this annoying issue.

Vacuum researcher Aiden Mundt contributes articles to various floor maintenance sites. You can find an interesting write up on the Miele Capricorn vacuum cleaner and Oreks at AskTheVacuumGuy.com. For those seeking canister or upright vacuum cleaner reviews that’s the right place.

Sometimes finding the perfect area rug can be hard. That’s due in part to the mind numbing array of shapes, colors and patterns available. To help simplify the process let’s look at a handful of things to remember when buying an area rug.

Before you head off to the area rug stores decide what size rug you need. Measure the room and the amount of floor you think you want to cover. Discuss the size with the person helping you make your selection. Obviously custom made rugs can be ordered to size. But if you decide on a standard sized rug you’re better off going one size bigger rather than one size smaller.

Color is usually the driving force behind the decision to get an area rug. So choose wisely. Second only to painting, an area rug can have a dramatic impact on a room. Yet the idea is to compliment the colors you’ve got in the room already as expressed in the furniture, wall hangings and such. Just don’t think you have to match every color already present.

Go for solid rugs to create a soothing and calming effect Just so you keep in mind solid rugs are not best if the room is a high traffic zone. Or if there are kids and pets in your house. This is because spots and stains stand out on such a mass of color.

Yet rugs with a pattern are a good choice for high traffic rooms. Or those where the risk of spills or stains is higher. Because the pattern makes it hard to pick out the spot. The downside to these is they may be too busy for the room. Or may not work with furniture that isn’t more or less a solid color.

If you want an area rug to put over wall to wall carpeting then don’t forget to get a rug gripper pad to hold it snugly in place. Not to mention it will help to avoid problems with slipping and falling.

Some find carpet remnants make for good area rugs. Especially as runners in hallways where traffic is a problem. Just be sure to have the backing covered with some kind of cotton fabric. And have them bound so they stay nice looking. Plus to keep them from getting a ratty look on the ends.

Be sure to expand your list of potential places to find a suitable rug. Some good bargains can be found at furniture consignment shops, garage or estate sales, even antique stores. It may take longer but the savings and the thrill of the hunt may make it worth the effort.

Factoring in shipping costs into your budget is also smart. This is why it may be best to see if you can’t source your purchase locally before looking online. Oh and it’s not unusual for a rug to take some time to relax after being tightly bound during shipping.

There is likely to be a number of area rugs that will go perfectly in your home. These shopping tips should make finding the right one more of an adventure than chore.

Is a canister vacuum the best for caring for area rugs? Or is an upright like the Miele Callisto better? Maybe your best choice is the Roomba vacuum. If you’re unsure stop by AskTheVacuumGuy.com where you’ll find many hard hitting reviews of the most popular models of vacuums.

I’ll bet you’re like I was and put off the chore of vacuuming as long as you can? Or least for another day. Because few things rival vacuuming for mind numbing boredom. And skipping it doesn’t hurt anything, right?

Wrong. Avoidance of this task isn’t good for your family’s health or the health of your carpet. That’s because the abrasive sand and grit can wear away at the carpet fibers eventually leaving them looking less than great. While the dust and mite build up can leave you sneezing and feeling less than great too.

Besides did you know there’s a right and wrong way to go about vacumming? Well there is. And guess what? Most do it wrong one way or another.

Anyway as the benefits become clear, regular vacuuming takes on a greater sense of urgency. To help clarify those benefits, here are nine easy tips to maximize the time you spend with your hand on the vacuum.

Divide your carpet into high and all other traffic areas. Vacuuming the high traffic areas like halls and stairs a couple times a week is best. While weekly is sufficient for the rest.

It helps to remember that most dirt entering your home comes in by way of your shoes. Walk off mats help with this. As will leaving shoes by the entrance.

It helps if when vacuuming your vacuum is at its best. You can insure that by changing filter bags or filters sooner rather than later. Don’t try to save a few pennies by using obviously dirty filters or bags more than three quarters full. As clogged filtering medium is the reason the suction power of your vacuum seems to die. Typically you want to replace vacuum bags when they hit about 75% full. And the filters on bagless models like every 90 days – assuming typical usage.

Here’s the most common mistake most make – they’re in too big of a hurry. That’s right, one quick pass and they call it good. Actually it’s better to run over high traffic areas like five or six times. Giving the beater bar a chance to do it’s job and thoroughly extract the dirt.

You want to be sure the vacuum is set to the right height. Setting it too low and you run the risk of excessive wear to the belt or roller brush. Set too high and the beater bar isn’t penetrating deep enough into the fibers for proper cleaning action.

You want to use the vacuum’s beater brush or power head to suction out the dirt. All of it. So the idea is to repeatedly hit the same section of carpet to make sure you accomplish that.

Inspect your vac often to keep it clean and maintained. Inspect the belts and replace as needed. Clear the brushes of strings, threads and the like. Make sure the head is operating as it should.

Hopefully you got a vac with a nice long cord. Plug it into the nearest outlet and make sure the cord is behind you so that you do not run over it.

Despite the mounted light, do this job when you can see where you’re vacuuming.

Few things are as satisfying as the look of freshly vacuumed carpet. The expanse of color without a blemish is nice to see. Besides it’s a good feeling to know your home is clean and rid of dust mites, sand and accumulated dirt.

Author Aiden Mundt enjoys writing articles that help with carpet care. Be it a review of the Dirt Devil broom vacuum, a look at how house cleaning affects allergies, or a discussion of the Miele Capricorn. You’ll find the advice you seek at leading vacumm site AskTheVacuumGuy.com.