12 Feb Pet Friendly Carpet And Other Floors For The Whole Family
Looking to bring a four-legged family member into your home and want to renovate to ensure that your floors are up to the task? Some floors, like Hardwood, probably aren’t a great option and there really isn’t much you can do about this as the issue is with your furry friend’s claws scratching up the surface.
Other options, however – such as carpet and Laminate flooring – can work quite well for those who want to bring a pet into their home. Today we’ll be exploring how to ensure that your floors are up to the task of handling your newest family member, so you don’t end up regretting your reno:
Carpet And Pets
Some people may hold the belief that if you want to have indoor pets, you cannot have carpeted spaces. While this may have been true with some older products, many carpets that you can install within your home these days are perfectly pet safe as long as you go about things the right way.
Select A Pet Appropriate Carpet
The first thing you’re going to want to do is select a pet appropriate carpet. Plush options, for example, do a better job of hiding any damage caused by pet’s claws – something that is particularly important if you’re looking to welcome a cat into your family.
It is also wise to choose a carpet that is low allergenic or hypo-allergenic, as, no matter how much you love your pet, they’re going to bring allergens into your home, so minimising this is always a good idea. We quite like wool carpets for homes with pets, as they tend to be hypo-allergenic and are naturally less susceptible to accidents and spills thanks to the lanolin that occurs within this material.
Install Pet Defence® Underlay
Two of the main issues that you’ll face with having pets in carpeted areas are staining and odours. While your pet can’t always help where they go to the toilet – that’s why they’re referred to as pet accidents after all – urine can be particularly difficult to clean out of carpet, and the lingering smell certainly isn’t pleasant.
The good news is that you can greatly reduce the chance of these accidents turning into on-going issues by installing our Pet Defence® underlay. Designed with a breathable moisture barrier which prevents accidents from seeping through to the underlay and subfloor (one of the main causes of stains, re-appearing marks and unfortunate lingering smells) this Australian made luxury foam underlay is the ideal choice for those who want the plush, comfortable feeling of carpet in their home without having worry about what their pet is up to every second of the day.
Clean Any Accidents As Soon As You Notice Them
Even with an appropriate carpet and Pet Defence® underlay installed, it is still important to clean any accidents that may occur as soon as you notice them. The less time that messes spend on your carpet the better, and you should always ensure that cleaning is thorough and in line with the Cleaning, Care and Maintenance Guidelines of your selected carpet. This is particularly important in terms of controlling odour, as the longer a scent is allowed to linger in a room, the higher the chances are of that scent being absorbed into furniture and soft finishings such as curtains.
Don’t Leave Pets Unattended In Carpeted Areas For Extended Periods Of Time
Finally, although your pets should certainly be allowed in all areas of the home if that’s the way you’d like things to work in your household, it is important not to leave them unattended in carpeted areas for extended periods of time. Not only does this increase the risk of accidents, but if your pet becomes anxious (or bored) they may choose to take these feelings out on your carpet which can lead to significant damage. To avoid this, we suggest keeping your pets’ bedding, food and other belongings in a part of the house that has hard flooring so there is less incentive for them to visit carpeted areas while you’re out.
Laminate Flooring And Pets
Speaking of hard flooring, in addition to being both child and pet friendly, Laminate floors are also quite budget friendly, making them the ideal option to pair with your carpet when designing a pet friendly home. Laminates are one of the most durable and versatile flooring varieties when it comes to creating a space that is suitable for pets, and they are also quite beautiful, making this category the standout winner in terms of pet friendly floors.
Select A Floor That Has An AC3 Rating Or Higher
Although all Laminate tends to be tough, it is still important to choose an option that has an AC3 Rating or above. The AC Rating of a Laminate floor gives an idea, among other things, of how resilient it is against scratches and dents, two important factors to consider when selecting floors for spaces that will regularly have pets in them.
Ensure That Your Floor Is Installed Correctly
Correct installation of any floor is vital to the longevity of the floorboards, but it is particularly important in homes with pets. This is because any warping or bowing will destabilise the floorboard making them more susceptible to damage. Certain pets may also take this as an invitation to attempt to do their own renovations in your space, so it’s better to be safe than sorry.
Choose Floors That Offer Spill Protection
Laminate floors have a waterproof surface by nature thanks to their aluminium oxide wear layer, but they do not create a waterproof flooring system. In order to minimise the chances of pet accidents causing lasting issues, we suggest choosing a Laminate floor that offers spill protection. These types of flooring – such as the Keeta, Adare and Masterpieces collections created by our sister company Imagine Floors – have an edge profile and locking system that helps support water resistance, so you’ll be able to stress less about whether your pet makes it outside.
Follow The Cleaning, Care And Maintenance Guidelines
Finally, regardless of how well-equipped Laminate is to deal with pets and other aspects of family life, you’ll still need to follow the Cleaning, Care and Maintenance Guidelines for your chosen floors. This will help improve their longevity and keep your space looking great and functioning well for years to come, so it’s worth the effort. The good news is that all Imagine Floors Laminates are designed to be low maintenance, so you can spend less time cleaning and more time patting or cuddling your pet.
A Note On How Caring For Your Pets Can Also Help Your Floors
Pets bring so much love and joy to a home that it makes sense that you would want your furry companion inside with you. Having said that, there are certain parts of their bodies that are inherently not great for floors. The good news is that by taking a few simple steps – which are probably already part of your pet care routine anyway – you can make your furry family member more floor friendly.
Keep Nails Trimmed
Your pet’s nails are one of the biggest threats that they pose to your floors. While they don’t mean to do damage when they walk or run around your home, long nails can scratch up hard flooring, or pull apart carpet. By regularly trimming your pet’s claws, you can ensure that they can move comfortably while also greatly decreasing the chances of them damaging your floors, so it’s a good idea to get them used to having their nails trimmed from a young age.
Don’t Skip The Hairdressers
If your pet isn’t regularly brushed and groomed, the chances of them depositing a significant amount of hair throughout your home greatly increases. While this won’t necessarily damage your floors, it can be hard to get fur out of carpet, and it doesn’t feel too nice on hard floors so it’s a good idea to keep your pet’s coat properly maintained. Plus, they’ll be particularly appreciative of this in the warmer months, as the quicker they can shed their thick fur for a more weather appropriate coat, the more comfortable they’ll be in the harsh Aussie summer.
Wipe Pet Paws When They Come Inside
Wiping your pet’s paws when they come inside is a good way to minimise the amount of allergens, dirt and debris entering your home with them. It is also helpful in ensuring that they don’t get sore feet, as it means you’ll notice pretty quickly if they’ve got anything stuck between their pads. This also helps prevent stains and scratches in your floors, as it means they won’t bring mud or rocks inside.
Finding the right floors for your home can be confusing at the best of times, and bringing a new furry family member into the mix does limit your options if you want your floors to stay in top condition for years to come. Having said that, there are plenty of floors suitable for homes with pets, and yes, pet friendly carpet actually is a thing. For further information about Pet Defence® underlay, please visit the product page or reach out to us via info@airstep.com.au or, if you’re after more information regarding Laminate floors, or other hard flooring options, contact Imagine Floors.