We love them but those little claws and nails can do a number on floors from carpeting to hardwood. Not to mention those unexpected accidents and puddles. How do you protect your flooring from the beloved pet? Short of wearing booties, there are a few things to keep in mind.
Give Them a Protective Layer
Rugs are a great way to protect your investment from the tiny scrapings that toenails cause on hardwood. But you don?t want that antique kilim to be damaged either! Consider using natural fibers like jute and sisal in high traffic areas. Durable and relatively cheap to replace, these rugs can be taken outside and shaken to clean.
Trim Toes
Keeping your dog?s nails trimmed will go a long way toward reducing inevitable scratching. Cats often like to scratch carpet and clipping their claws and providing a scratching post will help neutralize the urge.
Corral Food and Water
Choose a water friendly room to keep your pet?s dinner area spic and span. Water slopping onto hardwood and bits of meaty bits and gravy can do a number on sensitive flooring. Put a mat down underneath food and water bowls to help contain spills.
Use Mats
Mats at the front and back door where pets enter and exit are a must to help stop paws from tracking dirt inside.
Choose Flooring Wisely
For pet friendly carpet, nothing beats carpet tiles because of their ease of replacement. When boo-boos happen, pop one out and another one in. Some treated tiles are so stain resistant you can even take them out to clean under running water.
Vinyl tile in plank form mimics the look of hardwood without the price tag. These tiles can also be switched out easily if need be. Because of their excellent moisture resistance they?re ideal in kitchens where many accidents happen.
Best bets in flooring are bamboo which is very hard and scratch resistant, and stone and porcelain tile which don?t scratch and clean up easily. Hardwood is the least forgiving material for pets as urine can stain your floors and it?s susceptible to scratching and marks. If you do have hardwood and pets, monitor the floors for pet deposits of all kinds and stay on top of them. Left untended, stains can seep into the wood and cause it to warp or discolor.
Give Them a Protective Layer
Rugs are a great way to protect your investment from the tiny scrapings that toenails cause on hardwood. But you don?t want that antique kilim to be damaged either! Consider using natural fibers like jute and sisal in high traffic areas. Durable and relatively cheap to replace, these rugs can be taken outside and shaken to clean.
Trim Toes
Keeping your dog?s nails trimmed will go a long way toward reducing inevitable scratching. Cats often like to scratch carpet and clipping their claws and providing a scratching post will help neutralize the urge.
Corral Food and Water
Choose a water friendly room to keep your pet?s dinner area spic and span. Water slopping onto hardwood and bits of meaty bits and gravy can do a number on sensitive flooring. Put a mat down underneath food and water bowls to help contain spills.
Use Mats
Mats at the front and back door where pets enter and exit are a must to help stop paws from tracking dirt inside.
Choose Flooring Wisely
For pet friendly carpet, nothing beats carpet tiles because of their ease of replacement. When boo-boos happen, pop one out and another one in. Some treated tiles are so stain resistant you can even take them out to clean under running water.
Vinyl tile in plank form mimics the look of hardwood without the price tag. These tiles can also be switched out easily if need be. Because of their excellent moisture resistance they?re ideal in kitchens where many accidents happen.
Best bets in flooring are bamboo which is very hard and scratch resistant, and stone and porcelain tile which don?t scratch and clean up easily. Hardwood is the least forgiving material for pets as urine can stain your floors and it?s susceptible to scratching and marks. If you do have hardwood and pets, monitor the floors for pet deposits of all kinds and stay on top of them. Left untended, stains can seep into the wood and cause it to warp or discolor.
