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Pet-friendly floors

Introductions

When deciding on a new floor, itā€™s easy to get caught up in your needs and wants. But what about your pets? What works for you doesnā€™t always work for them.

If you have a pet and youā€™re looking to update your floors, thereā€™s one thing you need to ask yourself. Do you want pet-proof floors, or pet-friendly floors? Whatā€™s the difference you ask? Hereā€™s a good exampleā€¦

Stone and tile floors are durable, hard-wearing, stain-resistant and water-resistant. Theyā€™re ideal for you because you donā€™t need to worry about scratches, stains or a tough surface to clean when accidents occur. Because theyā€™re less likely to incur any damages as a result of having a pet, we would class them as pet-proof, but not pet-friendly. Why? Theyā€™re cold to the touch, a harder surface to walk or sleep on, and can be slippery at times. Not ideal for your pet.

Photo credit: Adairs

If you decide on pet-friendly floors, there are 4 qualities you should seek in your floor choice…

– Itā€™s scratch resistant

– Itā€™s water-resistant

– It offers traction

– Itā€™s soft underfoot

With that in mind, these are our top choices for pet-friendly floors.

Laminate ticks nearly all the boxes when it comes to being pet-friendly. Thanks to its durable wear layer, itā€™s water and scratch-resistant (and in particular patterns, it’s less likely to show any scratches that may occur). While some laminate styles – gloss in particular – can be slightly slippery for anyone racing across, when you opt for a textured style youā€™re adding an instant slip-resistance!

Vinyl is what we consider pet-proof and pet-friendly. Itā€™s waterproof, stain-resistant, easy to clean and it absorbs noise. Itā€™s also comfortable for your pets to walk and lie on, provides them with traction which reduces the risk of slips and injuries, and itā€™s hypoallergenic – meaning it doesnā€™t harbour things like mold, mildew and pet hair.

Photo credit: Jane Beiles Photo via Pinterest

If you opt for a pet-friendly floor, chances are youā€™re compromising on some of the qualities that make it pet-proof. Floors can be scratched, stains will occur – wear and tear is inevitable. But there are several things you can do to minimise any damage your pet may inflict on your floors…

– Use doormats at all entrances to catch any dirt and debris your pet might track in

– Clip your pet’s nails regularly. While some materials are scratch-resistant, heavier animals are more likely to cause damage if their nails arenā€™t trimmed.

– Implement the use of rugs in areas where your pets sleep and play. Itā€™s in these places that pets are more likely to take off running

– Whether your floor is water-resistant or waterproof, itā€™s still recommended you wipe up any liquid spills or accidents immediately to prevent stains or water damage

– Placemats underneath food and water bowls where spillage is likely to occur

– Sweep, mop or vacuum regularly

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