If you have four-legged friends running around your home, you might want to look into pet-friendly flooring. Depending on the type of floor you have and the size of your pet, you may find yourself faced with unsightly floor damage that can be a pain to fix. But don't worry - there are a number of ways you can make your flooring more friendly for your pet!
You should start by opting for dark flooring with a pattern. Lighter, solid colored floors are more likely to show your pet's fur along with dirt and stains. To give your floors a longer-lasting, clean appearance, look for flooring with a pattern and/or choose darker colors to hide dirt and fur.
If you're in the market for pet-friendly flooring, consider choosing a carpet without loops (e.g. shear or frieze), as pets' nails are more likely to snag on a looped carpet. If you decide to install carpet, make sure to clean it often with a vacuum that has a High-Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter and a tightly packed filtration system. A HEPA filter can help reduce up to 99.97% of allergens that would normally be emitted back into the air while vacuuming. This is a great way to help reduce pet dander problems.
A hard-surface floor may help minimize the effects of household allergens as they are easier to sweep, mop and vacuum. But they may pose a danger to pets that frequently run in the house, as well as those with joint problems. Hard-surface floors can be very slippery, and pets can damage their joints or injure themselves if they slide around on them. Make sure to sop up any water on the floor after cleaning to help prevent slips and falls. Area rugs can also help give your pets a little more traction.
Pet nails, even if trimmed properly, can scratch up your floor. To help reduce scratching and other pet-related damage, consider installing flooring that can withstand a higher level of wear. Some options would be high-pressure laminate (HPL), stone, or ceramic tile.
With a little research and know-how, you can make your new flooring as pet-friendly as possible!
