How to Have a Pet and Hardwood Flooring

Your pet is a member of your family and you want them to be just as comfortable in your home as you are. If you're thinking about upgrading the floors in your home to hardwood, but are wondering how to have a pet and hardwood flooring, Georgia Carpet is here to help. Our experts have seen it all, heard it all and tried it all, so we can tell you exactly how to have the great-looking floors you want, even if you have pets. The reality is that you can have beautiful hardwood flooring with a furry animal family member as long as you take care of your floors.

Cleaning

If you have pets, you'll have to clean your floors more often than if you didn't have pets. The best way to clean hardwood floors with pets is actually pretty basic in most instances, despite having an animal companion shedding fur and running all over the house. If your animal friend is free to roam in and out of the house on a whim, you must realize that they bring in a lot of extra dirt and debris on their paws and fur. They also tend to shed more because of the differences in temperature from the outside to the inside and vice versa.

The tracked in dirt will become a problem if you do not tend to it rather quickly, because as dirt sits on your floor and you walk back and forth across it, you are unknowingly sanding your floors just like sand paper would. To remedy this frequently sweep the area that receive the most traffic, this will keep the dirt and debris down significantly. You can also use a hardwood floor pet vacuum with brush rolls designed to pick up fur and pet dander.

Hair going everywhere?

Pets shed, whether you have a dog, a cat or some other furry companion. Your hardwood floors will not have a bad reaction to animal hair, but it is not pretty to look at and nobody likes seeing a ball of fur drift across the floor while they try to relax. Tackle abundant pet hair by making sure to vacuum areas where you loving companion likes to spend their down time, such as a couch or armchair. This will assure that the pet hair not carried around the house or blown across the floor.

You know wood floors are not friends of water, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't ever mop them. In fact, you should mop as frequently as needed, but following the specific instructions set by your hardwood flooring's manufacturer. This may include using a damp mop and rinse agent or only using a particular type of liquid hardwood floor cleaner. If your animal sheds more than expected and your floor shows it, make sure you are not just pushing the hair around with the mop by pre-cleaning the floors with a push broom or vacuum before mopping. You can also use a dust mop to pre-clean your floors. A nice little trick with a dust mop is that you can lightly sprits the edge of the mop, making the hair stick and clump so that you're not allowing the hairs to go airborne.

Scratches and Dents

Dog nails are the worst part about having an animal on hardwood flooring. While you may cringe every time your dog's nails scrape across your wood floors, rest assured that these types of scratches rarely penetrate the surface of the wood. Larger scratches or indentations can cause stress on the wood in a whole though, so if you're just starting to look at hardwood flooring and you already have a dog or anticipate getting one in the future, stay away from softer wood choices like pine and choose a harder wood that will not scratch as easily.

Keeping your dog's nails properly clean and well-manicured will go a long way to eliminating the majority of dog related scratching. Not only that, but trimming your dog's nails is absolutely crucial for the health and happiness of your loving K-9. If you are not good at holding your dog down for a nail clipping, just about any grooming or vet will clip your dog's nails for a minimal price.

An Unwanted Gift!

Yeah, we're talking about coming home from a long day's work and realizing you're your animal friend did not forget about you, because they left you an extra special present on the hardwood floors! Accidents happen and luckily if you catch it quickly your floors will receive minimal to no damage in the staining or smelling department. Clean up the area with a mild soap or use a pet urine hardwood floor cleaner and dry thoroughly. Choose a pet-safe hardwood floor cleaner with enzymes to fully break down the urine and be sure to clean messes before they have a chance to really soak into the wood.

If the problem persists, seek the help of a professional trainer or begin the process of crate training your dog. Crate training has worked wonders for many dogs, ranging from puppies to older adoptees. Crate training can be tough at first, but is an effective way to eliminate accidents, to create a safe-space for your dog and to preserve the beauty of your floors.

By choosing the right hardwood flooring and taking a few precautionary steps, you can enjoy warm wood floors and the company of your favorite furry friend. We hope this article has helped you learn about hardwood floors and pets, so you can experience the joy of an animal companion as well as the thrill of beautiful hardwood flooring. You really can have your cake and eat it too.