How To Care For Your Guinea Pig’s Cage

Tips on guinea pig housing from ASPCA.

Clear the Air’s all natural products can help eliminate odors from your small animal cages like your guinea pig. We would like to share some tips on making your guinea pig’s home the most comfortable and fresh smelling possible. Check out our tips:

Does A Guinea Pig Need A Friend? Guinea pigs are social animals who prefer to live in small groups. If you keep two or more females together, they will become great friends. If you want two males, it’s smart to choose two babies from the same litter. Since guinea pigs, like all rodents, multiply rapidly, keeping males and females together is not recommended.

How Big Should The Cage Be? As a rule of thumb, you’ll need to provide a minimum of four square feet of cage space per guinea pig—but please try to get as large a cage as possible. You’ll need a solid-bottom cage—no wire floors, please, as they can irritate your pets’ feet. Plastic-bottom “tub cages” with wire tops also make great guinea pig homes. Never use a glass aquarium, due to the poor ventilation that it provides.

Where Should The Cage Be? Always keep the cage indoors away from drafts and extreme temperatures, as guinea pigs are very susceptible to heatstroke. They’ll prefer an environment kept at 60 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Place one of our Clear The Air Odor Remover Bags around the cage to help absorb any odors.

What Should I Line The Cage With? Line the bottom of the cage with aspen or hardwood shavings or some other form of safe bedding, such as grass hay. Do not use cedar or pine chips—the oils they contain can be dangerous to your pets. Most importantly, sprinkle our Clear The Air Pet Odor Eliminator at the bottom of your cage to eliminate odors your pet may cause. Don’t worry, it is completely non-toxic and all natural and is even safe if consumed.

Does My Guinea Pig Need Toys? Guinea pigs love to hide when they play, so be sure to place cardboard tubes and/or empty coffee cans with smoothed edges in the enclosure for this purpose. Plastic pipes and flower pots are good, too, and bricks and rocks for climbing will be much appreciated. All guinea pigs need a cave for sleeping and resting, so provide a medium-sized flower pot or covered sleeping box, readily available at pet supply stores.

How To Potty Train Your Dog

Potty training tips for your dog.

Do you have a new puppy learning how to potty train? Clear the Air works great for eliminating odors from your dog’s accidents in the house. Plus, it is non-toxic and completely safe even if ingested.

Click Here to learn more about eliminating dog urine and feces odors.

Check out some helpful potty training tips for your dog:

1. Restrict your dog’s access to the house. Making his environment smaller makes him less apt to have an accident. This same process can also be used for crate training.
2. Keep your dog with you, or keep an eye on him. Dogs usually like to sneak off to have accidents, if you can’t see him, he might be getting into something he shouldn’t be.
3. Go outside with him when teaching your dog to potty train. If you don’t see him urinating and defecating outside he might just be playing and not taking care of business. Plus going out with him teaches you about his routine.
4. Quietly praise your dog for going potty outside. Don’t reprimand him for making a mistake, just distract him and get him outside as soon as you can.
5. If you have a dog that likes one particular area specifically, you can put his food near that area and he will not urinate or defecate where he eats. But be careful, this sometimes doesn’t address the problem and the dog finds a new spot.
6. Utilize a crate, or a baby gate, or an exercise pen when you are not home. If you are diligent about keeping your dog with you when you are home, but he pees or poops as soon as you leave it is defeating your hard work. Crates are a wonderful tool for potty training.
7. Do not use puppy pads or indoor aids when potty training if you want your dog to potty outside. Encouraging potty indoor sometimes, but then wanting them to go outside is confusing. Choose one or the other and stick with it.

Be consistent and use lots of praise while controlling his environment and soon your dog will be happily going potty outside. Do you have potty training tips you’d like to share? Please comment on our blog.

How To Eliminate Litter Box Odor

Don’t let your litter box odor bring you down.

Does your cat’s litter box have an unpleasant odor coming from it? Chances are your cat may not enjoy using his/her sand box because of the strong odor. Clear the Air would like to share with all our cat lovers some tips for keeping your litter box odor free.

We have provided some helpful cat litter tips:

Scooping – The number one rule, and the only thing that will keep litter box odor at bay, is constant cleaning. That means scooping the box out at least twice a day, removing the solids and liquid clumps if you use clumping litter.  If you don’t use clumping litter, you can use a large solid metal spoon to lift out the most urine-soaked areas each time you clean and add litter as needed to replace what is removed.

Washing Your Litter Box – You should also get in the habit of washing the litter box at least every other week if not more.  Use a mild unscented dish detergent and rinse clean.  Remember to clean your scooper too.  When the box is dry, sprinkle a thin layer of our Cat Urine Odor Eliminator in the box first.  Then add two to three inches of litter.  Cats do not like a deep tray of litter and this allows you to add litter as you scoop.

Type of Litter – Some have perfumes and others have additives to only cover the smell.  To a cat, these smells can be overwhelming and make the box unwelcoming.  It is usually a good idea to get unscented litter and sprinkle our Cat Urine Odor Eliminator in the box to eliminate the odor, not cover it up.

Type of Litter Box – Using the largest box your home can accommodate is the best idea.  A good rule of thumb is to get a box that is at least twice as long as your adult cat and wide as the cat is long.  Even though a covered box is nicer to look at, most cats don’t like them and they also trap odors inside making it unpleasant for your pet to enter.  Cats claws can get stuck in liners when they are digging for a place to relieve themselves and the urine can also seep into the liner, trapping odors in the box.

Location – Lastly, location of your cats litter box is very important to keep your pet happy to relieve himself in the correct areas.  The rule is one litter box per cat plus one.  If your cat is on the third floor of your house and the litter box is in the basement, he may not decide to make the long trek.  It is important to have the boxes in different locations.  Also make sure the box is in a low traffic area, away from his or her food and in a place that your cat can easily get in and out of.

These suggestions may take a lot of effort but not only with your cat be happier but you will as well, not having to put up with cat urine odors.    Remember to pick up Clear the Air’s Cat Urine Odor Eliminator available at all Petco stores or online.

Helpful Dog Walking Tips

Dog walking tips for you and your dog.

It is important to give your dog the exercise he needs to stay healthy and in shape. Check out some helpful dog walking tips from Clear the Air.

If you have a dog, you will probably have key words or actions you do before you take a walk that your dog picks up on. Whether he knows the word “walk” or knows what shoes you put on, your dog has already shown his excitement to get out.

First, it is important to keep you dog on a leash. If he is always pulling on the leash, consider using a different collar which will increase your control and comfort. Visit us and talk to our experts to find out what is the best type of collar for your dog.

If you have a smaller dog, you can use a retractable leash and is the best way to give your dog a little extra slack while you walk.

Make sure you pick up after your pup. You can purchase poop bags, or just bring along a grocery bag. Place the bag over your hand, pick up what you have to, turn the bag inside out and tie the end closed.

Make sure that if you are taking your dog on a walk somewhere new, dogs are allowed at your destination. Some parks and beaches do not allow dogs.

Carry enough water for both you and your pet. You can pick up a foldable water dish and carry it with you.

If you are getting winded and tired, chances are your dog may be too. Find a shady place to rest. Dogs keep cool by panting, finding shady areas, walking in water and drinking water. If you are near a stream or lake, find a safe place to let your dog swim. This is an excellent way for your dog to get some exercise as well.

Don’t forget to put your dog’s tags on. If your dog happens to get lost while you are on your walk, he should have a tag with his name, your name and phone number on it. Of course you should always have your dog micro chipped. If your dog’s collar slips off with the tags on it, should someone find him and turn him in to the local shelter, he can be identified and reunited with you!

Train your dog for long hikes and runs. If your dog hasn’t exercised in quite a while, deciding to take him on a 7 mile hike might be a little too much for him. Work him up to the longer more strenuous outings by doing shorter distances with him first.

Do you have some tips you’d like to share with us? Please comment on our blog!

The Cat’s Meow – What Is Your Cat Saying?

Cats are great at communicating and use their entire body to tell you how they feel or what they want. Some may not be too inclined to vocalize their opinions through a meow, while others may be a chatty Cathy.

Every kitty is born with their own baseline noisiness – some breeds are chattier than others such as the Siamese. A large amount of meows in cats is likely due to human behavior. If a cat meows because he wants to be fed, he will keep meowing until he gets food. If food is never given when he meows, he would be less vocal.

It is possible to talk to your cat more to encourage him to talk back. Reinforce him meowing by giving him something he wants, such as to open a door or giving him a treat. If your cat talks too much, teach him to do something that doesn’t involve meowing, such as walk in a circle, to get a treat. If you give your kitty attention each time he meows, he will know a meow is the key to getting noticed.

Keep in mind, excessive meowing can sometimes indicate pain, anxiety or another medical issue. If you are in doubt, consult your veterinarian.

The following are some reasons why your cat meows:

• Illness. The first step is a thorough checkup by your veterinarian. Numerous diseases can cause a cat to feel hunger, thirst, or pain, all of which can lead to excessive meowing.
• Attention seeking. Despite what some people think, cats don’t like being alone a lot. Cats often meow to initiate play, petting, or to get you to talk to them.
• Wants food. Some cats meow every time someone walks in the kitchen, hoping to get a bite. And many cats become very vocal when it gets close to their feeding times. If this is your problem, don’t feed your cat when she cries.
• Greeting you. Many cats meow when their people come home, or even when they just meet them in the house.
• She’s lonely. If your pet spends too many hours a day alone, think about getting a pet sitter to drop in during the day, or find other ways to enrich your pet’s life.
• A stressed cat. Cats that are experiencing stress often become more vocal. A new pet or baby, a move or changes to the home, an illness or the loss of a loved one can turn your cat into a talker.
• Aging cats. Cats, just like people, can suffer from a form of mental confusion, or cognitive dysfunction, as they age. They become disoriented and often cry plaintively for no apparent reason, especially at night.
• Cats that want to breed. If your cat isn’t spayed or neutered, then you’re going to hear a lot more noise. Females yowl when in heat, and males yowl when they smell a female in season. Get your pet spayed or neutered.

How To Keep Your Pets From Getting Bored

With the colder winter months here, it is sometimes difficult to get your dog out for his normal exercise. Cats may not be keen on going outside when it’s raining or snowing either.

Clear the Air would like to share some helpful tips to keep your pets entertained and avoid bad behavior when it is difficult to get outside:

• Just like humans like to be entertained by technology, cats can too. Have you ever had your cat follow your mouse pointer on your computer screen? What about a laser toy for your cat to run around the house and chase? As crazy as it sounds, there are even apps you can download on your iPad just for cats!
• Use a clicker to train your dog indoors and teach him new tricks. In clicker training, a distinct and consistent signal marks a desired behavior of your pet in real time. Once you click, follow the signal with a motivating reward like a treat. Because your dog understands which action earned the click and reward, he will learn new behaviors quickly and enthusiastically.
• Cats love hunting and love to explore hidden things. How many times have you unpacked a package you received and watched your cat be entertained for hours with the box? I know our cats love new things like that! Try putting a couple treats in a paper cup and letting them bat the cup around until they find the treat.
• Both cats and dogs can perform agility training by navigating through obstacles such as a hoop or tunnel, especially if a treat is rewarded at the end of it. Set up different obstacles for your pets and put a treat at the end of it.
• Have your dog use his nose and search for a treat. Nose work is a variation of search and rescue and a popular way to keep your dog moving by tapping into their natural scenting abilities.
• Use items around the house to make a toy for your pets. Poke a hole in a plastic jug so food comes out of it when your pet rolls it around. Of course it is important to monitor your pet to make sure he doesn’t chew or ingest any bits of the homemade toy.
• Get a toy designed to keep your dog busy. Stop by your local pet store and ask them what they suggest to give to your dog to keep him entertained. If you have to leave for a while, give him a toy that will keep him busy while you’re gone. One of the ones we like to use on our dogs is the Kong. You can easily refill it with peanut butter or anything else your pet likes.
• Associate your dog with other dogs at indoor dog parks. There are many doggy day cares which offer socialization with other pups.

How To Care For Your Dog In Cold Weather

We are experiencing harsh weather around the nation and while we take precautions to make sure we stay warm, it is important to make sure your dog is warm enough during harsh weather conditions as well.

Clear the Air is here to provide some tips on caring for your dog in the cold weather this winter is bringing:

Dog Jackets and Sweaters: Dogs with heavy coats, such as Huskies, can withstand cold weather even on long walks. However, dogs with shorter hair and smaller dogs have trouble retaining heat, especially in wet and windy weather. Dogs that are skinny, sick, old and very young need to have an extra layer put on when they go outside. Just think about your bones and joints: if you experience stiffer and achy joints when it’s cold, your dog probably does too.

Ice Melters: Ice melters and rock salt will burn your dog’s feet. When you go for walks, make sure your dog stays away from visible ice melters and get it off his feet as soon as you can if he steps in it. If he does walk in it, have him walk in the snow and wipe it off with fresh snow. Don’t let him lick the ice melter. You might want to consider putting booties on your dog’s feet to protect them.

Antifreeze is Dangerous: Many know that antifreeze is extremely dangerous for your dog (or cat) to ingest and can cause death. Just 6 tablespoons of it is enough to kill a 45 pound dog. If you think your dog may have licked up any antifreeze at all, take him to the vet immediately.

Space Heaters: Make sure to turn off AND unplug your space heaters in your home. Not only can your dog burn himself from the space heater but an unattended space heater can also burn your home down. No matter what, turn off and unplug your space heater.

Cold Weather: If you wouldn’t leave your dog in the car during the heat of the summer, why would you leave your dog in the car in the middle of winter? On the same note, don’t leave a dog tied up outside a store in the cold weather. If you wouldn’t want to be stuck in the cold, don’t do it to your dog.

Thin Ice: Be careful about letting your dog roam around near ice covered water. That being said, if there is a blizzard with limited visibility do not let your dog off his leash. Dogs get lost in whiteouts and if he wanders the wrong direction, he could break thin ice and fall into freezing cold water.

Bottom line: keep your dog indoors with you during the winter. Just as you would enjoy curling up by the fire, so would he!

Eliminating Odors Around The Home

Many different odors can emerge throughout your home. Thankfully, Clear The Air can eliminate all those odors, no matter how bad they smell! Please share with us how Clear The Air has helped eliminate odors in your home.

Refrigerator Odors: Place one to two of our Odor Eliminator Bags in your refrigerator and let our product do its magic. Of course, taking out any old or spoiled food from your fridge will help take the odor away faster.

Cat Litter Box: Add granules to bottom of litter box, add litter, then add additional granules on top. Add ½ cup of granules each time litter is changed, scooped or as needed. This will prolong the life of your litter, along with making the odor unnoticeable to your nose and your cats!

Doggie Smell On Carpets/Furniture:  Remove feces and excess urine then sprinkle granules over area until dry granules are present on top. Our product will also work well on old dry urine odors. Leave product on overnight, then sweep or vacuum. Clear The Air pulls odors from carpet, padding, and subfloor. Typically one application will eliminate all odors; occasionally a second application is necessary. One canister covers 100 square feet.

Cigarette and Cigar Odor:  Hang 1-2 Earth Care Odor Eliminator Bags in each room that smells like cigarette smoke. One bag will cover 50-100 square feet. The odor will be eliminated in 24 hours. One bag will last 1-2 months, if room is heavily permeated with smoke odor the bag may need to be changed more often at first.  If odors are particularly strong or room has been smoked in for years sprinkle Clear The Air Odor Eliminator for Carpet and Furniture granules on carpets and furniture. Leave down 24 hours and vacuum. Odors will be completely eliminated. One canister of Clear The Air Odor Eliminator for Carpet and Furniture covers 100 square feet; one bucket covers 900 square feet. Granules can also be placed in ashtrays and cigarette butt receptacles.

Basement: Hang 1-2 bags in basement. One bag cover up to 100 square feet. Bags will continue to eliminate musty odors for up to 3 months. If odors are strong (or you have had a flood) also sprinkle Clear The Air Odor Eliminator for Concrete or Carpet granules on floor, leave down 24 hours and sweep or vacuum. Odors will be completely eliminated. One canister of Clear The Air Odor Eliminator For Concrete or Carpet granules covers approximately 100 square feet.

New Carpet: Some new carpets contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which are emitted as gases when they are first installed. When exposed to VOCs people may experience a wide range of symptoms that can include nose and throat discomfort, headache, allergic skin reaction, nausea, fatigue, and dizziness. Sprinkle Clear The Air Odor Eliminator granules over entire carpet. Leave down 24 hours and vacuum. When granules are down it is best to have some ventilation in the room such as a window open. One bucket covers 900 square feet. Also hang 1-3 bags in each room. Bags will last 3-4 months; we recommend you leave the bags up to continue removing new carpet odors. One bag covers 100 square feet.

Sell Or Rent Your Home Faster

Property management companies and Real Estate Brokers and Agents deal with odor issues on a routine basis. Cigarette, pet, musty/mildew, dead rodent, and cooking odors are most common and make a home harder to sell or rent.

Real Estate is often slow selling/renting or discounted due to odor issues. It has been reported that approximately 5-10% of all listing have odor issues that may impact the sale. Clear The Air Odor Eliminators are an easy, inexpensive way to solve the problem and get your property sold or rented.

Clear the Air does not have to come into contact with the odor producer; it will pull the odors from the carpet pad, and sub-floor. Clear The Air draws in odors like a powerful magnet. The odors are adsorbed, and neutralized without any fragrances. Clear The Air does not cover up odors; it literally “clears the air” leaving the air fresh and clean. Clear The Air is made from an all natural mineral, is non toxic and biodegradable and safe for Planet Earth. It is also safe around children and pets even if eaten.

Check out how to eliminate odors in a house:

• Hang 1 or 2 bags in each room that has odor. Some air circulation is best. One bag covers approximately 100 square feet. Bags will last approximately 3 months; we suggest leaving them up until house is sold/rented.
• If you have pet urine odors in the carpet (including cat urine) sprinkle Clear The Air Odor Eliminator for Cat Urine on carpet, tile, concrete, furniture, or any other surface. Leave down overnight; sweep or vacuum up and odor will be completely eliminated. One canister covers approximately 100 square feet.
• If you have odors outside on lawn or shrubs sprinkle Clear The Air Odor Eliminator for Lawns down. Leave down indefinitely, Clear The Air is an excellent nitrogen soil amendment. One canister covers approximately 100 square feet.
• If you have a dead rodent odor please click How to Eliminate Dead Rodent Odors PDF
• Many agents keep a case of bags in their trunk.

How To Get Rid Of Odors In Your Refrigerator

Do you open up your fridge and immediately your whole kitchen smells because the leftovers are a few days too old? Don’t let refrigerator odors get you down – use Clear the Air Odor Eliminator Bags.

All you have to do is simply place the Odor Eliminator Bag in your refrigerator and foul odors will be eliminated. The bags last up to 3 months.

These bags are perfect for refrigerators in your RV or boat, should the power get turned off and food spoil in the fridge. Bags are easy to use and last an average of 3-4 months in use and contain no chemicals, toxins or fragrances. Simply place the bag near the odor and in 24 hours the odor will be gone.

Earth Care does not mask odors it removes them. Its contents are bio-degradable, non-flammable, non-toxic, safe around children, pets, & mother earth.

Do you have questions about our product? Please contact our customer service representative, Pat, and she will help answer all your questions.