Few things in life are as gratifying as pet ownership. A loving furbaby — whether it’s a dog, cat or other cuddly beasties — will give you faithful companionship and unconditional love that can transform your life. However, as all pet owners know, it’s sometimes necessary to make adjustments in our homes so that we can happily accommodate our fur-bearing friends; and one of those adjustments is investing in the pet-friendly Carpet.

Flooring companies have found that the best way to make a carpet pet proof is to manufacture Carpeting with nylon fibers that have been chemically infused with a stain-resistant finish. This process enables the carpet to resist staining from pet urine and soiling, as well as repel pet hair, dirt, and dander.

Things to Consider When Choosing a Pet-Friendly Carpet

Here’s a look at some of the performance factors you’ll need to look for in a pet-resistant carpet.

Stain Resistance

When choosing a pet-friendly carpet, the first thing you need to ask is, will it resist stains? Some carpets are made with fibers that seem to absorb everything, making them highly vulnerable to staining and discoloration. Obviously, this is the wrong type of carpet for a pet-friendly home.

Savvy pet owners invest in carpets made of fibers that are specially treated with a safe chemical finish that automatically repels stains and liquids so they don’t settle into the fibers. Thanks to their ability to resist soiling, stain-resistant carpets are a must-have on every pet owners list.

Water Absorbency

If you have pets, you’ll want to invest in a carpet that’s water-resistant. This means that the fibers are specially treated and processed so that water won’t easily soak into the carpet.

What’s the difference between water-resistant and waterproof? The difference lies in how much water the carpeting can withstand (and how long it can stay there) before the carpet sustains damage.

One company, Shaw, is raising the bar with their 100-percent-waterproof Lifeguard carpet, which has proven to be so successful, one entrepreneur actually built a swimming pool lined with Lifeguard carpeting. While in most cases a water-resistant carpet is fully sufficient for most pet owners, you might consider investing in Shaw’s Lifeguard carpeting if your home is truly a menagerie.

Dirt and Soil Resistance

Dirt doesn’t just come from muddy paws tramping through the house; it can also accumulate naturally over time. Of course, those muddy paws — as well as heavy traffic — can make carpets get a lot dirtier a lot faster, and that’s why it helps to invest in carpeting that’s specially made to resist/repel dirt and soil. As with stain-resistant carpeting, the nylon fibers are infused with chemicals that repel foreign matter like dirt, mud, liquid and dust particles. The carpet fibers undergo this infusion treatment either before they’re sent to the carpet mill, or during the carpet manufacturing process.

Hypoallergenic Qualities

If you suffer from allergies, or you have a family member who suffers from them, you probably already know that animal hair and dander is often at the top of the list when it comes to allergic triggers.

Fortunately, a number of carpet manufacturers have developed hypoallergenic carpets to combat the effects of pet dander, hair, dust and other allergens that circulate through the air.
Click To Tweet

Hypoallergenic carpeting is formulated to trap those irritating particles; so in essence, hypoallergenic carpeting can actually improve the quality of the air you breathe in your home, especially if you have pets.

Important note: Be sure to clean hypoallergenic carpeting with a hypoallergenic carpet cleaner that won’t trigger allergic reactions.

Durability

If you have pets, you know the value of having a carpet that will stand up to heavy traffic. Those paws might look tiny, but they can carry a lot of sheer, solid strength and bulk. That’s why a couple of nine-pound cats careening through your house at 2 am can sound like a herd of buffalo. To counteract these nightly (and daily) pet rampages, look for pet-friendly carpet that’s skid-resistant as well, and strong enough to stand up to four paws (or multiple sets of four paws) running at full tilt.

What Are the Best Pet-Friendly Carpets?

If you’re shopping for the best carpet for pets and high traffic, one of the most effective ways to begin is to read some of the many pet-friendly carpet reviews online. However, once you start, you’ll immediately notice that some of the same names keep popping up in all the positive reviews.

With this in mind, here’s a list of some of the most popular brands among today’s pet owners, with a look at why they do such a great job of repelling pet stains and odors.

Best Stain-Resistant Carpets

STAINMASTER®

If you’re looking for a pet-stain-resistant carpet, pet owners agree: You can’t do better than invest in a STAINMASTER® carpet. For more than a century, STAINMASTER® has topped the market in stain-resistant carpeting, thanks to its development of high-performance nylon that’s processed with a patented soil and stain-resistance technology.

In recent years, STAINMASTER® has introduced its PetProtect® carpet line, which is specially made to repel and resist some of the toughest pet stains, including stains from urine and pet soiling. Plus, PetProtect® also has a built-in moisture barrier that prevents pet accidents from penetrating into the carpet padding.

In addition to this built-in stain protection, PetProtect® carpet also resists pet hair and reduces pet odor, making it one of the most versatile, effective pet-friendly flooring options on the market.
Click To Tweet

Shaw

Another great option is to choose a pet-proof carpet from Shaw, one of the nation’s premier carpet manufacturers. For today’s pet owners, Shaw offers a high-tech, cutting edge pet-proof carpeting that’s processed with its patented R2X stain- and soil-resistance treatment.

The R2X formula is specially made to protect the whole carpet fiber, from its base to its tip, so that the carpet will repel pet accidents clear down to its padding. Because each fiber is completely treated with this process, your Shaw carpet can repel pain stains for a longer period of time — a real plus for pet parents who sometimes don’t notice that their furbaby had an accident until hours after the fact. Thanks to R2X, you have more time to get to the stain and clean it up before lasting damage occurs.

Mohawk

As one of the most famous American names in flooring, Mohawk is especially known for its versatile SmartStrand line of stain-resistant carpeting. Mohawk SmartStrand carpeting is constructed of fibers that are specially treated with a proprietary process that provides permanent stain resistance, as well as exceptionally long-lasting durability.

In addition, Shaw and other carpet manufacturers also offer pet-friendly carpeting with hypoallergenic properties that repel pet dander and pet hair. When choosing a pet-friendly carpet, be sure to find out if the carpet has these hypoallergenic qualities as well.

Hot tip: You don’t have to limit your pet-proof carpet options to the main living areas of the house. When it comes to flooring for the laundry room, workroom or utility area, plenty of manufacturers also make low-pile pet-proof carpet tiles that are perfect for the laundry room and other high-traffic, utilitarian areas in your home.

How Can I Keep My Carpet Clean When I Have a Dog or Cat?

Having pets is a lot like having kids — which means that there are some days where you wonder how on earth you can manage to keep anything clean. The fact is, it’s actually possible to keep your carpet clean when you have a dog or cat, as long as you follow a few basic steps.

• Keep your dogs and cats well groomed. For dogs, this means bathing and, where practical, clipping (less hair means less dirt and mess), as well as trimming their nails. While cats groom themselves, it’s also a great idea to trim their nails every four to six weeks as well. Pet nails carry lots of dirt and soil, which in turn gets squished down into carpet fibers where it can cause staining and odor.
• Wipe those muddy paws. Unlike children, cats and dogs aren’t going to make use of that welcome mat at the door; so the best way to counteract this is to take a bowl or spray bottle filled with warm water and gently wipe your pets’ feet clean before they come into the house. Don’t forget to pat those paws dry — and then give your pets a treat to reward them for standing still (even though they probably didn’t).
• Consider adding a few area rugs, runners or pet-resistant carpet treads to high-traffic pet areas. These can go a long way toward protecting your carpeting (and limiting heavy cleanings).

How to Clean and Maintain a Pet-Friendly Carpet

Pet-friendly carpets can be cleaned the same way as any other type of carpet. The main thing is to try and follow a schedule of regular maintenance. It might help to actually designate a carpet cleaning day every so often on your calendar, and then try to stick to the schedule. Otherwise, the job will be ten times harder once the soil and dirt has accumulated.

Even the best soil-resistant, pet-friendly carpeting needs a good thorough cleaning every so often. Be sure to use a commercial carpet cleaner that’s non-toxic and pet-friendly.

A really deep, thorough cleaning can prolong the life of your carpet, so consider periodically hiring a carpet cleaning service to get the job done.
Click To Tweet

For spot cleaning, use a commercial (and pet-friendly) spray-on carpet cleaner — or you can use a mixture of vinegar and baking soda. For pet urine stains, all you need to do is dab the area with a wet cloth or paper towel, then apply white vinegar (or a vinegar/water mix) to the area to deodorize it. You can also apply a white vinegar/baking soda mix to deodorize as well — just let it sit for a few minutes then wash up the mixture with clear water.

Hot tip: In between cleaning, it’s important to vacuum whenever you can. A quick sweep of the vacuum will do wonders in the way of loosening and removing dirt and soil, as well as pet dander and hair.

How Often Should You Clean Carpets When You Have Pets?

There’s no set-in-stone schedule for how often you need to clean your carpet. Like nearly everything else in housekeeping, the best way is to eyeball it and clean it as needed so that dirt doesn’t accumulate. Spills and anything involving moisture should be taken care of immediately; otherwise, mold can develop.

The best regimen should involve a regular routine of vacuuming at least several times a week if you have pets. Some experts recommend vacuuming according to the number of pets you have — for example, if you have two pets, then vacuum twice a week. However, some pets are more active than others, so this doesn’t really work for everyone.

Other experts say that it doesn’t hurt to run the vacuum over your carpeting for a couple of minutes every day if you really want to make sure you’re removing all that loose pet hair and dander.

As for wet/chemical cleaning, most household experts agree that it’s a good idea for pet owners to thoroughly clean their carpets every three to six months. In addition, it’s smart to call in a professional cleaning service once a year.

Buying Pet-Friendly Carpeting at Express Flooring

If you’re shopping for pet-friendly carpet and you live in or near Phoenix or Tucson, Arizona, you’ll want to contact Express Flooring to get a free in-home flooring sale and installation estimate. Thanks to its huge inventory (with a million feet of in-stock carpeting always available).

Express Flooring offers a huge selection of odor-resistant, durable pet-friendly carpeting that’s specially constructed with stain-resistant fibers and moisture-resistant protection. You’ll find a full line of pet-friendly carpeting options from Shaw, STAINMASTER®, Mohawk and other popular manufacturers, all in-stock and ready for delivery and next day installation.

In addition, Express Flooring can also provide you with a specially-made pet pad that will further protect your carpet by resisting spills and repelling pet hair and dander.

The Advantages of Shopping at Home with Express Flooring

If you’re reading this, then you probably have a busy life with pets and/or kids — and if so, you’re probably thinking “Who has time for carpet shopping?”

The beauty of Express Flooring is that you don’t need to make the time to drive all over town shopping the different big-box retailers or small floor stores. You won’t have to bring countless samples back to your home to see it in your lighting, and next to your furniture.

You won’t have to get quotes from multiple installation companies. In fact, you don’t even have to leave your home, because we bring the store right up to your front door. Instead of walking up miles of aisles, you can sit on your sofa surrounded by large fabric swatches, and carpet samples, while our professional design consultant can help you choose the best carpeting for your home and lifestyle.

Once you find what you like, we’ll give you one low flooring sale and installation deal for everything — including next-day delivery. We’ll even move your furniture.

As for installation, our top-notch, fully-licensed and bonded installation experts are fast and professional. We back their work with a lifetime installation warranty.
Click To Tweet

Why Choose Express Flooring?

Here’s a look at some of the many advantages of shopping at Express Flooring.

• We bring the store to your door, seven days a week (including evenings).
• Expert design consultants can help you choose the perfect flooring.
• Huge selection of top brands of flooring.
• Our professional installers are fully-licensed and bonded.
• We offer one low flooring sale and installation price.
• Next-day installation.
• We’ll move your furniture.
• Lifetime installation warranty.
• Affordable financing plans to fit your budget.
• Year-round sales, discounts, and clearances.
• We offer year-round discounts for military, veterans, teachers, seniors, public service employees, and government workers.

Whether you’re looking for vinyl or tile flooring, hardwood flooring, natural stone flooring, laminate or carpeting, Express Flooring has the best brands in America always in stock, and always at the lowest prices.

If you’re ready to start shopping for beautiful new pet-friendly carpeting for your home, be sure to call or fill out the online form for a free in-home flooring sale and installation quote and design consultation. Tell us what you’re looking for and we bring multiple carpet samples that match your taste. Once you’ve made your choice, just sit back and relax — and within a day or two, you and your pets can enjoy comfortable new, easy-to-clean carpeting that will last for years to come.