If you own pets, protecting your hardwood flooring may be a little more challenging. Although a sealant serves as a barrier that helps extend the longevity of the wood, pets can cause damage through their normal behaviors. These tips can help you protect it against accidental damage.

How to Protect Hardwood Flooring Against Pet Damage

1. Create a Safe Feeding Station

If you have ever watched your pet eat and drink, you know that animals have a tendency to spill water onto the floor. This can cause damage to hardwood flooring if the water isn’t cleaned up after every spill.

To avoid this situation, place a mat with a rubber bottom beneath the food and water bowls. This will help reduce exposure to water spills and keep the bowls from scratching the surface of the wood.

2. Keep Claws Trimmed

Cats and dogs grow long nails or claws, which domesticated animals no longer need. However, long nails can cause damage to custom wood flooring. Ensure their claws are trimmed regularly.

Keeping them short will allow your pet to walk and run comfortably. Short, groomed nails will also protect your flooring from the scratches and scuff marks that longer and sharper claws can cause.

3. Reduce Waste Accidents 

As soon as you adopt a new kitten or puppy, the process of housebreaking should begin. There are several methods of doing this, including putting absorbent training pads near the door and crating your pet when you can’t be there to watch them.

Eventually, they will learn to go to the door when they need to relieve themselves. Even after the training phase has been a success, your pets will still have accidents. When they do, clean up the waste as quickly as possible. Also, be sure to mop the area with a wood-safe cleaner, which you can buy from a flooring company in your neighborhood.

4. Schedule a Buff & Coat Treatment 

Regularly sweeping and mopping hardwood floors is enough to care for them throughout most of the year. However, an occasional buff and coat treatment will renew the protection offered by the flooring sealant.

This process involves lifting out the remaining sealant and replacing it with a fresh, stronger coating. This will extend the life of the wood and ensure it remains protected for longer.

 

If your home has hardwood flooring, an experienced installation and refinishing service can help you protect it. JT's Floor Refinishing in Springfield, MA, provides the services you need to add and protect custom wood flooring. They’re skilled in working with solid and unfinished wood, which looks more authentic and lasts longer than prefinished wood. To learn more about their services, visit them online. To request an estimate, call them at (413) 788-6149.