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If you’re an animal lover, you know that your furry family members can cause damage to furniture and home furnishings. Claws and unfortunate accidents can wreak havoc on flooring, so it’s crucial that you choose the material wisely.
Maintain a Regular Cleaning Schedule
Regardless of the type of material you choose for your flooring, you need to clean your floors periodically if you have pets. Pet dander, hair, dirty paw prints, spills, urine, and fecal matter can create an unhealthy indoor environment. Brush your cats and dogs daily to remove loose fur, preventing it from building up on the floor. Invest in a high-powered vacuum with upholstery cleaning attachments rated for pet hair, and vacuum your home several times per week. If you have tile floors, consider using a steam mop to disinfect your floors.
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Flooring Types
If you have pets, it is critical to choose flooring that suits the interior style of your home while providing added durability to manage additional wear and tear from claws. Here are some of the most popular options for pet-friendly flooring.
Ceramic Tiles
While bathrooms and kitchens often feature ceramic tiles, some homeowners prefer to have ceramic tiles in the living room. Ceramic and porcelain tiles are easy to clean and maintain and, depending on the material, can either be waterproof or water-resistant. This can make them an excellent choice for houses with pets. Tiles also provide a cool surface for animal paws during the warmer months. One of the key differences between ceramic and porcelain tiles is that the ceramic requires glazing to protect the material from absorbing moisture. Porcelain, however, is dense and less porous, which makes them waterproof, stain-resistant, and more durable.
Laying tiles can be challenging for a DIYer if you don’t have the right equipment. Poorly laid tiles don’t just impact the aesthetic appearance of your home; they can also become a tripping hazard. If you intend to install ceramic tiles yourself, you’ll need special tile tools, from manual cutters to trowels.
Solid Hardwood
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Solid hardwood is prized for its aesthetic appeal and authentic construction. Solid hardwood can last for decades; however, it needs regular maintenance and periodic refinishing because it is particularly susceptible to scratches from claws.
Engineered Hardwood
Engineered hardwood is a more affordable alternative to traditional solid hardwood. Like solid hardwood, it has a stylish appearance and a hard-wearing surface. Unlike solid hardwood, it offers a greater degree of water and stain resistance. It is also a relatively low-maintenance option; there is no need to sand and stain the floor every few years because of scratches due to pet paws.
Carpet
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Carpeting offers a soft, cozy alternative to hard surfaces, such as wood and ceramic. During the colder months, a carpet is also warmer on bare feet or paws. If you’re noise-sensitive, carpeting absorbs sound, making it one of the quietest flooring options available. However, for homes with pets, carpeting has a major disadvantage compared to harder surface materials — it’s absorbent. Even if you purchase water-resistant and hypoallergenic carpeting, you’ll still need to clean carpeting more frequently than other flooring options.
Carpets can also hold fleas, ticks, and other insects and arachnids that enter your home from the outside, stowing away in your dog or cat’s fur. For this reason, if you lay carpeting in your home, you will need to vacuum it regularly. If this doesn’t prove sufficient for controlling the flea population, you can also try sprinkling baking soda and salt on your floors to dehydrate flea eggs and larvae.
Vinyl Flooring
Linoleum and vinyl are sometimes confused, but the two materials are different. Linoleum, sometimes called lino, is derived from organic, renewable materials, such as wood, cork, and linseed oil. On the other hand, vinyl flooring is made from polyvinyl chloride (PVC), a synthetic plastic polymer. While less environmentally friendly than organic alternatives, vinyl is also more water-resistant or waterproof and easier to clean. It can also last for decades and doesn’t stain.
For Happy Pets and a Healthy Home, Choose Tile Floors
Homeowners understand that their pets can cause damage to flooring, furniture, and other parts of the home. You can control the damage caused to your floors by choosing a flooring material that resists scratches and stains and which is easy to clean and maintain. For many homeowners, that means ceramic or porcelain tiles.
If you are building a new home or remodeling your current place and installing tile floors, Contractors Direct can provide you with everything you need to get the job done, from tile saws and cutters to grouting tools and tile spacers. Explore our full selection of tiling and masonry equipment online.