ASo here in Massachusetts, we are allowed to have pets in the home that we have a home/cottage commercial kitchen. The animals are not allowed in the kitchen and prep areas while business is being conducted. I've found threads throughout the site discussing the legality of pets, but nothing about how to maintain a house with one that also has a bakery.

I'm really lucky; my new landlord agreed to hang a new door onto the kitchen (which has had doors on it in the past, but they'd been painted over). The new workspace already has french doors, and the cat is not ever going to be allowed in that area.

But her hair does travel, and she will have access to the kitchen when I'm not baking, and so I was wondering how people take care of these situations, in states where you are allowed to have pet animals in the house.

I do not have a vacuum, and the new place is all hardwood and tile. I was thinking about investing in a roomba and/or scooba to run nightly. My furniture is mostly leather (chosen so it was wipeable).

What else can I do to minimize contact, and fur? Are there any suggestions beyond brushing her daily that might help her maintain her coat and shed less?

Aone thought is to change your heating cooling filters often every month or six weeks -- furnace filters -- clean the vent covers--

also use a clumping litter -- some of that stuff is so powdery it flies all over --

I have an inexpensive dust mop that I use to wipe down walls & ceiling fans just takes a minute --

AI do use a clumping litter, and I have a Litter Genie, and I scoop it every day or so. also it will be going in the bathroom, which is for some reason down a 14 foot hallway (it wraps around one of the rooms). The heating is through radiators, so that might be a problem, but I'll keep that in mind for space heaters and the window a/c.

LOL…..what a delicious thought, cat litter and cake. :D

Ai wasn't taking your temperature i was just tossing out some thoughts -- that all sounds great though!

AI would invest in a vacuum... Not a roomba...I've heard they aren't that great. Also Clorox wipes are great for dust and fur. Brush your cat daily. And potty train your cat ;-). I've found most people actually don't care if a pet is in the home as long as it's kept clean.

Definitely buy a Dyson cordless vacuum, spend as much as you can on one since there are various models. We use a Dyson Animal at home and wow, do our cats shed hair. We have hard flooring throughout our house but we have some rugs, which is where the hair kind of drifts too. The vac makes short work of cleaning them too. Battery lasts around 20 mins but, frankly, who wants to spend more than 20 mins vacuuming. It's very lightweight and you are much more likely to use it than dragging a big, heavy thing around the house especially when the cord of those gets in the way all the time. 

Try not to go and pick up/pet your cats while you are working because you will just carry all the hair back into your work area on your clothes (reminds me of your post the other day - baking in your underwear would help solve that problem!)

For a start I would be keeping the cat out of the kitchen at all times.

I am a cottage food baker in SC and pets are allowed in the house, but not in the work areas.  I don't have a pet now, but used to have a cat and understand about the hair.  Even if you never let the cat in the kitchen, those rolling fur balls would end up in there anyway.  I wish I could give you a miraculous solution, but frankly, you are just going to have to go on a cat hair "hunt" every time you bake.  One cat hair in the food could potentially destroy your business.  (For that matter, a human hair could as well.)  For cat hair I would clean the floors first because if any cat hair is going to go flying it is then.  I used to use a vacuum, and it really would be worth the investment if you could get one...especially one with the good filters.  (Kitty might even let you vacuum him..ha ha!)  Then damp mop to get the rest.  Sanitize your counters last in case some of that hair settled there.  Don't use a fan or ceiling fan if you can help it.  Once satisfied with the kitchen, work on yourself because I'm sure your kitty hair will be on your clothes as well.  Clean clothes, clean apron, and then grab a lint roller and run it over yourself just to be sure.

You need a good vacuum cleaner and lots of elbow grease. 

I'd advise against a roombah especially as you suggest running it nightly - my Parents have one and it makes a lot of noise, seriously it's very very loud, also it does not get into corners bc it's round. My mum has all but given up on using it. A vacum cleaner would be a better choice IMO.

............invest in a vacuum... Not a roomba...I've heard they aren't that great................

I definitely agree w/this statement.  I had a roomba when they 1st came out and they are not very thorough.

You can make the cat famous on youtube with a roomba though