Many Toronto homeowners who use hardwood flooring worry about their furry pets damaging their floors. This is especially of people who have large and active dogs. While this fear is not unfounded, it does not mean the end for your pet or your floor. All you need are some hardwood flooring maintenance tips, specifically for pet owners.
Hardwood flooring is one of the best choices a homeowner can make for their interior design. These floors effortlessly add a beautiful, unique, and timeless feel to your home. The best part is solid hardwood floors can easily last a lifetime with proper care. But, indoor pets may threaten that longevity. Fortunately, there are important tips that pet owners can use for their hardwood flooring.
While you certainly love your dogs, it is highly unlikely that you will like the floor damage they can cause. So, if you have live-in animals in your home, you must know how to protect your hardwood floors from your pets. This pet owner guide to hardwood flooring will help you get the best out of your floor and pets.
Most hardwood floor warranties will not cover pet damage. Therefore, knowing how to protect hardwood floors from pets is crucial. In this article, we give you insight into some important tips on maintaining your hardwood floor as pet owners.
But first, let us give you answers to common questions pet owners ask – ‘Can I install hardwood if I have pets?’
Can I Install Hardwood Floors If I Have Pets?
Right off the bat, the answer is ‘Yes!’ Indeed, you can install hardwood floors even with your furry creatures running around the house.
However, it will take a little more work to maintain and ensure it lasts long enough. While this sounds very tasking, it is not. All you need are some important hardwood floor tips for pet owners.
If you have ever had pets before, you probably already know about their tendency to ‘wreak havoc.’ Feeding areas are sometimes disasters waiting to happen. There is the ever-present fear of animal urine, vomit and whatnot. Large, active dogs can also put scratches and dents on your hardwood floor when trying to find traction. They may even go digging!
So with all these, does your new hardwood floor have a chance against your dogs or cats? The answer is still an absolute ‘yes,’ and we will tell you how.
By applying our tips on how to protect hardwood floors from pets, you can preserve your flooring’s integrity. This means you get to maintain the lifespan and beauty of your hardwood floors.
So, if you’ve been wondering, ‘Can I install hardwood if I have pets?’ Now, you know you can. However, installing the floor is not the end of the road. Read further to discover a few important tips on how homeowners can care for their hardwood flooring.
Related article: How To Choose Hardwood Floors if You Have Pets
How to Make Your Hardwood Floor Pet-proof: The Tips You Need
Caring for pets, especially live-in ones, comes with a unique set of challenges. With hardwood flooring in your home, the horizon becomes wider. However, it is possible for your pets and your hardwood floor to coexist in harmony. But, it will take some effort on your part.
Invest in tougher hardwood floors
It is probably a no-brainer that a harder floor means a more-resistant one. So, you should know how to choose the best hardwood floor for pet lovers. An excellent way to ensure this is to buy hardwood floors with a higher Janka rating. Many stores in Toronto have floors with high enough Janka ratings that can do the job.
However, if you already installed your hardwood floor before you got your furry friend, do not panic. There is still hope. There are several other ways you can keep your pets from ruining your floors.
Use runners or rugs in high dog-traffic areas
One of the most significant dangers to your hardwood floor is your dog’s nails. Unlike cats, dogs never retract their nails. This means that when they are running about the house, they can quickly put scratches on your floors.
Furthermore, hardwood floors can be slippery for dogs. So, they will dig in with their claws to try and gain traction.
A good way to avoid this is to use runners or long-thin rugs in hallways. You may also put them in areas your dog frequent and even at entrances. More often than not, your dog will opt to use these rugs as their feet can get a better grip on them.
Also, the mats at the entrances will prevent your canine friends from tracking in mud and dirt from outside.
Trim your pet’s nails
Since the nails on your dogs are an ever-present danger to your hardwood floors, you may trim them. This will reduce their sharpness and the chances of scratches on your floor.
Most vets can help you perform the service during an appointment. You may also do it yourself by acquiring nail trimmers from the pet store.
If you are wondering how to protect your hardwood floor from pets, clipping those claws is an excellent way to start. However, trimming your dog’s nails is not 100% foolproof. Scratches may still occur. Moreover, if you feel uncomfortable ridding your pets of their claws, there is an alternative.
Use claw caps
Claw caps are soft gel-based materials that you can use to cover the nail of your furry pets. These caps do not affect the claws of your pets. More importantly, they can prevent them from scratching and skitting across your beautiful hardwood floor.
However, there is no guarantee on how long these caps will stay. It all depends on how actively your dog moves around. So, keep an eye out for their claws!
Exercise your pet regularly
The next item on our list of important hardwood flooring tips for pet owners is this – exercise. If your dogs love to run around your house like marathon athletes, it may mean they are not getting enough exercise.
- When last did you walk your dogs?
- Do you exercise your pets regularly?
Take your dog on regular works whenever you can. If possible, let them out into the yard and play with them. This will make them less likely to run around while indoors as they will have had their fair share of running.
Potty train your pets
Potty training your pet is all too important, especially if they will be indoors. Indeed, one of the biggest dangers to your hardwood floor is your dog’s urine.
Not only can it cause permanent stains but also a persistent odour. Therefore, our pet owners’ guide to hardwood flooring requires that you teach your pets where to ‘go.’
Potty training can take a lot of time and effort, but the results are well worth it. Your hardwood floor receives fewer excrements and remains as beautiful as ever.
Keep an eye out for ‘accidents’
No matter how much training you give your pests, these toilet accidents may happen. Furthermore, eating accidents such as spilled water bowls are also possible. Since hardwood floors are not friendly to liquids and overly moist conditions, you must be on high alert.
As soon as you see these things, clean them up! The lesser time they spend on your hardwood floor, the more minor the damage. However, do not use vinegar, wax, ammonia, oil soaps or polish as cleaning agents. They may damage the floor.
Employ multiple coats of finish
Another one of our important hardwood flooring tips for homeowners is to maximize finishing projects. With hardwood floors, you will have to perform periodic maintenance tasks, which includes finishing.
When this time comes, it is usually best to use multiple layers of a very durable finish. Also, use a finish that bonds well with wood.
Good coats of finish will make your hardwood floor more resistant to scratches and dents from your dogs.
Furthermore, it will also prevent urine, water spills and whatnot from immediately seeping into your floor. This way, your hardwood floor can be more forgiving if you don’t spot pet accidents quickly.
Placemats under litter boxes and feeding bowls
Finally, on how to protect hardwood floors from pets, always put mats under food bowls and water bowls. Even with effective finishes, constant water spills may still cause damage to your precious hardwood floor.
So, it is best to place breathable mats under feeding-bowls. This way, it can catch any water or food spills. You can also put these mats under litter boxes. After all, you can never tell when these accidents will happen!
Summing It All Up
There is no need to give up on your hardwood floor because you have indoor pets. Your furry creatures and your hardwood can indeed coexist in harmony.
Hopefully, these important hardwood flooring tips for pet owners help you see that. By following the above steps on how to protect your hardwood floor from pets, you can keep your floor as beautiful as ever.
Do you want to get the best hardwood floor for a pet lover? Check out our hardwood floors in Toronto. Call +14166655645 to speak with one of our flooring experts.
Related article: How to Maintain Hardwood Flooring
