Does your cat scratch furniture, rugs, or walls around your house? Unfortunately you can’t stop your cat from scratching – it’s a natural behavior that feeds an instinct to mark territory, provides exercise, and for some cats, is just plain fun. Instead, whip up a DIY cat scratch post and encourage him or her to exercise those instincts on something more appropriate than your sofa.

A scratch post is a simple assembly project with materials that you probably already have around your home. Start with a piece of plywood. The wood should be long enough that your cat can stretch to her full length to reach the top of the post. Then select a solid chunk of wood to serve as the base of the post. This piece should be substantial enough in both weight and length to prevent the post from tipping over. To affix the post to the base, use non-toxic wood glue, like Gorilla Glue, and be sure to let it dry fully. If your cat is strong, you can reinforce the bond with a screw in the center. Can’t find a good base? Just lean the finished post against a wall, though be sure to cover the top with a piece of fabric or rubber to prevent extra wall scratches.

Next, cover the post with scratch-worthy material. Try non-oiled sisal rope or corrugated cardboard. Use your non-toxic glue to affix the pieces. To keep your cat excited, try mixing different coverings, like wound sisal rope on the bottom half and corrugated cardboard or even sticks from your backyard along the top half.

While carpet scraps seem like a good cover option, there are two problems with using carpeting. First, carpet fibers can shred with a lot of wear and tear, and some cats will eat those shredded fibers. Second, if you use a texture similar to a texture in your home – say, your living room carpet – your cat may not be able to distinguish between the carpet she’s allowed to scratch and the carpet that’s off-limits.

Once the glue is completely dry, your post is done and ready for your cat to dig in. Cats instinctively know how to scratch, but some cats might be reluctant to test out their spiffy new scratch post. To entice a reluctant cat, rub catnip on the post or tie some of her favorite toys at various heights.

Want to spoil your cat even more? One variation to this DIY project is to affix the covered plywood to a door instead of a base. A hanging scratch post is perfect for cats who love to climb. Use a commercial over-the-door hanger or drill a hole through the top of the plywood, loop a piece of twine through, and hang the scratch post over a doorknob.

Images: andycoan, Mel B.,

The post How to Build a Simple Scratch Post Your Cat Will Love appeared first on EcoSalon.

The sad truth is the carpets that hold up best to traffic are the ones coated with toxins. And we don’t want those in a place where humans dwell.

If you do have a healthy wool carpet in your home, you can still clean it without harsh chemicals like perchloroethylene – which the EPA has linked to kidney and liver damage. Naphthalene, made from coal tar, is also considered a carcinogen that can harm the central nervous system.

Ask cleaning services if they simply steam to lift dirt or apply shampoos to loosen those hard-to-clean coffee and wine stains. Treatments like Oxi Fresh use an oxygenated method by applying less water and natural ingredients. Some cleaners also use citrus-based products that smell much better than standard chemicals. Just check and see if their products are plant-based chemicals (Biokleen, NatureClean and Seventh Generation’s Natural Citrus Carpet Cleaner) or made with synthetics.

Here are some natural ways to go for maintaining cleaner carpet:

1. For daily maintenance, have guests and family members remove shoes when entering the house if you have carpet on the first floor. Otherwise, remove shoes before heading upstairs. Obviously there can be exceptions, such as when you are entertaining. Guests often complain about taking off shoes for a more formal event. They may have holy socks or need the height so their pants won’t droop.

2. ehow tells us to spot clean with vinegar and water by mixing equal parts into a spray bottle and applying to the stain, then blotting with a clean, dry towel. For tougher stains, you can make a paste of baking soda and water and coat the stain. Let the paste sit for about 30 minutes, then wipe away with a damp cloth. For deeper cleaning, they suggest going with biodegradable cleaners like AFM Safecoat added to a rented carpet cleaner.

3. Do It Yourself recommends regular vacuuming to prevent dirt and pet dander from settling into your carpet fibers, and to sprinkle on some baking soda before your sweep to eliminate potential orders. You can even add spice, such as cinnamon or cloves, in the baking soda before you spread it. Also, let the baking soda sit on the carpet to lift stains and dirt at least 10 minutes before you vacuum.

4. For spot removal, use a clean dry cloth or paper towel to soak up the spill and blot the stain rather than rubbing it. Once you blot it, apply club soda or soda water to dissolve and lift, then blot up the liquid. You also can use hydrogen peroxide and vinegar mixed with water or rubbing alcohol to lift the stains. You might also try making your own spot cleaner with a teaspoon of liquid dish detergent and one to two cups of water.

In terms of cleaning fiber rugs, such as sisal, it is best to just use water or soda water. These can be the hardest rugs to maintain because many products don’t work very well to get out the stains.

Let us know if you have some other tried and true green methods of carpet cleaning!

Image: adriagarcia

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