Pets in Your Building: Managing Pet Hair, Paw Prints and Odours in Common Areas

Pets are part of daily life in many Montreal residential buildings. Dogs, cats and other companions bring a lot of joy to their owners — but also hair, paw prints and sometimes odours in common areas. For a property manager or condo syndicate, the question is not about banning pets, but about managing their impact on shared spaces.

Here is how to keep your lobbies, hallways and elevators clean in a building where pets live.

Paw prints: the number-one problem in entrance lobbies

A dog coming back from a walk in the rain or snow leaves muddy paw prints everywhere it goes: entrance lobby, hallways, elevator. This is the most common complaint from residents of pet-friendly buildings. The solution starts at the entrance: good-quality absorbent doormats, long enough for the animal to take several steps on them, catch most of the dirt. More frequent lobby cleaning — especially in rainy weather or winter — does the rest.

Hair in hallways and elevators: plan for more frequent upkeep

Pet hair accumulates in corners, along baseboards and in elevators, where air circulation swirls it around. A weekly vacuuming pass that was enough in a pet-free building may no longer be sufficient. If several residents have pets, consider increasing the vacuuming frequency in hallways and elevators, or adding a quick mid-week pass. It is a small adjustment that makes a big difference in how clean the building feels.

Odours: treat the source instead of masking it

Pet-related odours in common areas rarely come from the animals themselves: they come from carpets and textile surfaces that absorb odours over time. Instead of masking them with air fresheners, schedule periodic deep cleaning of entrance carpets and textile surfaces in common areas. A lobby carpet that is washed or replaced regularly eliminates the problem at the source and costs less than a pile-up of complaints.

Mats, doormats and traffic zones: your best allies

In a pet-friendly building, common-area flooring works hard. Choose washable, easy-to-replace entrance mats rather than delicate models. In hallways, hard and easy-to-wash flooring — ceramic tile, quality vinyl — forgives far more than carpet, which traps hair and odours. If a common-area renovation is planned, this is the time to factor it in.

Simple, clear rules for pet owners

Most pet owners act in good faith: they simply do not always realize their companion's impact on shared spaces. A short building policy, communicated on move-in and reminded once a year, resolves most situations: keep dogs on a leash in common areas, wipe paws at the entrance, clean up any "accident" immediately, use the service elevator if there is one. Rules that are written down and applied fairly prevent conflicts between neighbours.

Adjust cleaning frequency to pet-friendly buildings

There is no magic formula: a building with two indoor cats does not have the same needs as a building with a dozen dogs. Watch the actual condition of your common areas between visits and adjust the frequency accordingly. A good cleaning partner will propose an adapted plan — for example a standard weekly visit, plus a quick express pass focused on pet-traffic zones.

Welcoming pets and clean common areas: you can have both

A pet-friendly building does not have to choose between happy residents and clean common areas. With suitable mats, an adjusted cleaning frequency, periodic deep cleaning and clear rules, both goals go hand in hand.

At Nettoyage Pro Propre, we adapt our cleaning plans to the reality of each building — pets included. Request your free estimate: https://www.nettoyagepropropre.ca/estimation-nettoyage — or call us at 438-887-8212.

Your buildings deserve more than an occasional cleaning. They deserve a routine.