Pet-Friendly Flooring Ideas to Try at Home

Whether you're building a home from scratch or simply renovating, choosing the right flooring is essential. And for pet owners, nothing could be more true. Finding the right floor to suit your style as well as your pet is critical as over time, your furry friends cause more wear and tear. Our pet-friendly flooring guide helps you to find the best flooring for your pets as well as your home, while providing tips on how to prevent further damage to existing floors.

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Overview:

• Pet-Friendly Flooring: Things to Consider
• Pet-Friendly Flooring Options
• Keeping Pet-Friendly Floors Looking Newer for Longer
• How to Clean Floors With Pets
• How to Remove Pet-Related Stains

Pet-Friendly Flooring: Things to Consider

When it comes to pet-friendly flooring, there are four primary factors to consider:

• Scratch resistance
• Damage resistance
• Pet traction
• Pet comfort

Pet-Friendly Flooring Options

Bamboo Flooring

Out of all the wood flooring options, bamboo is the best flooring for dogs and pet-friendly homes. Its natural hardness makes it more stain and scratch-resistant than traditional hardwood floors. It's also naturally antimicrobial, which will keep your house free of mould and allergens.

Cork Flooring

Similar to bamboo flooring, a cork floor is eco-friendly and a naturally antimicrobial material that will reduce the growth of mould, bacteria and other allergens. A perk that benefits both you and your pet. Additionally, cork flooring is sound-absorbing, warm and pliant – making it comfortable to walk on and sturdy against foot traffic. Cork flooring can become discolored from over exposure to sunlight, so use area rugs to reduce discolouration. We also recommend clipping your pet's nails often to keep from scratching the surface.

Stone Tile Flooring

Tile is a great option for pet owners thanks to its stain-resistance, scratch-resistance and extremely durability. Tile also makes for easy clean up of accidents and spills however a tile floor can be loud, cold and a hard surface that provides little to no comfort for both you and your pets underfoot. To absorb sound and for added comfort and warmth, we recommend using area rugs throughout the space. A pet bed will also give your pet a cosy place to relax.

Vinyl Flooring

Vinyl flooring can mimic the look of natural stone or hardwood flooring at a more affordable price. It is durable, easy to clean, water and scratch-resistant, while also providing a soft landing for pet's paws. Vinyl floors also have traction, which is important for keeping your furry loved ones comfortable.

Keeping Pet-Friendly Floors Looking Newer for Longer

These quick tips can help prevent or minimise damage to your brand new floors:

• Clip your dog's nails regularly to help prevent scratches on your floor
• Wipe up pet urine and other accidents as quickly as possible
• Place a mat underneath any pet food bowls to catch excess water
• Use doormats at all entrances to catch excess dirt and debris

How to Clean Floors With Pets

Accidents, they happen, so make sure you're prepared for any spills and stains with an expert-approved solution. Here's how the pros clean up pet-related urine and dirt stains.

What You'll Need:

• A clean, dry rag
• Vacuum
• Cleaning solution
• Paper towels

How to Remove Pet-Related Stains

First, soak up and blot the stain as much as possible with a clean, dry rag. If your pet tracks in dirt, vacuum up as much as you can. To remove urine or dirt stains, apply the appropriate floor cleaner for that flooring type and let it sit for at least five minutes. Rinse with cold water and blot it dry with a paper towel.

Tip: Check out our flooring options and materials guide for more flooring ideas to help you find the best option for your home.