Vinyl Flooring Archives | My Affordable Floors

Are your old floors in dire need of a revamp? Well, don’t forget about your pets. When looking for affordable flooring, you’ll need a solution that suits every member of your family… including pets.

44% of U.S. households now have a dog, and while they’re adorable creatures, they sure can be a handful. In fact, dogs are notorious for making a mess, and your flooring is first in the firing line. So, choose your material wisely, or you could be faced with unsightly stains and discolorations, for years to come. But what is the best flooring for dogs?

Here are three of the best flooring solutions for a happy home—and one bonus option you should avoid at all costs.

jack russel puppy on white carpet

The Best Flooring for Dogs

The following three options are all excellent flooring choices. Read on to find out why.

Luxury Vinyl

Luxury vinyl may be the best flooring for dogs and dog owners in Milwaukee. There certainly are plenty of advantages for pet owners, including:

Low cost
Easy to clean
Highly resistant (won’t scratch or stain)
Inaudible to walk on

In fact, the only real downside to vinyl is that it may start to dull over time. To combat this, we suggest opting for a thick finish layer with an aluminum oxide coating.

Your dog will love it, too. As luxury vinyl can use radiant heating coils, your best friend will keep cool through the summer and stay toasty warm in the winter.

Luxury vinyl is also textured enough to prevent turning your home into a skating rink. In fact, it’s a perfect balance, allowing claws to grip without damaging the surface.

Laminate

For pet mess, laminate flooring gets an A+.

It’s low maintenance and easy to clean, so you needn’t worry about catching an accident before it stains, either. For those with dogs who seem to knock over everything, laminate is ideal.

The only problem is your little guy or gal might not think so. The slickness of the surface means your dog can slide a bit too much, as there’s no traction for their paws. So, if your pet’s a fast mover, don’t be surprised if he or she collides with your cabinets while bouncing through the house. They’ll be no scratches or scuffs to worry about, though!

Carpeting

Lay down carpeting and your dog will be your biggest fan (for at least 10 minutes). Carpeting is perfect for your canine to roll around on, slobber all over, and generally have a good time with. But be careful: Carpeting is the hardest flooring to clean, by a large margin.

So, if you’ve got a messy pup who’s not house-trained or an older dog who’s known to cause a scene, you’d be advised to give carpeting a miss.

Carpets can also start smelling over time and hair shedding is very apparent. Not good.

(Not) Hardwood

We had to include hardwood flooring here, but only as a warning. It’s definitely not the best flooring for dogs. Hardwood may look beautiful, but trust us, you’re barking up the wrong tree.

Wood flooring + loveable dog = disaster

Your pet’s nails will dent wooden surfaces, and a nail trim just won’t do enough to stop the damage. Stains are a nightmare, too. Substances tend to disappear straight into the grain, which could require costly refinishing jobs. Avoid hardwood and save yourself an inevitable headache.

Best Flooring for Dogs in Your Milwaukee Home?

In our humble opinion, luxury vinyl takes the cake. It’s affordable, resistant to scratches, and cleans easily. That said, you can’t go wrong with a laminate surface, either!

Are you looking for a dazzling new floor? Then get in touch today for a free estimate!

1. Clean Your Vinyl Tile Flooring Often

The best way to maintain vinyl tile flooring? Clean it often. Don’t wait for sticky messes to build up before you tackle them. Some tips:

Milwaukee flooring experts recommend sweeping your floor each evening. This will remove any dirt or grime that has accumulated during that day—which, in turn, will make cleaning the floor easier.

Use a dry dust mop, or even a vacuum, to clean your vinyl tiles regularly. Wipe up any spills or muddy footprints as soon as possible.

By preventing dirt from becoming ground into the flooring, you can help maintain its beauty and extend its lifespan.

2. Use the Right Products

Regular sweeping of your vinyl tile flooring will also enable you to use gentle cleaners. Most of the time, a mop dampened with warm (not hot!) water is all you need to restore your floor’s sheen. In fact, using soap can actually make your vinyl tile dirtier over time! Soap leaves behind a film that can attract and trap dirt particles. Our tips:

If you do require a cleaning product, make sure you use one that is safe for your flooring and is as gentle as possible (while still getting the job done). An all-purpose household cleaner, diluted in water, should work just fine.

It’s also a good idea to employ a two-mop system: one for soapy water and one to use for rinsing the floor. Be sure to dry the floor thoroughly after mopping, since excess water can loosen vinyl tiles’ glue over time. This will eventually cause the tiles to curl or crack.

3. Treat Scuff Marks

What to do when you see scuff marks on your tile flooring? First, try your usual method of mopping to see if that makes a difference. If a gentle cleaner doesn’t take care of the marks, try the baby oil method:

Apply just a few drops of baby oil to the scuff mark with a cloth.

Let it sit for a few minutes, and then wipe it off. The scuffs should be easy to remove.

Just be sure to clean the oil off thoroughly, so that no one slips and hurts themselves.

4. Take Care of Your Furniture

Heavy furniture and kitchen appliances can leave dents in vinyl tile flooring if you’re not careful. Prevent such dents by using floor protectors, sometimes known as protective feet, for your furniture and appliances. These can be found at a hardware store.

Remember: Never use chairs or carts with casters on a vinyl floor. The casters can cause damage to the flooring.

This type of flooring is a popular one, and with good reason. It’s easy to care for, long-lasting, and aesthetically pleasing. If your old floor could use a makeover, why not consider luxury vinyl tile from My Affordable Floors?

What’s the Best Kind of Flooring for Homes with Dogs?