Wondering How You Can Minimize Your Pets Effects on Hardwood Floors?
If you always wanted to have hardwood flooring in your home but are concerned that they might be ruined by your pets, you will be happy to know that pets and hardwood floors can easily co-exist! In fact, there are millions of homeowners with pets who enjoy the tremendous benefits of hardwood flooring! Here are 3 simple ways to take care of your hardwood flooring with pets:
1. Prevent Pet Scratches On Your Wood Floor
One of the common concerns about owning hardwood floors is that they will be scratched up by your pets. However, there are several things that you can do to minimize the scratches on the surface of your floors. The most effective defense is to clip and trim your pet’s nails on a regular basis. This is especially important with larger breeds of dogs as they exert more pressure on hardwood floors when they are running around or playing. You can also try to reduce scratching by placing scatter rugs at all doors to minimize the amount of dirt that is tracked into your house, especially if you have a pet that likes to dig! If you do see a pet scratch on your hardwood floors, there is no need to panic as they usually occur only in the finish rather than the wood itself. In these cases, a professional wood flooring contractor can offer specific recommendations on how to repair the scratches.
2. Avoid Pet Accidents On Your Floors
Another concern about hardwood flooring with pets is when your pet may have an accident on the floor. While the acid in animal urine and vomit can damage the finish and the wood floor boards, the good news is that there are easy solutions to address this problem. Accidents can be prevented with proper training of your dog. In the meantime, you can place training pads on those areas where your dog often has an accident. Make sure that the training pads you use have an absorbent surface and plastic backing, which prevents any liquids from going through the pad to the hardwood floor. The smooth surface of hardwood floors actually makes the job of cleaning up after your pet much easier than a carpet, which can harbor many germs. For cat owners, it is only a matter of cleaning up any vomit as quickly as possible.
3. Use Stable Bowls for Water and Food
While some pets certainly make more of a mess than others when it comes to chow time, most have a tendency to leave at least some food around their bowl. If you are worried about pet food or water on your hardwood floor, try to use a heavy bowl that is stable to prevent spills. You can also use a waterproof mat under the food and water bowls to help protect your floor. If you use mats constructed of rubber or similar materials, they will also help to keep the bowls from moving around and scratching the hardwood floors.
4. Frequent Cleaning With A Dry Mop Is A Big Deal For Hardwood Floors With Pets
While hair and fur from our dogs and cats are what we see more often, the grit, dust and dirt that they (and we) track in is the bigger issue. Using a dry microfiber mop is a great way of cleaning your floor that requires very little time.
5. The Best Floor Cleaner For Your Hardwood Floors Is A No-Rinse Floor Cleaner
Another really important aspect of your routine that you follow to clean your floor is to use the correct cleaner. Many times my customers have approached me about their floor losing it's gloss, and it is always due to using a floor cleaner that contains soap or oils. The only cleaning solution that you ever use on the floor in your house is a no-rinse floor cleaner like Armstrong's Once N Done. Bona makes a great floor cleaner as well. You can also use the inexpensive floor cleaners found in your supermarket that are a solution of vinegar and water. They will clean your floor and not leave a residue that can actually attract dirt and dust.
6. A Walkoff Mat Will Help Keep Your Hardwood Floor Clean
Keeping your floor clean is as important as cleaning it, but much easier. Place walkoff mats outside every door that leads outdoors. These mats will catch dust and other abrasives not only from your shoes, but from the paws of a cat or a dog as well. Keeping that grit outside where it belongs will save you a lot of time cleaning.
Random Tips For Your Dog And Cat
Ok, Fluffy and Fido, we need you to do your part as well. Fido, we appreciate your willingness to help. However, your results in helping to clean the floor have been spotty at best. Please...outside toys stay outside. Also, slobbering across the kitchen is not, nor has it ever been, part of the talent show for Westminster. Please finish your drinking over the mat that we have provided.
Fluffy, we appreciate your gifts. Really. Just leave them outside the house and we can better admire them. And if we could ask for one more thing, could you cough the hairballs up in the trash? I know that the number 1 priority in your life is pleasing your family, and we appreciate your efforts. Or, we will appreciate your efforts. If you ever make any.
And both of you...please...in an effort to keep the floor that we all have to share as clean as possible, could you please clean your dirty feet off before coming into the living room area and climbing on the furniture? Thank you.
Need Some New Flooring For Your House?
Now that you are familiar with how to take care of your hardwood flooring with pets, check out all of our flooring products to find the perfect hardwood floor for your home! We look forward to doing business with you!
