A common concern for many pet owners shopping for new carpet is whether or not the product they have selected is pet-friendly. While no flooring is completely pet-proof, there are products available that are constructed to be more pet-friendly. This article should be used as a guide to finding and purchasing carpet that will stand up to the wear and tear pets can have on flooring.
What About Pet-Proof Carpet?
The reality is no carpet is pet proof due to the nature of the accidents and spills, the best the industry can provide is pet-friendly carpet that makes stains far less likely, but there is no guarantee that stains will never be present.
What Makes Carpet Pet-Friendly?
When someone is asking if a product is pet-friendly they are really looking for a product that:
- Makes it easy to clean up after accidents
- Reduces chances of a lingering odor after accidents are cleaned up
- Is durable enough to withstand claws and paws
- Is a pattern or color that hides dirt, spots, and stains just like any other carpet that is in a space prone to stains
While pet-friendly products can help with these issues, it is largely on the owner to clean the spill or accident up timely, and correctly. This is particularly important when dealing with pet urine and feces as the nature of those accidents contains bacteria that can linger if not cleaned properly.
Remember to properly clean carpet it’s best to contact a professional that uses hot water extraction such as S&G Carpet Cleaning in order to maintain your carpet’s warranty.
How Do I Know If Carpet Is Pet-Friendly?
When shopping for pet-friendly carpet there are two key features to look out for, Stain-Resistant Treatments and a Moisture Barrier.
Stain-Resistant Treatment
Most modern carpets have fiber that is treated with stain-resistant solutions that make spills and accidents easier to clean up. Pet-Friendly carpets take it a step further and are made from only premium carpet fibers designed to be the least absorbent, most durable, and easiest to clean of all the carpet products available today.
Moisture Barrier
The best pet-friendly carpets have a moisture barrier that prevents liquids from bleeding through the carpet, into the carpet padding, and onto the subfloor.
Preventing moisture from going into the carpet pad and into the subfloor is the most important quality of any pet-friendly flooring and will prevent the accident from coming back after it’s been cleaned up.
Whenever an accident seems to come back it’s because the moisture is being wicked or pulled back up from the carpet padding below which is holding onto the moisture. This is why a moisture barrier is crucial for any pet owner.
Look For the Pet-Friendly Label such as Pet Agree
Most manufacturers and retailers make a point to state whether or not the carpet is pet-friendly such as our S&G’s Pet Agree line. This means you are getting a product that is more resistant to stains and in the case of most S&G’s Pet Agree products includes a moisture barrier backing so it’s just as effective with any carpet padding you choose.
Not all pet-friendly carpet has a moisture barrier and if you choose a product that does not feature a moisture barrier backing you need to get carpet padding with a moisture barrier or spill trap. This is why it’s so important to speak with a consultant so you’re certain you’re purchasing the right products.
Do I need Pet-Friendly Carpet Padding?
Carpet padding is the pad that the carpet lays on top of and if there is not a moisture barrier present, any accidents or spills will soak through to the pad and the subfloor. When this happens it becomes much more difficult to clean up and you will get spills that “come back” after cleaning that we mentioned earlier.
If your pet-friendly carpet does not have a moisture barrier, it’s important to get a carpet padding that has one.
What Is the Best Pet-Friendly Flooring?
It is important to note that if you are expecting a lot of accidents or messes from your pet, it’s a better idea to opt for a hard surface such as waterproof flooring rather than going with a carpet product. It will make spills easier to clean, and you can still use a throw or area rug for the soft underfoot feeling.
Replacing an area rug will be much easier, faster, and cheaper than installing new carpet if the pet causes severe damage or staining. Remember, no flooring is completely pet-proof.
Where Can I Find Pet-Friendly Carpet?
Stop by one of our showrooms or try our Free Shop at Home program to talk to a consultant about your pet-friendly flooring needs and we will be happy to guide you to a product that will be the best for you and your pets.
We hope that you found this guide useful, but if you have more questions please visit one of our spacious showrooms or book an appointment for our Free Shop at Home program where we bring the floor to your door.
