Smart solutions for a cleaner home this National Pet Month
From shedding fur to surprise messes, our beloved pets can leave behind quite a trail! In honour of National Pet Month, cleaning expert Melissa Maker joined The Morning Show to share some simple, smart tips to keep your home fresh and fur-free–featuring powerhouse products from Shark. 'Shark has a whole bunch of innovative products for floor care and home care for both pet parents and non-pet parents alike,' says Maker. Read on for her top picks.
Shark NeverChange™ Air Purifier MAX
'Soft surfaces hang onto odours–that's one part of the problem,' says Maker. 'The air is the other part of the problem.' That's because dander, pet hair and dirt that comes off your pet's paws can carry odour-causing bacteria. The Shark NeverChange Air Purifier Max essentially 'scrubs' the air. It's filtration process pulls out large particles like dust and hair, and blows out fresh smelling air so your home smells fresh. Plus, you don't have to change the filter for five years. $349.99 on Amazon $399.99 at Shark
Story continues below advertisement
Shark® CarpetXpert™ HairPro® Pet with StainStriker™
The best way to get rid of stubborn pet hair around the house? 'Solution number one and only is to vacuum,' says Maker. Unlike ordinary cleaners, this one deep-cleans carpets, destroys pet odours, and tackles every fur-filled corner with zero clogs, zero stress, and zero-touch cleanup. $494.99 on Amazon $399.99 at Shark
Shark® PowerDetect™ Cordless Stick Vacuum
This Shark vacuum features two brush rolls, allowing you to clean any floor surface in both forward and backward motion. The best part? It has a self-charging station and is self-emptying. 'It's so much more hygienic because you only have to empty that larger canister much less frequently–every 35 to 40 days,' shares Maker. It's easy to use and has fantastic reviews. $599.99 on Amazon $579.99 at Shark
Story continues below advertisement
You may also like:
Pet Hair Remover Roller – $29.99
BISSELL Professional Stain and Odour Remover for Carpet and Upholstery – $14.43
OUAI Fur Bébé Pet Shampoo – $43.50
Earth Rated (A Canadian Company) Pet Grooming Wipes – $39.99
Dog Teeth Cleaning Finger Mitt – $29.99
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CTV News
4 days ago
- CTV News
Proof of life: tracking elusive Amazon group to save their land
Forest lines the Combu creek, on Combu Island on the banks of the Guama River, near the city of Belem, Para state, Brazil, Aug. 6, 2023. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres) A ceramic pot and the shell of a turtle, once hunted for its meat, are the most recent traces of an Indigenous community thought to live deep in the north Brazilian Amazon. Archaeological finds like these keep turning up, and date back to at least 2009, with members of a neighbouring clan claiming to have caught glimpses of individuals who live in the Ituna/Itata region in Brazil's northern Para state. For now, the nameless, elusive people -- perhaps belonging to more than one group -- remain among dozens of so-called 'uncontacted' communities believed to roam the world's biggest rainforest. 'My sister-in-law told me: 'Over there! Over there!' And it was a little boy staring at me from up close,' recounted Takamyi Asurini, an elder in Ita'aka -- an Indigenous village of about 300, whose accounts of close encounters have fed theories of the existence of uncontacted people in Ituna/Itata. Asurini showed AFP a scar on his ribs he said was the result of being shot with an arrow by an unknown person in the jungle. Such testimonies, and the objects found, are not considered proof of the existence of people in Ituna/Itata. But it is enough for the region to enjoy a provisional protected status meant to prevent invasions by miners, loggers and ranchers -- preserving both the forest and the people thought to live there. The area covers tens of thousands of hectares and is similar in size to Sao Paolo -- the biggest city in Latin America. It became one of the most overrun Indigenous territories in Brazil under former president Jair Bolsonaro, a backer of agro-industry on whose watch Amazon deforestation surged. Now, lobby groups want the Ituna/Itata region's protection to be made permanent, which would mean stricter land use rules and enforcement. 'Historical neglect' For this to happen, the government's National Foundation of Indigenous Peoples (Funai) would have to send expeditions to look for undeniable proof of the group's existence. Part of the challenge is the dense Amazon jungle is home to rich, varied ecosystems that support migratory agriculture for Indigenous peoples, who may travel to hunt, fish and gather food seasonally. Under law, any searchers cannot make contact with them -- potentially putting them at risk of diseases they have no immunity to -- but are to look instead for footprints of their life in the forest. Brazil recognizes 114 'uncontacted' Indigenous groups who live with no or minimal interaction with others. About a quarter are 'confirmed,' while for the rest -- like in Ituna/Itata -- there is 'strong evidence' that they exist. For Luiz Fernandes, a member of umbrella group Coordination of the Indigenous Organizations of the Brazilian Amazon (COIAB), there has been 'historial neglect' of the issue by the state, which he says 'recognizes the possibility of the existence of these peoples but does not guarantee effective measures to protect the territory.' Added Mita Xipaya, an Indigenous activist: 'the state needs qualified records' to prove that an area hosts uncontacted people, 'but for us it is different: we perceive them in nature, in the sounds we hear, their presences, sometimes their smells.' 'Taking care of the forest' The Brazilian Amazon has lost nearly a third of its native vegetation since records began in 1988, according to environmental NGO Instituto Socioambiental -- except in Indigenous territories where the figure is less than two percent. From 2019 to 2022, the Bolsonaro government suspended the provisional protection measures decreed for Ituna/Itata, prompting an invasion by land grabbers, turning it into the most deforested Indigenous area in Brazil. Though the protection was reinstated under his leftist successor Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, the consequences persist, and miles-wide patches of devastated soil intersperse areas of green rainforest, AFP observed during a recent flyover. Brazil will in November host the COP30 UN climate conference in the Amazonian city of Belem under Lula, who has sought to position himself as a leader in forest preservation and the fight against global warming. 'It's not just about taking care of the forest but also of the people who inhabit it, because it's through them that the forest remains standing,' COIAB coordinator Toya Manchineri told AFP. By Carlos Fabal with Facundo Fernandez Barrio in Sao Paulo, AFP
Japan Forward
08-07-2025
- Japan Forward
Landlocked and Coastal Students Unite to Fight Marine Debris
このページを 日本語 で読む Marine debris continues to plague Japan's coastlines, presenting an ongoing challenge for local communities. To address the issue, second-year students from two very different parts of the country came together at Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, to share their creative ideas. The students came from landlocked Ikoma City in Nara Prefecture and coastal Tsushima City in Nagasaki Prefecture. Connected through an online exchange program, the students met face-to-face for the first time at the Expo, where they presented their joint proposals. One of the standout ideas was "GomiPuri" — a fun, practical concept that lets users pay for "purikura" photo booth sticker sessions by recycling plastic bottles. With the Expo as a platform, these young participants are helping to lead the way toward a more sustainable future. Marine plastic pollution is a global crisis that endangers ecosystems and human health, yet international cooperation has been slow. At a UN negotiating session in Busan in December 2024, nations failed to agree on a treaty to reduce plastic waste, revealing sharp divisions between countries. Debris washed ashore on the coast of Tsushima City, Nagasaki Prefecture. (Courtesy of Ring Star Co) In Japan, Tsushima is on the front line. Each year, around 30,000 cubic meters of marine debris wash up on its shores, much of it consisting of PET bottles and styrofoam from China and South Korea. The student exchange began in October 2024, connecting first-year students from Koumyo and Seibu junior high schools through a Ministry of the Environment program. The initiative was inspired by Ring Star Co, a toolbox maker based in Ikoma that repurposes plastic collected from Tsushima's beaches into shopping baskets, now used at official Expo stores. The program aimed to help inland students, like those in Ikoma, better understand ocean-related issues and develop environmental awareness. Koumyo students learned through activities such as a simulated beach cleanup, using videos filmed by their Seibu counterparts. After several rounds of selection, two teams — ten Koumyo students in total — were chosen to present their ideas at the Expo's BLUE OCEAN DOME pavilion on June 21. Their proposal, GomiPuri, introduced a recycling-based payment system for photo booth stickers, a favorite among kids. "It's a win for us and the Earth," the students explained. They also suggested developing an educational game about marine debris and expressed interest in collaborating with recycling companies and plastic bottle manufacturers. Second-year students from Seibu Junior High School in Tsushima City, Nagasaki Prefecture, explain the marine debris situation in their area — June 21, at the BLUE OCEAN DOME. (©Sankei by Nobuhiko Yamaguchi) Meanwhile, students from Seibu Junior High, who live with the reality of marine debris every day, performed a skit highlighting how Tsushima's location causes it to act like a "garbage breakwater." They concluded with four pledges, including "Don't throw away unsorted trash" and "Commit to reducing plastic." In a joint session, students from both schools pledged to continue working together. Yuta Karakane, Executive Director of Ring Star Co, praised the students' work: "They came up with ideas that exceeded all expectations." Eriko Ozaki, an educational advisor from Ikoma City and moderator of the event, emphasized the program's impact: "It enabled dialogue across generations, regions, schools, the private sector, and government." Ring Star plans to promote the students' ideas to local governments and businesses. The company is also developing new products using plastic collected from beaches, with design input from Koumyo students. A new line of small accessory cases incorporating their ideas is scheduled for release by the end of August. Author: Nobuhiko Yamaguchi, The Sankei Shimbun このページを 日本語 で読む
CTV News
03-07-2025
- CTV News
Massive fin sighting sparks shark fears at Nova Scotia beach
Shark sightings are rare, but beachgoers are still encouraged to be shark smart. Queensland, N.S. — Wednesday morning was sunny and hot at Queensland Beach, which made for perfect Nova Scotia summer weather, when beachgoer Grant Wilkinson looked up and spotted a huge fin in the water. 'It came up, out of the water approximately two feet,' said Wilkinson, who is vacationing from Ontario. 'The lifeguards came and asked everyone to get out of the water and stay out of the water for a while.' Closing the beach was standard procedure, considering sharks are known to enter the North Atlantic waters. There were concerns the fin represented the latest chapter in shark sightings along the Nova Scotia coast. 'We usually close the beach for a couple of hours to keep an eye on it,' said N.S. Lifeguard Service Director Paul D'Eon. 'If we see nothing else, we open the beach.' Possible shark sightings and run-ins with oversized fish are nothing new in the ocean waters off Nova Scotia. On Canada Day, Nichole Elizabeth was fishing near Queensland Beach when she spotted a huge fish off the port side of her boat. 'We motored over to take a closer look,' said Elizabeth, who thought it was a shark at first glance. 'But sure enough, it was a large sunfish having a leisurely swim, as I understand they do near the surface.' Determining the species the massive fin belongs to is a tough task, especially for non-marine experts. However, shark researcher Neil Hammerschlag believes shark fears are slightly overstated. 'Sharks help control and keep balance in the ocean and keep it healthy, so that's a good thing,' said Hammerschlag. 'But sharks generally don't want to have anything to do with people.' In the off chance anyone encounters a real shark at the beach, D'Eon says there are three basic tips to keep in mind. 'Always swim in supervised areas, stay safe and listen to the lifeguards.' According to the Nova Scotia Lifeguard Service, last year there were as many as four reported fin sightings that could have been sharks. This was the first reported sighting of 2025.
