Hard Surface Flooring and Pets

Having hard surface flooring and pets has its ups and downs.  The Carpet Guys want to give you some suggestions on how to best handle the most frequent problems with flooring and pets.

Pet Hair on Hard Floors

There are several ways to handle the accumulation of pet hair on hardwood, laminate, and luxury vinyl plank (LVP).

1. Make sure you groom your pet frequently.  Regular grooming helps to reduce the amount of hair loss.  Also, a high protein diet will help promote a healthy coat.
2. Vacuum your floors regularly with a hardwood floor attachment, or a robotic vacuum. Consumer Reports has a great review of Best Vacuums for Hardwood Floors.
3. Make sure to clean beneath furniture and in corners.  These are collection areas for pet hair.
4. Use a microfiber duster for daily cleaning.  It acts as a magnet to hair, dander, and dust.
5. Make sure to change your furnace filter regularly. This eliminates pet hair and dust being deposited back on your floors.

Pet Accidents

As we all know, pet urine can damage any type of flooring.  It’s especially tough on hard surface floorings like hardwood.  Here are some suggestions when your pet has an accident.

1. Clean the urine as soon as possible.  The longer it sits on your floor, the more harm it can do.
2. Use a cleaning product recommended by your flooring manufacturer to ensure you maintain your flooring warranty.  If your warranty is expired, try a mixture of one cup of apple cider vinegar and one gallon of water.  Do not soak the stain because this may cause warping and damage to your flooring.  Be sure to rinse and dry the area thoroughly afterward.
3. If you have dark, dried stains that smell like urine, this may mean it has absorbed into the substrate.  If this is the case, you may need the flooring refinished or replaced.
4. Install waterproof flooring. The Carpet Guys carry several styles of Mohawk’s Revwood Plus/Select or U.S. Floor’s COREtec Plus.

Pet Nails and Scratching

Although your kids may enjoy watching the dog slide across the hardwood floors, when chasing his toy, it’s a perfect storm for scratching.  Here are some suggestions to avoid those situations.

1. Trim your pet’s nails.  If you’re uncomfortable doing this on your own, take them to a groomer.
2. Place area rugs in spaces where your pet sleeps or travels often.
3. Use a baby gate to keep your pet off your hardwood floors.
4. Try using nail caps (soft, plastic nail covers that your pet won’t even feel).
5. Install scratch-resistant flooring.  The Carpet Guys have a vast selection of styles in laminate, LVP and engineered hardwood.  All great scratch resistant options.

Pets are a part of the family.  It’s important to find easy solutions to hard surface flooring and pet problems.  If you decide you want to replace your flooring with something that is pet-friendly, Be Wise, Call The Carpet Guys at 855-4-MY-GUYS (855-469-4897). Or fill out our Free In-Home Estimate form and we will send our pet-friendly Design Consultant to your home.  For more information on hardwood flooring specifically, check out our blog How to Protect Hardwood Floors from Dogs.