Who is Bob? Owner of
Fashion Floors by Bob, Inc. serving
Minneapolis, Saint Paul and Greater Minnesota since 1987 with hardwood floor
installation, sanding, finishing, stairs, custom stain, patch and repair.
www.FashionFloorsbyBob.com
Dogs and Hardwood Floors
Dogs can do a
lot of damage to any style of flooring, like scratches and urine
stains. That's a fact.
And they produce
or stir up a great deal of dust, dirt, dander, shedding, fleas,
ticks and odor you wouldn't have to deal with in a pet-free
home.
So as a pet owner, I believe your flooring
choice should reflect two main factors:
a) Ease in cleaning and repair
b) Health of your family
Are hardwood floors and pets a good mix?
I am asked this question frequently because,
it seems, the general thought is that pets (and small children)
are too hard on wood floors. I can't help but be amused by this
because, in my years of experience, the exact opposite is true!
Here's
why ...
Carpet
confines animal dander, shedding, fleas, ticks, dust and dirt,
and odor. Pet stains are extremely difficult to clean and really never
go away. Dogs have oils on their skin that can transfer to the carpet
and cause damage. Cats often prefer shredding the carpet with their
claws rather than using a scratching post. The carpet will wear faster
and need to be replaced.
Laminate
is permanently damaged by scratches, chips, and dents made by your pets.
Engineered wood can only be sanded, to repair scratches
and the like, generally one to three times ... and then it will need
to be replaced.
Hardwood
floors sustain the same use and abuse by pets as carpeting
or any other flooring; yet, they do not confine
allergens, hair, dust, or odor.
Moisture damage from spills or pet urine can occur on
laminate, engineered wood, or hardwood flooring if it isn't wiped up fairly
quickly. Yet, hardwood floors are the only type that can be fully restored
in most cases.
Hardwood
can be sanded and refinished like new again, over and
over and over again, for generations of pets and children.
Floors, just like the houses they are installed in, are
meant to be used, enjoyed, and lived on. Hardwood doesn't highlight little
dings, dents, and nicks like other flooring - in fact, if they are
noticeable at all, they add to the character and charm of the wood.
Hardwood
floors are a healthy and practical choice for homeowners with pets!
Tips for wood floor and pet owners
Clip your pets nails regularly
Wipe up urine as quickly as possible
Keep water bowls off the floor (use a rug or
riser)
DID YOU KNOW? Our beloved pets favor lounging on the insulating effects of
hardwood floors, which keep your rooms cooler in the summer and
warmer in the winter!
These are hard to find
but highly recommended:
Urine Stains on Hardwood Floors
The remedy for removing urine
and vomit stains
is to a) cover them up with a rug or furniture, b) hire a wood floor
contractor to cut out and remove
the stained wood, then patch and repair the area or c) sand and refinish
the floor.
These are not the remedies homeowners
hope for! They want a miracle cure ... an inexpensive, quick fix. And
retailers know this, so they create products aimed at wood floor owners
with pet stains.
Some of these products may work to a certain extent -
but I warn you, your wood floor will not be restored. These products
might change the color of the wood from a dark black to a greenish hue,
or a lighter black that seems to blend better with the real wood color.
Never-the-less, you are still left with a stain, with discolored wood,
with permanent damage.
Prevention is first and foremost. If you have
a dog with incontinence (i.e. a loss of bladder control) for example, be
proactive about touring the house two or three times a day to wipe up
leaks and puddles so they don't have a chance to stain the floor.
For
odors, place a bowl of vinegar at the stain site and this will usually
help absorb them. This book by Don Aslett has good information and treatment solutions
for pet odors and more.
The Old House Web has detailed
instructions on
how to bleach stains on wood floors using a toxic
mixture of Hydrogen Peroxide and Sodium Hydroxide. Something
like this may be your last resort hope prior to sanding and
refinishing the entire floor. The area must be free of all
finish to you are working with bare wood.
It requires that you dissolve and scrape
off the finish, sand off any remaining finish, and then sand
the wood itself that's been stained. Hopefully the stain
isn't too deep. Once you've sanded out the stain and
smoothed the area of the floor, clean it thoroughly to
ensure it is dust-free, and then refinish the area with
polyurethane or your preferred finishing product.
This project will require a few days as
there is overnight drying time involved. Be very careful of
the area surrounding the stain so that it doesn't become
damaged from water or other liquids.
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