The Best Pet-Friendly Flooring
If you’re a proud parent of a domesticated animal, then you are probably always checking the floor for stains, accidents, and other random surprises left behind. And when you do find something that doesn’t belong there, all you can do is clean it as quickly as possible and scold your fur-baby, hoping they understand (as much as you do) the severity of the situation.
You are not alone!
At Zerorez® in Tucson, Arizona, we know that pets are family and that having the right flooring for you and your pets is important. Having the right cleaning in place can only help that flooring last so much longer!
That is why we wanted to remind you that there is hope.
Whether you are building a new home or just looking into new flooring, we can help you find something that works for you and your four-legged loved one!
Let’s discuss the risks that pets pose to flooring, some of your options for the best pet-friendly flooring depending on your needs, as well as the best ways to clean that flooring after potential accidents and scuffs:
How Can My Pets Damage My Flooring?
Let’s address the most obvious problem first; urine!
One of the biggest concerns of pet owners everywhere is the risk of their animal urinating on the floor, leaving stains, odor, damage, and potentially attracting more dirt and grime to the area as a result.
You may not have been aware of this, but the acid in animal urine (or even vomit) can damage the finish on wood floorboards.
Urine can also stain and (in some cases) permanently discolor your carpet fibers and increase bacterial growth, even after feeble cleaning attempts!
If urine is left on the carpet or floor, the odor can actually cause lung, eye, and skin irritation (although this applies more to extreme cases of neglect of your floor’s hygiene).
Even if your pet is house-trained, there is another culprit to your floor; nails.
Pets need their nails, and we do our best to keep them trimmed, but every so often they get… overgrown. We all know the sound of the nails as they pitter-patter on the floor. It’s cute, but it is also not great for your flooring.
Hardwood floors can be easily scratched by your animal’s nails, degrading the resiliency of the wood. Most carpets can get torn up and fray more easily.
Raise your hand if you have a stir-crazy pup or scratch-happy cat!
While these pets may focus more on your couch or blinds while unattended, your flooring might not be an exception. Some animals (especially young, high energy, or anxious pets) have been known to pull up carpeting with their teeth or claws, causing permanent damage.
When this happens, you pretty much don’t have any other option than to look at fixing, or replacing your carpet.
Now that we’ve got you wide-eyed and horrified, let’s ease your mind! Don’t worry, there are all kinds of pet-friendly flooring options out there to fit your specific needs, and Zerorez® in Tucson Arizona is here to tell you about a few of them.
Vinyl Flooring
This type of flooring is made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) in addition to other compounds added to give the flooring different looks, texture, and hardness.
The critical difference between Vinyl and Laminate flooring is that the core of the laminate is made from wood byproducts. Vinyl flooring is made from 100% synthetic material.
Vinyl flooring is waterproof (floods are a different story, let’s keep it to pet-accidents and spills here), it is scratch-resistant, and it is cost-effective!! Since Vinyl is synthetic, highly durable, and long-lasting, it offers the best advantages and is easily one of the most popular choices for pet owners.
Laminate Flooring
This is a multi-layer, synthetic flooring product made by using a lamination process. The inner layer of the laminate usually contains melamine resin and fiberboard materials.
Laminate flooring can simulate the look of marble, limestone, slate, and travertine, but the most popular laminate choices simulate a wood grain texture. It is scratch-resistant, stain-resistant, and doesn’t wear or fade easily.
Laminate flooring is also easy to install!
While laminate flooring is known for being scratch-resistant, easy to clean and cost-effective, it is not completely waterproof. There is a common misconception that laminate flooring is waterproof because it is often confused with vinyl flooring (which we will talk about next).
So spills and accidents must be cleaned promptly when noticed to prevent damage to the panels. If the liquid is left on the surface for too long, it can seep into the cracks and cause the boards to buckle or warp. Because of the risk liquid poses to laminate flooring, this pet-friendly flooring is also not the best choice for very humid areas.
Porcelain Tile Flooring
This type of pet-friendly flooring is made from very fine clay that is fired at high temperatures to remove moisture.
Porcelain and ceramic tiles are similar in the way they are made, but the clay used for porcelain tends to be denser than that of ceramic, making it more moisture-resistant and less porous.
Porcelain tile is wear-resistant, perfect for high traffic areas, and is simple to clean. Porcelain also comes in a variety of styles, and also looks luxurious, for those of you who don’t want to compromise style for practicality.
Nylon Carpet Flooring
We understand that no matter which way we pitch it, you may want to stick with carpeting despite the benefits of hard floors when it comes to your pets. So it is a good thing that there are options for pet-friendly carpeting available!
Take Nylon carpeting, for example.
The carpet fibers are made from nylon, making this the most stain-resistant and durable carpeting option available to pet owners. One great brand we would recommend for pet-friendly nylon-based carpeting is STAINMASTER®.
This carpet resists pet hair, reduces pet odors, is comfortable, is durable, and is easy to clean! It has been specifically engineered for pets!
Zerorez® Pet Stain Treatments
No matter which pet-friendly flooring you choose for your lovely Tucson home, Zerorez® has got you covered with our famous pet stain treatments. Any time your furry friend has an accident that you just can’t seem to get that stain out, give us a call.
Our Zero Residue®, safe-for-pets cleaning process is made possible with our patented Powered Water® technology - a Zerorez® Tucson original that can only be used with our process!
Traditional methods simply mask remaining odors by spreading perfumes, oils or other odor masking agents, offering only temporary results. They do this because they do not have a permanent solution for cleaning and eliminating odors.
Most traditional carpet cleaning companies treat pet stains with just their regular carpet cleaning process with chemicals and fragrances. There isn’t always a specific pet stain cleaning process!
If a normal Zerorez® carpet cleaning doesn’t do the trick on those pesky potty spots, we’ll need to dig a tad bit deeper, using our Sub-Floor Extractor®!
After which, we apply our ZrOut® water mixture to the area, and allow that to sit for just a few minutes.
Once that has plenty of time to soak right in and do its job, your experienced Zerorez® technician will use the Sub-Floor Extractor® one more time to extract as much remaining product and water (and stinky pet urine and stains) as possible!
Oh and don’t forget to stay up to date on your yearly floor cleaning. A Zerorez® stain oxidizer treatment after your clean will provide your floors with some much needed extra protection year-round, for those accidental-times!
We’ve only listed a few pet-friendly flooring options, but the truth is, there are many more! No matter what you choose, we’re confident that a Zerorez® Pet Stain Treatment can do the trick every time!
Every home, every pet, and every person is different. We understand your wants and needs are unique, and we know we can help keep your precious flooring as clean as humanly possible, for you and your pets!