Any Suggestions???? Need Help

[dEHmom]

ok ladies (and gents if there are)

i don't have much for carpeting other than mats at the doors.
I have obviously kids, and also dogs and a husband

at least 3 times a day I am sweeping up a dust pan full in each room of mud (dusty like because it's dry), sand and dog hair.

Does anyone have suggestions on how to reduce this? i've resorted to keeping shoes on, because i'm sick of black feet/socks. it's embarrassing and i just can't keep up.

Putting carpeting in is not an option. Do I just need better door mats? one that will keep the majority of the dirt on/in it?

Also, does anyone have any ideas on this?
my dogs hair collects under the chair legs, and is very annoying as i have to tip the chairs to pull the hair mats off. any suggestions how to stop this?

[AfterSchoolMom]

Have you considered a Roomba? I don't have one, but I know some people who do and they like it.

[AnythingsPossible]

All i can tell you is that my hard surface floors are the exact same way! I sweep my kitchen/dining area atleast 3 times a day. My dog's hair also collects on chair legs!
My only suggestion for the dog hair would be to be diligent about brushing your dog so they don't shed as much hair. With that being said, I don't do that, so don't know if it would really make a difference or not.
No advice, but know that you are not alone

[Gurdy]

ok ladies (and gents if there are)

i don't have much for carpeting other than mats at the doors.
I have obviously kids, and also dogs and a husband

at least 3 times a day I am sweeping up a dust pan full in each room of mud (dusty like because it's dry), sand and dog hair.

Does anyone have suggestions on how to reduce this? i've resorted to keeping shoes on, because i'm sick of black feet/socks. it's embarrassing and i just can't keep up.

Putting carpeting in is not an option. Do I just need better door mats? one that will keep the majority of the dirt on/in it?

Also, does anyone have any ideas on this?
my dogs hair collects under the chair legs, and is very annoying as i have to tip the chairs to pull the hair mats off. any suggestions how to stop this?

Are you talking about kitchen chairs? I had this problem with my kitchen chairs when I was using felt pads under the legs to protect the floor. Now I pulled all of those off and put on "Magic Sliders" they are plastic gliders and I do not have that problem anymore. I bought them at Target for $5 for 8 (enough for two chairs) I love them.

[dEHmom]

i haven't considered a roomba, but i figure it'll get destroyed in my house. everything comes here to die, except kids of course. seriously material item in my house dies. kids or dogs destroy everything. i bought a good little bissell dust buster vacuum for like 10 or 15 bux at walfart, it has a stick handle so you can use it like a normal vacuum and not hunch over. i love it. but i'm not pulling it out 15 times a day. i know it's part of summer to have grit on the floors, but i'm sick of it.

[dEHmom]

i will try the magic sliders. i thought about that, or putting tennis balls on the chairs. but figured the tennis ball would make hair cling to it more. and that's perfect amount because i only have 2 kitchen chairs, the rest is a bench style pub thing.

p.s. mmmmm home made perogies fried in butter.

[laundrymom]

My roomba lasted 6 years on m-f daily use. In a dayhome. Well worth the money.

[dEHmom]

My roomba lasted 6 years on m-f daily use. In a dayhome. Well worth the money.

how much do they cost? i'm poor. . nm! i just checked. cheapest is around 200. . dh would shoot me chop me up and then bury me in the backyard.
my dh let me buy a tristar 2 years ago. not a cheap vacuum. we are still paying it, but i sold it for more than i owed. i dont' think he will let me buy a vacuum again until we have wall to wall carpet.

[seashell]

I vote Roomba!

I have 2 german shepards, 2 teenagers and 8 daycare kids. IT WORKS WONDERS on my carpeting and pergo floors.

[laundrymom]

I got it from hsn or qvc. Not sure which. It was around 300.

[Lilbutterflie]

I know you said you have resorted to wearing shoes in the house; but honestly that's where all of your dirt is coming from. I really think that if you were consistent with "shoes off at the door" rule; you will find so much less dirt being tracked in. Less dirt in the house = cleaner feet.

You can buy dog shampoo at the pet store specific to shedding. I really found that it works well if you can also consistently brush your dog.

The other dirt factor is probably your dog tracking in dirt from outside. Not too much you could do with this; but I do have a funny story about it. My neighbors have effectively trained their dog to wipe his paws on the door mat!! Their dog is obsessed with the laser pointer; so when he's about to come in with muddy paws, they point it on the door mat and he pounces on the mat! They repeat this a few times and sure enough... his paws are all clean! I think that's too cute if you can pull it off! Otherwise you could keep a towel by the back door and wipe his paws if they are muddy. That's what I do at home with mine.

[Meyou]

I have a swiffer sweep and vac and I love it. I've been using it for two years. It'll pick up any bit cheerio sized or smaller and the swiffer pad gets all the dust the vacuum misses.

[laundrymom]

I agree rumba isn't for everyone but I'm a bit obsessed with cleaning. Lol. I used roomba after every meal in my kitchen and I vacuum the whole house once a day and the living entry and hall 3 times. If "I see 3" that's my self imposed rule. If I see three pieces of something I vacuum.

[momatheart]

Put a bin type deal to put shoes in and tell people to remove their shoes outside and then if it rains move the bin to your entry and have people remove them there.
Shoes on all day does make the dirt worse.

I did pick up 2 new rugs for my entry way at Kohls the other week it seems to trap the sand type dirt more than the flat rugs. This rug I bought has raised squares all over it. I have noticed a difference with these rugs.

I do have long hair cats and the fur from them is horrible. My dog doesn't shed. We have no carpeting in our lower level and I deal with that little dirt stuff and cat fur all the time. Seems I am the only one that knows how to clean it around here as well.

[dEHmom]

it's dry mud coming in on the dogs, and it basically is like mud dust. plus sand on the kids clothes, hair, etc. we do our best to shake before coming in, and my dogs stay at the back door. and everyone knows shoes off at the door on the mat. but they take their shoes off, and then step in it to get other shoe off, and then it's tracked through. plus excess off of dogs.

i do realize it's bound to happen, but i just wish it was not so much!

neither of my dogs really shed. yet anyways. but one has short hair, and it is like static, and when the dogs play they pull each others hair out sometimes, but it's mainly dog hair that when they lay beside the chairs or under the table, it just gets caught under the chair and pulls out when they get up. kwim?

during the day the kids are in and out to go potty and stuff, and sometimes they do it so fast you don't catch them to shake first.

i am wondering if i can train the dogs to wipe their paws too! .

i'm trying to convince dh to build me a big deck/screen room off the door we mainly use. then shoes would stay out there, and no mud, rain, snow, etc would come in, or at least very little. my doorway is small, and when everyone tries to get in when it's pouring out, makes it tough.