I have one dog and I’m constantly surprised at how much I can smell him. No matter how many baths he gets, or how I vacuum and sweep daily, I smell him. In a fit of desperation I even purchased a new vacuum because I felt like my old one smelled like dog. I made a habit of cleaning out my new vacuum after each use (total pain, but I do it) and it still smells like dog. So, I went on a hunt to find some tips and tricks on conquering pet odor. If you’re struggling with Fido stinking up your house, hopefully these will be helpful for you too!

Vacuum Regularly

As mentioned above, regularly vacuuming up pet hair and dander will help, but don’t stop at the floors. You need to make sure to vacuum anywhere the hair and dander can be hiding, sofas, under the furniture, and in all the corners. Don’t forget areas like steps and area rugs where some pets like to snooze.

Washing Regularly

Pet beds and cushion covers where your furbaby hangs out need to be washed and dried regularly. Blankets and any linens on your bed if your pet is allowed to sleep with you.

Bathe Them Regularly

If you bathe your pup at home, set a reminder on your phone or calendar to remind you of when it’s time for another bath. If bathing your pup on your own is too much of a chore, or the idea of that chore is the one thing that will tip you over the edge, set a regular appointment with the groomer so you have it scheduled out and on autopilot.

Hepa Filter

A HEPA air filter might be a good idea to really tackle any dander or pet odor issues head on. A HEPA filter is a mechanical air-purifying filter that forces air through a fine mesh in order to trap harmful particles such as pet dander. You can purchase air purifiers with HEPA filters, and there are even some vacuum cleaners that come with HEPA filters.

Baking Soda is your Friend

Baking soda is a fantastic odor neutralizer, sprinkle baking soda on your pet’s bed or on your couch cushions (make sure to check labels and test in a small area first), let it sit for a few minutes, then vacuum it up.

Cleaning your Vacuum

My vacuum seems to be the culprit for holding on to pet smells, the baking soda tip above will also help with the smell in your vacuum. You can also try placing a scented dryer sheet in the canister. Since vacuums can be so different my experience is with a bag-less model. Make sure to clean out the canister after each use and try rinsing it with white vinegar and make sure to rinse the filter. After cleaning the canister or changing out the bag, let it air out on a nice day.

Professional Cleaning

If you’re where I am, crying uncle, consider a professional cleaning. I feel like I go through this step every so often with my house and carpets. I keep it just clean enough but eventually admit my limits and bring in the professionals for a deep clean to get me back to even, in hopes that I can keep it up on my own. A professional carpet cleaning can remove up to 97% of pet dander, and that’s going to be a better start than anything you can do at home on your own.

What tips do you have for keeping pet odors at bay?

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The Junior League of Birmingham (JLB) – an organization of more than 2,200-women providing 55,000-plus volunteer hours annually across 38 community projects and $1M in direct funding to the Birmingham community – will hold its 3rd Annual Diaper Drive Monday, Sept. 24 through Saturday, Sept. 29, during Diaper Need Awareness Week, at participating locations throughout the Birmingham area.

JLB Diaper Bank donation bins will be at select iBERIABANK locations in the Birmingham area: Crestline, Downtown, Fultondale, Grandview, Hoover, Mountain Brook, Pelham, Vestavia and Woodcrest (Homewood), as well as Kid’s Market and Mom on Crestwood Blvd. in Irondale; Covenant Classical Schools in Trace Crossings, Valleydale, and Greystone. All locations will accept diapers September 24-30 from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. The Diaper Drives will help stock the JLB Diaper Bank, which distributes thousands of diapers each month to 230 vetted organizations. The JLB has partnered with the Community Food Bank of Central Alabama to store the diapers and vet the organizations that receive diapers through the JLB Diaper Bank.

“Our 2017 Diaper Drive garnered approximately 28,374 donations, and we hope our generous community members support us again in the coming weeks,” said Kristen Lamb, JLB Diaper Bank Chair. “One in three U.S. mothers report suffering from diaper need, and this need is critical in and around the Greater Birmingham Area – physically affecting infants and toddlers and mentally affecting parents and caregivers.”

Research shows 32 percent of children under the age of 3 live below the poverty line, while 26 percent of Alabama Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Funding recipients are infants. Roughly one-third of Alabama children are likely to benefit from diaper donations – which is on par with the national average.

“We urge capable families throughout the Birmingham area to support this initiative and to provide diapers to women and children unable to purchase diapers themselves,” said Lamb.

The Baby Steps 5k and 1 Mile Memorial walk is coming up and we were able to talk with Abby Nicholas, one of the events founder’s to learn more about how this run came to be, and why the Amelia Center is so important to her.

Abby shared with us the emotional roller coaster she and her husband experienced after they were married in 1998 and spent many unsuccessful years trying to start their family. Like many other couples, they decided to proceed with IVF and became pregnant with twin boys. The pregnancy progressed and was on target until she went into pre-term labor at 22 weeks. Sadly she experienced one of the worst fears of every expectant Mom, Braden Lee and Brody Lee were stillborn.

In her grief, Abby turned to the Amelia Center, and has become active in many organizations that support infant loss and NICU care.

The Amelia Center, located in Birmingham, is now twenty years old.  It offers individual grief counseling to parents and grandparents who have suffered the loss of a child and to children who have lost siblings.  In addition, the center offers family and group therapy, and educational opportunities for professionals (teachers, clergy and first responders) all who work with grief-stricken individuals.  All counseling services are free to the participants.  Since its inception in 1997, the compassionate staff of The Amelia Center have brought hope and smiles and understanding to hundreds of people who thought their lives were over.  It is supported not only by Children’s but by the generous donations of community members.

Abby and co-founder Loni Hodge organized the Baby Steps Memorial Run out of a desire to assist in the healing process for families who have also suffered the loss of a child.  They want to bring awareness about The Amelia Center to the community and to raise funds to help support a center that plays such a vital role in the lives of many grieving families.  All contributions from this event allow The Amelia Center to continue to offer services and support to grieving families throughout the community.  The Baby Steps Memorial Run allows us the opportunity to bring many families together and set aside a day to remember and honor loved ones.  It is a day of celebration and a day for families to know they are not alone on their grief journey.

In it’s 10th year, the Baby Steps Memorial Run has grown to about 600 participants. If you and your family would like to participate in memory of someone you’ve lost or to support someone you know that has, the 2018 run is set to take place on Saturday, September 29th at Tannehill State Park. There will be a Kids Zone, Bounce House, face painting, balloons and live music.

To register to learn more you can visit their Website or find them on facebook.

Parenting can be a difficult challenge as there are many new responsibilities and no instruction manuals. The most important thing parents have to address is the health of their children. A potential answer to that problem is instilling good health habits early on in children’s lives.

Of course, you should be getting them used to eating fruit and veggies, but there are less obvious ways to ensure your kids will be healthy. One of them is encouraging your children to be active. This has never been more difficult — the digital age we’re living in carries significant risks of internet and smartphone over usage, which leads to an inactive lifestyle. To avoid this happening to your kids, we suggest establishing family exercise routines to limit their inactivity.

How Much Exercise Does a Child Need?
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, at least one hour of physical activity each day is recommended for children older than six. This includes aerobic exercise, either moderate or vigorous, as well as muscle and bone strengthening activities. Jumping rope, running, gymnastics or walking all are great activities to take up during that hour. However, getting your children into it might not be an easy task if they’re already interested in digital gadgets.

How to Make Children Interested in Activity?
Spending time on playgrounds with other children is a right way of helping your children live a more active lifestyle. Social interaction with peers will help most kids feel engaged at the playground, and will also act as an excellent motivator to start with the activity. If your child prefers only to use their devices, then you’ll have to do some guesswork as to which event they might enjoy. Let them try out everything they’re interested in, and something is sure to stick sooner or later.

Age-Appropriate Activities
While offering some choice to your children can be crucial, it’s equally important to keep any activity age-appropriate. What this means is that younger kids tend to need more fun and simplicity, while older children can handle more complex game rules or commitment to an activity. Parents can also encourage older children to dedicate themselves more to their chosen activity.

Setting Clear Boundaries as Part of Your Routine
As much as encouragement and praise are useful, your children should also be aware of what undesirable behaviors are. In this case, you might want to set boundaries around smartphone use and general screen time. Many families build up a ritual around mealtimes, which is one instance when digital distractions should be far away. Lead by example, and set a limit on your own screen time as well as your children’s.

Encouraging Positive Behavior
As a parent, you’re a role model to your children. So if you want them to be active, you have to exercise with them, or at least have them notice you’re working out. It will set a positive example. Keep in mind that the children will follow your lead if you let them know, for instance, that you value activity. That’s bound to shake up even the most indifferent, smartphone-loving child.

It’s imperative to instill good activity habits in your children early if you wish them to avoid all the consequences of an inactive life.

Information provided by: Jeff E. Sellman, M.D. from Florida Orthopaedic Institute.