When it comes time to select new flooring, pet owners are wise to seek options their furry family will love (without leaving a mess). Read on to learn about the best pet-friendly flooring options for your home.
Carpeting
Pet-friendly flooring is easy to find, but determining what makes a floor pet-friendly depends on your pet. If you’re considering carpet, but worry your pets might disagree, don’t stress. Carpeting comes in many forms, and many kinds can be comfortable and work well with most common house pets, provided you’re willing to take some proactive steps. The two primary concerns with pets and carpets are damage to the fibers, and stains from accidents.
Cats with sharp claws can be incredibly destructive toward carpeting as they often scratch soft surfaces. Many people don’t consider carpet to be a pet-friendly flooring option, but there are ways to make it work. Cats, for instance, won’t scratch certain kinds of carpet nearly as much as others. Additionally, using scent deterrents and scratching posts or mats can keep cats from scratching the carpet while still letting them perform this natural behavior. When it comes to pet messes, having a steam cleaner or carpet shampooer handy will help greatly. If you’re not willing to go the extra mile for pet messes, you’re not alone, and there are other, lower-maintenance pet-friendly options available.
Hardwood and Tile Floors
Hardwood flooring is a very durable type of residential option, but it has its downsides with certain pets. Many cats are usually perfectly content with this flooring choice, but dogs can struggle. If your dog has longer nails, they might find it very difficult to walk on your floors. Even well-trimmed nails can still prove too long for certain dog breeds (generally larger dogs who have more weight to keep up). If you’re not sure whether hardwood will be pet-friendly floors for your dog, it’s best to consider their size and gait. If your dog struggles with hard surfaces, chances are hardwoods aren’t going to be your best bet.
Fortunately, there are other flooring options that can work. Tile floors have a similar issue as hardwoods when it comes to dogs and traction. One benefit of tile, however, is its cleanability. While hardwood floors are relatively easy to clean, pet accidents can soak into the porous wood much quicker than tile. This can trap odors and cause staining and discoloration in wood. One downside to tile floors is that they are more easily visibly scratched by nails. Neither wood nor tile are universally considered the best pet-friendly flooring, but both can work well depending on your needs and aesthetic preferences.
Linoleum and Vinyl Flooring
So, what is the best flooring to put down if you have pets? In many cases, you should be looking at linoleum and vinyl. These two soft flooring options are incredibly durable, waterproof, and easy to clean. Like hardwood and tile, you may need to consider a dog’s ability to walk on these surfaces. What makes vinyl and linoleum different is that they both provide a bit more support than hardwood and tile. This give can help a dog better walk on the surface. Unlike tile, linoleum and vinyl are both very resistant to surface scratching, and they make cleaning accidents easy. If your dog still slips on vinyl or linoleum, you can take steps to ensure their nails are trimmed and their paw pads are healthy. Many non-slip products can be applied to your dogs paws safely, to help provide extra grip too.
The bottom line with the pet-friendliness of vinyl and linoleum lies in their waterproof materials and their durability. If you have pets, these are the safest, low-maintenance options that will work for both you and your pets.
Keep Your Pets and Floors Happy
Selecting pet-friendly flooring can be tricky, and you never want to choose the wrong material and negatively impact your pet’s life in the home. If you need help determining which option is best for you, give the experts at Ozburn-Hessey a call today for a free consultation and estimate.
