Design Ideas

Hardwood floors and dogs during the holiday season

November 19, 2012

It's hard not to love dogs, especially if they're yours! Full of unconditional love and a never ending flow of enthusiasm, dogs and people just go hand in hand. Unfortunately, as many home-owning dog lovers know, dogs and hardwood floors don't always jive nearly as well. This can be particularly worrying for homeowners with hardwood floors during the holiday season.

Maple Hardwood Floors It's hard not to love dogs, especially if they're yours! Full of unconditional love and a never ending flow of enthusiasm, dogs and people just go hand in hand. Unfortunately, as many home-owning dog lovers know, dogs and hardwood floors don't always jive nearly as well. This can be particularly worrying for homeowners with hardwood floors during the holiday season. Whether you've got dogs coming to visit or are just worried about the potential damage that your own can do in all the excitement of visitors coming and going, consider these tips for keeping your hardwood safe and scratch free.

Invest in quality flooring
The first step you'll want to take is to simply make sure you've invested in a quality hardwood floor. You can't go wrong by sticking with Anderson Floors, since they've been in the business for over half a century. Anderson's Brevard collection is one of their standout flooring lines, particularly notable for its durability. These engineered maple planks are coated in a Luster Lock® Ultra finish that renders them six times more resistant to scuffing and abrasion - all while maintaining the classic beauty of hardwood floors that you've come to expect from Anderson. Your pets - and guests - will love it.

Trim your dog's nails
The toenails on your dog's paws are the main offenders when it comes to scratched floors, so one of the best preventative measures you can take is to give them a good clipping. If you have friends or family coming by who intend to bring their dogs along, suggest that they do the same - it'll help keep their floors in better condition as well.

Give your pup a place-mat
Sloshed water from your dog's drinking bowl can do a number of hardwood floors, especially if it's not cleaned up because you're out of the house. Always place your dog's food and water dishes (as well as those of any guest canine's) over a place-mat to ensure your floors' safety.

Clean up any pee ASAP
Accidents happen - and for puppies they're more likely to happen with all the excitement of holiday traffic - but urine is particularly bad for hardwood floors, so be sure to get this cleaned up as soon as possible. As with scratches or water spills, it's wise to give any spots a good buffing with vinegar and water to clean up and get rid of any smell.