Pets and Hardwood Floors

We all know the beauty of a hardwood floor but you may also have been told that pets and hardwood flooring don’t mix. While hardwood flooring may not be an ideal flooring for pets, but carpet, laminate, and a variety of other flooring types aren’t either, it can be a satisfactory choice as long as you take necessary precautions and care.

There are lots of pet owners that have hardwood flooring and it’s not a big deal. Accidents and scratching can be a concern, but with some care you will be able to keep both your pet and your beautiful floors. Hardwood flooring is surprisingly resilient and can withstand normal use and even survive a puppy accident as long as it is cleaned up in a timely manner. Cleaning up accidents off hardwood is actually easier than cleaning it off carpet so there are some benefits to the hard flooring type.

Accidents Happen

Accidents are one of the biggest concerns for people with cats and dogs. Training pads are a great option when you have an animal that is potty training and with time they will learn to wait until they are outside to take care of their business. Proper training is really important for protecting your hardwood. Pet stains are typically hard to remove from floors because the salt in the urine can seep into the wood and discolor it. Quick clean up can prevent staining and protect your floors.

Keep their Nails Clipped

Scratches are another common concern for hardwood flooring, especially for dog owners. If you keep your dogs nails clipped and trimmed you can help protect your floors. Keeping a rug or installing carpet in areas of more traffic like doorways or corners in hallways where dogs are likely to run and slide and encouraging your dog to play outside rather than inside are important parts of protecting your floor. You can also protect your stairs with carpet stair runners. Keeping your pets paws clean when they walk in from outside or use the litter box can help to protect your floor from scratching.

Water is the Enemy of Hardwood Floors

The water bowl is another area of concern. Water is a big concern for wood flooring and water bowls can cause a lot more damage than you may think. Keeping the bowl on a waterproof mat or in a room like the bathroom or laundry room which may have different flooring is advised. A rubber mat and a heavy duty stable water bowl can also help prevent your pet from tipping their water bowl and causing a big spill.

Cats are much easier are flooring than dogs are but they can still cause some issues. Cat litter is a concern as well as accidents, vomiting and scratching. Cleaning up messes quickly and giving your cat a safe place to scratch will help protect your flooring. Also a litter mat can help to collect the cat litter that may stick to their feet.

Consult a Roswell Hardwood Floor Contractor

Pets and hardwood floors may not go together like peanut butter and jelly but that doesn’t mean they can’t coexist without too much effort. If you have maintenance issues or are considering installing hardwood floors in Roswell, consult a local pro beforehand. They can walk you through all of the areas you may have concerns before you get too far down the road!