If the springtime air has stirred thoughts of
a clean house in your head, read on. Here's some tips on not only how to keep your home clean when living with pets, but how to do so in a way that is better for you, your pets, and the world.

There are preventative measures to keep fur and hair at bay. This is especially helpful for those with allergies who--Heaven forbid--may have considered life without a pet. (By the way, it's not actually your pet's fur or hair you're allergic to, but the dander--old skin cells and dried urine and saliva on their fur or feathers that become air-borne as it dries.) The longer you let shedding hang around, the more dander burrows into your carpets, couch and pillows.

Regular grooming and washing is key. Take your pet outside or into a room which can be wiped down easily, like a bathroom, and brush.

Follow with a "dry wash." The North Shore Animal League suggests "Petal Cleanse," which is made with mild ingredients. Put a few drops on a clean, damp sponge, wipe down your pet, and towel-dry. Visit http://www.allergic2pets.com/retailers.html to find local retailers who sell it.

But fur and hair will still get on your rugs and furniture. "Sticky rollers" we have for clothes also work on furniture and rugs. We even found "Sticky Sheets" (http://www.stickysheets.com) on the Internet. "Stick it. Rip it. Done!" is their motto.

Vacuuming--both routine with a HEPA vacuum and occasional deep cleaning--is essential. One asthmatic reader who loves her cats (one who happens to be asthmatic, too) searched "high and low" for a carpet cleaner who used 'non-toxic' chemicals. She eventually found Ron Ami of York Carpet Care. "We discussed options for basic cleaning and for allergy relief treatment," she said. "There has been a great improvement in the asthmatic cat's health and I have had no allergic or asthmatic effects from the carpet treatment."

"We are concerned with the environment," Mr. Ami says. "Some carpet cleaners get a 'commission' if they use a certain company's products, so their service may be cheaper. We don't do that." Mr. Ami gives each customer a brochure of what he'll be cleaning their carpets with.