Everyone loves their pets. Our lives would be a little less happy if we had to live without our dogs. We also have hardwood floors in our homes. So it should be no surprise that we think pets and hardwood floors can live together in perfect harmony. The trick is knowing how to negate the damage all pets can do to a floor. 

"Animal urine and vomit are both acidic, and can eat away at floor finishes rather quickly."

There are countless homes across the country that have pets and hardwood floors, so what we're suggesting isn't exactly a new idea. We want to simply inform you of how to best maintain your floors so you can enjoy them for longer. There is no doubt that pets can damage floors very quickly if they are not cared for. Animal urine and vomit are both acidic, and can eat away at floor finishes rather quickly. It's important to realize the advantages to having a hardwood floor and play to its advantages. 

A hardwood floor tends to be a large flat surface that is going to be a lot easier to clean than a carpet. Accidents are also incredibly visible on a hardwood floor as opposed to other floor surfaces. Make sure to get to these accidents as quickly as possible was every minute counts. Ultimately, proper training of your dog is going to be the best long term solution in order to avoid as many of these accidents in the future.

We've run into a few instances in which a hardwood floor is specifically damaged in an area where the water bowls are typically placed. This common problem can be resolved by simply getting a heavier and more stable drinking bowl. Your local pet supply shop should have plenty of options in that department. Spilled water from a water bowl can pool overtime leading to water damage. It may also make sense to have a waterproof mat underneath the water bowl in order to minimize spillage. 

Bigger dogs can be a a problem because of their size and weight. If they have longer nails, they can dig into floors over time and start to cause damage. Ensuring that you dog's nails are trimmed is going to be the best solution to this possible problem. A dog can also track dirt into a home. First can have rocks in it, which can scratch your precious hardwood floors. A simple mat near the door will help get as much debris off you pet's paws as possible.

We hope that some of these tips are going to help some of you. Pets can comfortably live in a home with hardwood floors, it's just going to take a little bit of effort to keep your floors looking good for years to come. We just thought it would be a good idea to let everyone that it is possible!