Having pets may mean you have to work a little harder to keep the house clean, but smart some choices will make things easier. And less cleaning may mean more time with your furry friend!
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Some people don’t have pets – not because they don’t like animals, but they don’t like having to clean up after them. They want a nice home with nice furniture, and they think a pet would make that impossible.
Now, I admit that if you have a dog or cat in the house, there’s going to be some pet hair to clean up. But there are ways to have a stylish and attractive home and still have a house pet.
Start with the floor, which is where your pet would probably spend most of its time. Pet owners know that wall-to-wall carpeting is not pet-friendly surface, because it attracts and holds on to pet hair, making it harder to clean. Think smooth floor – but it doesn’t have to be linoleum.
Nowadays beautiful tile floors are popular, along with wood flooring – a less expensive alternative may be wood laminate flooring. A smooth surface is easier to clean – a dust mop will pick up most of the pet hair.
If you really like the idea of carpeting, you might want to check out modular carpet tiles that can be replaced if needed. One in particular, called “Flor”, has adhesive tabs on the back to make it stay in place. The adhesive is designed to be easily removable so you can reposition a carpet tile without damaging the floor – sort of like big Post-It notes. And if your pet has an accident, well, you just pick up the tile and wash it in the sink. If the tile becomes stained, you simply replace it.
Once you have the floor covered, so to speak, consider furniture choices. There are a number of upholstery fabrics that are very durable and easy to keep clean, such as Ultrasuede and microfibers. One special fabric, called Crypton, is stain, water and bacteria resistant. Some pet owners use washable slip covers to keep their furniture looking great.
So is it worth the extra effort to make your home more pet friendly? When you can have a best friend who offers great companionship, who’s always there to listen, who loves you no matter what, it’s definitely worth the effort when you’re speaking of pets.
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