Pets at home doesn’t have to mean trampled carpets, scratched up wood floors, and smelly furniture. Follow these rules for pet friendly flooring.
There is still hope that your beloved canine or furry cat can live in harmony with your flooring. Here are 5 rules for pet-friendly flooring.
1. Use an Oil Finish
Polyurethane finishes are quite slippery for pets’ paws, increasing their tendency to use their claws for traction. Opt for oil finishes which can also work just as hard for your floor but provide less slippage-potential for your fluffy friends. If you want maximum sheen with minimal slickness, wax your floors.
2. Try High-End Linoleum Tiles
Linoleum isn’t tacky, childish, or cheap-looking anymore. There are design-conscious brands like Forbo Flooring that produce pet-proof linoleum options that are elegant, durable and essentially scratch-proof – so you don’t worry about incessant animal activity around the house.
3. Never Underestimate an Area Rug
Pets and carpets are never a perfect combination. To reduce mess and damage, put rugs in high traffic areas. These well-placed rugs, if kept in place with carpet matting, can extend the life of your floor. There are customizable options from FLOR carpet tiles where you can have the liberty to indulge in any color or pattern you like without having your pets ruining it overnight.
4. Scratch-Proof the Stairs
The carpet on your stairs is usually the first to show signs of wear and tear – and the chances get higher if you have pets at home. But if you still crave for attractive stair treads, instead of going for wall-to-wall carpeting, choose prefinished hardwood – just as beautiful but very pet-friendly.
5. Keep Your Companions’ Claws Clipped
The best way to minimize your favorite canine or feline from scratching up your floors and wreaking havoc into it is to use nail clippers on a regular basis. If pedicures seem more like torture than pampering for your pets, invest on bringing them to vets or groomers who can perform the service more quickly but in an affordable price.
The Best Flooring When You Have Pets
Porcelain Tile
These floors are the ultimate example of durability and strength – when it comes to withstanding all the insane animal activities at home. Its nonporous surface has a big upside, which can be made to look like stone or wood, won't scratch or stain, is moisture-proof, and very easy to clean.
Hardwood
If you want something that can effectively resist scratches and dings, choose prefinished wood floors with a factory-applied aluminum oxide top coat. If you want to have something less slippery but can still disguise scuffs, go for a matte penetrating-oil finish.
Vinyl and Linoleum
They are usually glued down as tiles, planks or sheets. Both materials are durable, easy to clean, and low maintenance but if your pets frequently urinate or vomit on them, the ammonia and acids in the urine and vomit respectively, can seep into seams and degrade glues over time.
Cork
It is resilient, durable and impact resistant plus it has hypoallergenic and antibacterial qualities. Of course, constant scratching can still get to it, even if it’s the best of quality, so it is better to choose a lighter shade, or just add a new coat of finish to cover it up.
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