Canine companions are a big part of our lives, but caring for them while maintaining an orderly house at the same time can be challenging. Dogs have different effects on various kinds of floors that you might find in your home. A dog owner can use several techniques to care for their floors based on which types are present in the home.
Add a Finish to Hardwood
Hardwood floors provide a traditional, classy look to any room in the home. However, they are also prone to showing visible marks from doggy paw scratches and other incidents. If you’ve started to notice any deep scratches in hardwood floors, you can have them refinished to restore the uniform look and shine to them. In addition to redoing the floors, some dog owners may choose to add special coatings on the top layer of the wood floors. These coatings might make the wood a bit more resistant to scratches, which are the most common type of issue dogs bring to materials of this type.
Steam Clean the Carpets
Carpets can be plush and comfy, but they also tend to hide dust or other forms of debris more easily than other types of flooring. Pet dander from a dog can work itself into the fibers of the carpet and be hard to get out through conventional vacuuming. Carpet cleaning services can use steam, shampoo or other methods to give the carpet a very deep cleanse. Instead of just lifting dust at the surface level, these services can draw out dander, bring it to the top, and clean the carpet right down to the source. This is especially important to do regularly if your dog has had frequent accidents on the carpet, as many do.
Use Oils on Ceramics
If a dog owner has floors with ceramic tiles, a couple of things can work to get them clean. In many cases, a person can clean off the dirt and grime using just some water and mild soap. However, it is possible that a dog could cause more serious stains to the tiles. In these cases, pet owners can consider oil-based cleaners that tackle tougher jobs and add a renewed coating to the tiles. The oils help draw particles out of the natural pores in the ceramic, and leave a water-resistant residue behind.
Avoid Acid
While you may be tempted to go at the mess and odor with everything you’ve got, acidic cleansers can be damaging to carpet, wood, stone, or ceramic. Instead, many cleansers today have started using natural enzymes that break down and dissolve bodily fluids and pheromones left by your dog, leaving behind no dangerous residues and removing tempting scents. While not every brand is suitable for every type of flooring, you can find cleansers that are made specifically to tackle the worst accidents your fur baby can have without ruining the flooring in the process.
Caring for floors if one has a dog doesn’t have to be a lot more strenuous than cleaning floors normally. With just a few tips and preventive maintenance, dog owners can enjoy their best friends and pristine homes at the same time.
Betty Curran
Tuesday 17th of September 2019
Thanks for the information. I never realized how a dog would affect different types of flooring,
Sandy Klocinski
Monday 16th of September 2019
Thanks for sharing. Awesome tips.
LeAnn Harbert
Thursday 12th of September 2019
Thanks for the information. I'm always looking for tips to help keep the house clean.
Christina Gould
Wednesday 11th of September 2019
I did not know that about acid cleaners. Thanks for sharing!
Debbie P
Wednesday 11th of September 2019
Some of this I did not know. Thanks.