Pet Friendly News
Articles on Moving With Your Pets
- Top 10 Tips When Moving with Your Pet
- Shopping for a Pet Friendly Home
- Pets and Flooring
- Preparing to Sell Your Pet Friendly Home
- Moving Day - An Overview
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Pets and Flooring
Most decorators and pet owners prefer hard surfaces such as linoleum, vinyl, real wood, laminate, stone or ceramic flooring.
Needless to say carpet is THE WORST choice. Not only can a pet easily destroy it, but it traps odors and animal dander, and it difficult to clean.
However, carpet is the most cost effective choice so if you must carpet, choose a carpet without loop fibers. Loops can capture a cat or dog's claws, pulling the yarn and causing irreparable damage or could injure the pet. Polypropylene and polyester fibers, are naturally stain resistant. They are also easy to clean, and they must be cleaned promptly. Be sure to check the stain resistant warranty information.
Linoleum or vinyl are great economical choices as they both can be cleaned easily and it is easy to remove animal dander. But, these types of flooring can be soft and easily gouged and scratched. There are some high-end 'luxury' vinyls that are stronger but those cost on average about the same if not more than some woods and ceramics.
Today's luxury vinyl can give you the look and feel that you want, whether it is slate, stone, marble, or ceramic. Luxury vinyl has many pet-friendly attributes, and it is wonderful for small children. Luxury vinyl floors are a plus because they are Low-Allergen, Moisture Resistance, Quiet, and Ease of Maintenance. No more worries about spills, stains, or scratches.
For many people hardwood floors are a great option. But certain woods also are susceptible to damage from scratching and gouging. It all depends on the quality of the wood installed. Make certain that your hardwood floor has 3 coats of an oil-based urethane finish, preferably satin sheen, to assure protection. Regularly sweep, vacuum or dust mop, at the very least, weekly. If you're pet has an accident, wipe it up immediately with a dampened towel. Try to clip your pet's nails regularly, which will save your floors and also keep your pet healthier, and provide a mat or rug underneath water-bowl and food dish.
Laminates - our best pick - are nearly impossible to scratch or gouge, look just as nice as real wood, and are easy to install for nearly 1/2 the price.
Laminate is a tough, "looks-like-real" flooring. It is comprised of 3 layers, the surface wear layer made to look like hardwood, tile, stone, or brick, the core which is a durable engineered wood product made to resist moisture and the backing ranging from a paper layer to a full plastic laminate layer.
Bamboo, is another alternative for the pet-friendly home. Although bamboo is really a grass, it is much harder than the hardest hard wood. Bamboo flooring is the floor of choice for conservationists. It is renewable, and it never wears out. Bamboo is naturally stain resistant and is a good compromise between vinyl and hardwood.
Installing the right floor for you and your pets can help you and your pet live a happier live together. You can spend more time enjoying your pets instead of worrying about your floors.
Source: The Pet Realty Network™ Library
© 2007 The Pet Realty Network (www.PetRealtyNetwork.com)
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