Vinyl flooring is an excellent option since it's a durable, easy-to-clean flooring type that's comfortable for both pets and humans. It's usually made of four layers: foam or cork backing, waterproof plastic, a design layer printed with an image of wood or stone, and a wear layer to protect the surface.
Vinyl sheet flooring is also a great option for homes with pets. This resilient flooring comes in a roll, so there are few seams and no grout, but you can still get highly realistic hardwood and natural stone styles.
Scratch-resistant flooring is an ideal option for pet owners. Laminate, tile, and vinyl floors are all great options that can withstand scratching and denting. Laminate floors are a great choice, as they offer the look of hardwood but with added protection against claw marks.
Pet Friendly Flooring at Floor & Decor
Flooring like treated hardwood, ceramic floor tile, porcelain flooring, vinyl, and laminate are perfect for pets—their texture keeps paws from slipping, they are water resistant to prevent damage from accidents, and they protect against scratches and dents from long nails.
Laminate flooring stands up against scratches and stains, making it great for active pets. It's also easy to maintain for most homeowners, putting it near the top when it comes to the best flooring for dogs.
An overview of pets and vinyl floors
It should resist scratching, tearing and other types of damage, unless you try very hard to damage it. In addition, luxury vinyl flooring holds up well against accidents, such as food or water bowl spills or dog urine.
The outer layer of vinyl flooring is typically scratch-resistant, which means their claws can't scratch it up and their nails won't leave scratches when they get the zoomies. And, scratch-resistant flooring or not, it's always a good idea to trim your pet's nails so they stay comfortable.
Unless you are a quick draw on the mop; dog urine will damage laminate flooring, real wood flooring, engineered wood and tile grout. Unfortunately with a lot of flooring the pee will be absorbed into the floor itself or underneath and this is what can make the issue very difficult and expensive.
As for keeping your vinyl-like floor free from pet messes, BISSELL's Pet Inspired line of products and the formulas used with their carpet cleaners are all "purr-fectly safe" for your pets. Additionally, BISSELL's Steam Mop is fabulous because it simply uses steam for cleaning.
Vinyl flooring is arguably the best of all flooring materials for homes with pets. Vinyl is one of the easiest of all materials to clean, making it ideal for young or old pets prone to indoor accidents. And there is an almost infinite variety of patterns available.
Healthier flooring options include solid wood, natural linoleum, cork, bamboo, tile and stone. A key feature of all of these is that they are easily cleaned of dust and dirt.
Most dog owners forgo hardwood flooring because it can be easily damaged by dogs' nails. If you're set on hardwood, consider a hard wood variety or engineered hardwood planks, which tend to hold up better. Laminate, vinyl, tile, and carpet have excellent scratch resistance to hold up to the click-clack of claws.
If you want a rustic look to your floor, vinyl plank and vinyl tile (known as LVT) will work well and protect from cat urine stains. To expand the natural material aesthetic, try residential vinyl sheet. This type of floor holds up well for the most active households.
Due to the materials used in the production process of vinyl, it will sometimes emit various levels of VOCs into the air for a short amount of time after installation. These toxic chemicals can be harmful to air quality of the immediate environment it's installed in and may cause respiratory problems over time.
When it comes to environmental impact, laminate has a slight edge over vinyl thanks to its recycled wood core. However, the melamine wear layer on the surface is still made of plastic, which may off-gas VOCs (volatile organic compounds) that can be harmful to people and pets.
So is vinyl flooring toxic? Toxicity levels of vinyl flooring were once a major concern dating back to the study discussed above which was conducted in 2015. It's now 2022 and most floor manufacturers have eliminated the use of this chemical and now provide 'phthalates-free' vinyl flooring.
Note: Disinfecting wipes that contain bleach are acceptable on vinyl. 7.5 to 9 is the recommended pH for bleach.
Swiffer wet cloths are designed to be used on most floor surfaces, such as: vinyl.
Luxury Vinyl
Vinyl flooring is durable, cost-effective and waterproof, making it an excellent choice for dog owners.
Take the same amount of white vinegar and water and cover the whole area. To make the solution foam, gently brush it. Let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes to allow the dog urine to completely absorb. Vacuum the vinyl flooring after five to ten minutes.
A Vinegar Solution
White vinegar has a very high acidity level that can help to neutralize the alkaline ammonia to eliminate urine odor. Vinegar will also kill all of the germs in bacteria that can cause you further issues.
Laminate flooring is much cheaper than vinyl, even though it has a higher ROI when it comes to home value. Laminate flooring costs about $0.70 to $2 per square foot, with installation costing about the same as vinyl flooring.
Luxury vinyl flooring is one of the most versatile flooring options you can find, and some of the best flooring for dogs and other pets. It is available in luxury vinyl planks and luxury vinyl tile, and in a wide variety of colors and patterns. Luxury vinyl is extremely easy to clean.
Vinyl plank flooring is an excellent choice for all kinds of durability, including superb scratch resistance.