When you are selecting new flooring, be sure to consider colors that will blend with (and minimize the appearance of) your pet’s hair. For instance, if you have a dog with a very dark coat, white or tan carpet may not be the best option for your home, as it will be very apparent in contrast to the carpet fibers. The same goes for lighter hardwood or laminate flooring options.
If your pet has long hair, that hair is more likely to visibly accumulate between vacuums or clean-ups. For this reason, it’s a great idea to establish a consistent maintenance schedule for your floors, no matter what kind of flooring you choose.
You don’t have to refloor the whole floor!
One way to help alleviate the wet and muddy paw problem, especially if you have carpet, is to install a hard surface flooring area in front of exterior doors. This allows for quick and easy clean-up when a pet comes in out of the rain and saves you a full carpet cleaning.
If you’re thinking about installing carpet in your pet-friendly home or rental property, Shaw brand Lifeguard carpet is a fantastic solution.* With its waterproof backing, Lifeguard carpet keeps pet accidents in the carpet layer until you can clean them up, instead of soaking into the carpet pad and subfloor. When it comes to stains, this carpet is also your best bet, as a stain repellent is built into the fibers.
It’s a good idea to avoid carpets with loops if you have pets with claws or nails. These can catch the loops and pull, creating unsightly runs. If claws aren’t a problem, Textured, Frieze, and Cut Pile Berbers are great carpet styles to help minimize paw prints.
Lifeguard carpet is warrantied against pet vomit, urine and feces.
Pet-friendly carpet pads
Di’s Floor Centre offers carpet pads with a moisture barrier on top. These are great options for when your dream carpet isn’t waterproof.
Hardwood-look pet-friendly flooring
If you’re into more of a hardwood look without the scratches or stains, luxury vinyl products and sheet vinyl are excellent options, thanks to their waterproof and scratch-resistant surfaces.
All flooring solutions at Di’s Floor Centre have a green certification and have low or no VOC emissions. We also offer hypoallergenic and all-natural products for customers who experience allergies or chemical sensitivities.