February 11, 2025

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What’s the best flooring for pets?

What’s the best flooring for pets?

A pet can become a pillar of the family, but they may present some repercussions when it comes to keeping a clean and presentable home. 

Young cats and dogs that are yet to be potty trained may have accidents indoors, and this can become an issue again once the animal becomes elderly. Pets that frequent the garden may be prone to dragging in dirt from outside, and large or energetic animals that often race around the house can damage the floors. Even caged pets, like hamsters and birds, can kick out bits of food or bedding from their cages, which can embed into the wrong type of flooring material, creating long-lasting stains, odors, and sanitary concerns.

So, what’s the best flooring for pets? Let’s look at some of the most suitable options.

Laminate flooring

A variation of natural wooden flooring, laminate is composed of layers, offering resistance against abrasion, scratches, and dents, which is desirable for pet owners concerned about their claws damaging the floors.

Resistant to stains, laminate is unlikely to absorb odors or discoloration from pet accidents, however, its water resistance is fairly poor, so it’s important to clean up any spills and messes promptly. This makes laminate a less ideal option where accidents are a concern and the pet may be left unattended for long periods of time.

Laminate flooring is a great option for pets that shed hair or often drag dirt inside. It’s very easy to clean, requiring a quick sweep or vacuum, and then mopping to remove more stubborn traces of dirt and debris. With a smooth surface, laminate is comfortable for pets to walk, lie down, or play on, and as it doesn’t trap allergens, it’s a good option for pets that suffer from allergies.

Vinyl flooring

Vinyl is one of the most popular hard flooring options. It’s 100% synthetic, composed of layers that make the flooring long-lasting and durable, with resistance to scratches, scuffs, and dents.

Offering much better water resistance than laminate, vinyl flooring is able to withstand small spills, with some products even being fully waterproof. Being just as easy to clean as laminate, vinyl floors are easy to maintain, even with the messiest of pets in the house!

Vinyl flooring is regarded as one of the most comfortable hard flooring materials and offers a high level of noise reduction. For particularly loud or energetic pets, vinyl can effectively reduce the amount of noise that travels around the home, being especially beneficial for apartments where consideration for downstairs neighbours is a factor.

Carpet

What if you don’t want a hard flooring option – is there a warmer, more comfortable material suitable for homes with pets? Carpet may be seen as a less-than-ideal option, but the right carpet coupled with the right maintenance routine is definitely feasible for many pet households.

Nylon is one of the most luxurious synthetic carpet fibers on the market, with its average cost falling at the higher end of carpet price points. It’s highly durable and capable of handling common wear and tear caused by pets. Nylon is easy to clean and maintain, and many products have stain-resistant treatments to combat spills and potential pet accidents. It’s important to note that these treatments are usually chemical-based, and pets particularly sensitive to allergens may react to them.

A lower-cost alternative to nylon is triexta, which is naturally stain and odor-resistant (without the need for chemical treatments) and offers good durability. In comparison to nylon, triexta is slightly less resilient in high-traffic areas, or for homes with particularly energetic pets, but it still offers long-lasting performance and is regarded as one of the most comfortable synthetic fibers.

If durability is less of a concern and stain resistance is a high priority, polyester is a soft, budget-friendly synthetic fiber that is naturally resistant to stains and fading.

No matter what carpet fiber you choose, it’s important to maintain it correctly to keep it properly sanitized and looking fresh. Carpets should be regularly vacuumed to remove any dirt, dust, and allergens that are trapped in the fibers, but vacuuming isn’t enough to give carpet a thorough cleaning, especially with pets in the house.

Investing in regular professional carpet cleaning services will help maintain the carpet and increase its lifespan. A professional cleaning crew will have the equipment and products required to remove dirt remnants from deep within the fibers and thoroughly wash and dry the floors. This is particularly beneficial after a pet has had an accident on the carpet, or has dragged in some dirt that has inset itself into the carpet, but it’s recommended to have your carpets professionally cleaned at regular intervals anyway to ensure maximum sanitization.

Whichever flooring you choose, always have it installed by a professional. This will ensure the floors are safe and help to increase the lifespan of the material.

Powerhouse is a full-service home and commercial services company based in Texas, specializing in flooring installation.

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