Keeping Your Apartment Clean When You Have Pets
How to maintain a fresh, happy home and keep your neighbours just as happy
There’s no denying it: life’s better with a furry friend. Pets bring companionship, comfort, and joy but they also bring fur, odours, paw prints, and the occasional mess. In an apartment, where space is limited and you share walls (and plumbing!) with your neighbours, cleanliness takes on a whole new level of importance.
The good news? With a few smart habits and the right setup, you can enjoy apartment living with pets without your home, or your neighbours, knowing it.
1. Set Up a Pet-Friendly, Low-Mess Home
Keeping things clean starts with your setup. Choose furniture and fabrics that are both pet and apartment-friendly.
Opt for washable covers and throws on sofas and beds they catch fur and can be tossed straight into the wash.
Go for easy-clean surfaces like leather, microfiber, or stain-resistant upholstery.
Use washable or outdoor rugs that can handle muddy paws.
Create clear “pet zones” for eating, sleeping, and grooming. A mat under food and water bowls helps contain spills, while a washable bed in a quiet corner gives your pet a defined space that feels like theirs and keeps fur from spreading everywhere.
At the entryway, keep a small mat, paw wipes or a towel handy to stop dirt before it gets in. This one simple habit can cut your cleaning time dramatically.
2. Cleaning Routines That Actually Work
Consistency is everything. A few minutes a day beats a big weekend clean.
Daily: Quick vacuum or sweep high-traffic areas, wipe food and water bowls, and shake out pet bedding.
Weekly: Vacuum all surfaces, launder bedding and throws, and wipe down baseboards or skirting where fur tends to gather.
Monthly: Wash removable cushion covers, clean litter trays thoroughly, and check hidden corners for stray fur or odours.
Yearly: deep clean carpets, rugs, and upholstery shampoo or steam-clean to remove embedded pet hair, dander, odours, and stains. Consider hiring a professional service for high-traffic areas or difficult stains to extend the life of your flooring.
Invest in a good-quality vacuum with a HEPA filter it traps allergens and fine pet hair. Cordless stick vacuums or compact canisters are ideal for apartments with limited storage.
For odour control, try natural solutions like baking soda, white vinegar, or activated charcoal sachets. Keep windows open when possible, and don’t underestimate the power of fresh air.
3. Tackling Common Pet Messes
Every pet owner knows the culprits shedding, muddy paws, litter tracking, and the occasional “accident.”
Shedding: Regular brushing (ideally outdoors or on a balcony) prevents loose hair from covering everything.
Paws: Wipe feet before your pet re-enters the apartment building especially after rain.
Litter: Use a high-sided litter tray and a mat underneath to catch stray grains. Dispose of waste promptly in sealed bags, following your building’s strata by-laws on waste disposal. Leaving pet litter or bags in common bins or hallways can breach by-laws and create odours that affect other residents.
Accidents: Clean immediately using enzymatic cleaners (safe and effective for breaking down odours) to prevent stains and lingering smells.
4. Never Flush Pet Litter! Here’s Why
It might seem harmless to scoop and flush pet waste or litter down the toilet, but in apartment buildings, it’s one of the fastest ways to cause serious plumbing problems. Most litters, even those labelled “flushable”, don’t dissolve fully in water. Instead, they can clump and harden inside shared pipes.
BAC Insurance Brokers shared details with StrataYou of a claim from a large Sydney strata complex where multiple apartments suffered raw sewage backflow into their bathrooms and living areas, damaging carpets and flooring and causing some residents to be temporarily re-housed. When emergency plumbers investigated, they discovered that a resident had been flushing cat litter down the toilet each day. Over time, the litter had hardened and created a cement-like blockage deep within the building’s main sewer stack.
The result? Costly repairs requiring specialist equipment, pipe replacements, access to multiple units, wall repairs, replacement floors and tens of thousand dollars in damage all caused by a few scoops of litter.
Flushing pet litter into toilets can breach your scheme’s waste disposal by-laws. The right way to dispose of it is simple: scoop, bag, and bin. Always seal litter tightly in a sturdy bag (double-bagging if possible) to contain odours and leaks and place it in your household garbage bin.
If your building has a garbage chute, Clean Green Strata encourage their residents to avoid dropping litter bags down it, what seems like a quick fix can end in chaos at the bottom. A litter bag in a chute becomes a bio-hazard missile that can explode on impact, scattering waste and creating a smelly, unhygienic mess that cleaners and neighbours won’t appreciate. Take the extra minute to dispose of it properly your building (and everyone in it) will thank you.
5. Noise, Smells, and Strata By-Laws
When you live in a strata building, keeping your apartment clean isn’t just about hygiene it’s about being a good neighbour. Strata by-laws typically require residents not to cause nuisance or interference to others.
This includes pet-related issues such as:
Persistent barking or noise.
Strong odours from litter trays or waste.
Poor disposal of pet waste in common property bins or gardens.
Keep noise down by training your pet early and giving them adequate exercise and stimulation. If your pet is left alone often, consider background music or puzzle feeders to reduce anxiety and barking.
Odour-wise, empty litter trays and bins daily, and keep windows open where possible. A small air purifier or odour-absorbing gel can make a big difference in shared spaces.
By being mindful of these details, you’ll not only keep your apartment fresh you’ll also stay in line with your scheme’s by-laws and maintain harmony with your neighbours.
6. Smart Storage and Organisation
Pet supplies have a way of mysteriously multiplying toys. In an apartment, storage is gold.
Use baskets, bins, or fabric cubes to store toys neatly when not in use. Stack containers vertically in cupboards and use sealed tubs for pet food to prevent spills and smells. Label everything it looks neat and saves time.
If your apartment has a balcony, make sure all cleaning products, food, and waste are stored securely not only for safety, but also to prevent smells or litter from drifting into neighbouring lots.
7. Fresh Air and Fresh Vibes
A clean apartment feels lighter and calmer and your pet will feel it too.
Air purifiers help control dander and keep things fresh, especially in smaller spaces. Add a few pet-safe houseplants (like spider plants, Boston ferns, or bamboo palms) for a touch of green that naturally purifies the air.
Before guests arrive, do a quick “five-minute freshen up”: open a window, fluff cushions, light a pet-safe candle, and wipe surfaces. Instant lift.
8. A Happy Home for Everyone
Living with pets in an apartment is all about balance keeping things clean, respecting shared spaces, and enjoying the companionship that makes your place feel like home.
With a little daily effort and consideration for your neighbours and strata by-laws, you’ll have a space that’s both spotless and full of life proof that a clean apartment and a happy pet can absolutely go paw in paw.
Quick Tips Recap:
Washable furniture covers and rugs
Daily vacuuming or sweeping
Never flush pet litter, always bag and bin it (properly)
Prompt waste disposal and follow your by-laws
Natural odour control
Regular brushing and grooming
Smart storage for pet gear
Respect for noise and neighbour comfort