Like many homeowners, you probably have a cat or a dog running around your house. As much as we love our furry family members, they can wreak havoc on flooring such as carpet and hardwood. If you are thinking of changing your home’s flooring to something pet-friendly that can withstand scratches and damage that pets often cause without sacrificing your home’s design, then your best bet is tile flooring.
Why Tile The Best Flooring Option For Homes With Pets
Compared to other flooring options, tile is by far the most pet-friendly choice when it comes to homeowners with dogs or cats. Here’s why:
Tile Is Easy to Clean
Tile flooring is undeniably very easy to clean and maintain. Pet hair, dirt, and dust sit on top and can easily be wiped away with a dust mop or a soft cloth and a mild cleaner. If you use porcelain or ceramic, you will have a spill-resistant tile that won’t require much upkeep or special care.
Does Not Trap Odors
Have you ever walked into a house where you can smell the presence of cats before you even see any? That is because the carpet and the pad beneath it can trap odors, so no matter how much you clean, the smell will still be there. If you use tile, any accident will stay on the surface and you will be able to easily wipe out and disinfect it.
Does Not Stain
Along with not trapping odors, tile also does not stain. Accidents on the carpet can discolor the area no matter how much you clean it. Oftentimes, it gets bad enough the carpet has to be replaced. This is not true when it comes to tile. Tile is stain-resistant, which can be particularly useful when you are housebreaking your pet.
Tile Is Hard to Scratch
Puppies and kittens like to play, so if you have carpet or hardwood floors they may get ruined pretty fast. Tile on the other hand is timeless, durable and hard to damage, making it a great option for homes with pets.
Temperature Control
If you live in an area that is hot during the summer, your pet most likely wants a nice place to cool off. Shady tile can be the perfect spot. The smooth surface of tile wicks away heat, which can help cool your pet down during those hot summer days.
Hide Paw Prints and Pet Hair
Hardwood flooring seems to highlight paw prints and pet hair but when you have patterned tile, the opposite is true. Patterned ceramic and porcelain tile hide pet hair because of the design. It’s much harder to see pet hair on a mosaic tile than it is on a solid color tile.
What Type Of Tile Flooring Is Best For Pets
After deciding you are going to use tile flooring, it’s time to decide the tile type. There are different materials you can consider, such as ceramic, porcelain or natural stone. Let’s see them one by one:
- Ceramic tile is affordable, easy to clean, and versatile. It’s also a good option for flooring because it’s durable, so your pets’ nails won’t do much damage to it.
- Porcelain tile is tough and hard, which makes it a good option for pet owners. Porcelain is also resistant to spills and scratches. If you have large, energetic dogs, then porcelain tile would be a good option. It can be used anywhere in your house as flooring and comes in a variety of colors and designs.
- Natural stone is another option, but it may not be the best one for pet owners. This material needs to be sealed to make the stone resistant to spills and water damage. Natural stone does require more attention, maintenance, and upkeep, unlike ceramic and porcelain.
Flooring Materials To Avoid
For homes with pets, flooring that can easily stain or get scratched should be avoided. Carpet flooring for instance requires a lot of upkeep to stay clean, can easily stain when your pet has an accident, and traps odors, dirt and hair. That’s why choosing tile over carpet flooring for your home is the smart choice if you are a dog or a cat owner.
Hardwood flooring on the other hand is a little easier to clean but it’s not completely scratch or water-resistant, so it wouldn’t be long before you saw your beautiful floor damaged.
Oasis Tile Can Help You Choose The Best Pet-Friendly Tile
No matter if you have a dog or a cat, choosing the right pet-friendly flooring for your home will make a difference. At Oasis Tile, we offer a wide selection of premium floor tiles in a variety of colors, designs, and materials, so you can be sure to find the right tile for your style that’s also durable and perfect for homes with pets..
