10 Amazing Tips for a Pet-Friendly Home Makeover

If you have had pets before in your home, you would know they can scratch your floors and leave marks. To prevent this, avoid hardwood floors. Also, don’t get slippery marble floors to keep your pet from injuring themselves. Instead, install tiles as they are scratch-resistant or laminate flooring. If you must go for hardwood, make sure it has a strong finish. 

Besides this, it is best to not have rugs and carpets on the floor as they easily catch fleas, ticks, and fur. You will have to clean all the time if there are carpets and rugs. So, choose carefully.

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This involves buying furniture in darker colors that do not show stains or scratches too prominently. You can also choose a combination of colors with patterns to hide marks. Moreover, put on covers over furniture that are easy to remove and wash. This will make it easy to clean up the mess created by pets. 

Also, make sure that your furniture is not made of materials like glass or other flimsy stuff. It is better to have it in heavy materials like stone that are hard to topple over while the pet is playing around.

Whether it is the fabric of your sofa, curtains, bedsheet, or others, pick fabrics that resist fur and snags. While it is hard to find fabrics that can completely withstand wear and tear by pets, there are more durable options that last longer. 

Microfibers, like micro-velvet and micro-suede, are known for being stain-resistant. You can clean them with a damp cloth quickly. Another option is crypton which is a synthetic fiber and highly durable. Furthermore, polyester, acrylic, leather, and vinyl also make for good options for pet owners. Besides being durable, these options are easier to clean as well.

You must create and designate a separate space for your pets where they can retire and rest. They should feel cozy and at home. To do this, use the free space and empty corners around the house such as the area under the stairs or a corner of your living room. Set up small, comfy beds, crates, or containers where the pet can sleep. Put some toys, accessories, and other stuff in that corner to make it feel secure and enjoyable for the pet.

This provides your furry friends with a safe space to go back to when they are tired or overwhelmed with activities around them. 

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Let’s face one thing – your pet is going to roam around and stick its nose into places where it doesn’t belong. Until you train it to do otherwise, you need a solution to block it from wandering off into places like the kitchen, bedroom, bathroom, etc. For this, you can install railings, window grills, and puppy gates. It will keep them from places you don’t want them to be in. 

Installing blockades will establish boundaries and let your pet know that they are not allowed into a certain area of the house. This will also keep that specific area clean. A bonus tip is to get trash cans with lids to prevent the pets from digging in them.

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If you have a green thumb and tend to keep a lot of plants in your home, this is for you. While keeping and raising plants is a good habit, it can be hazardous for your pets if not done carefully. There are several plants that pets are allergic to. Your pet might be allergic to one or more of the plants in your home. So, to be on the safe side, you must only keep pet-friendly indoor plants such as spider plants, orchids, ferns, etc. Before buying any plant, make sure to research properly whether it is safe for your specific pet. 

It has been mentioned before that you can install railings and gates. Besides keeping the pets out, they can also serve another purpose, that of safety. There are several household items, such as knives, detergents, medicines, and other things that can harm your furry pet. You must ensure to keep such harmful and sharp objects out of reach of pets. Stash them in cupboards and lock them. Put those things on high shelves or hide them in unreachable places. 

Also, you make sure all the electrical cords and wires and properly hidden behind the wall. There should be no loose plug, hanging wire, or unattended cord lying around. Disconnect the wires when not in use and take care of all open wires. 

Your yard also needs your attention before you let your pets go free in there. This is especially true if you have a flower or vegetable garden in your yard. Most pets require at least some play time where they can run about. This is also essential to keep them healthy. So, you must not restrain them. What you can do is protect the flowers and veggies by adding a fence around the garden especially if it is only a small part of the entire yard. 

Don’t add too many elements of landscaping to the lawn. Instead, add interactive accessories for the pets to play with. It is best to add some kind of divider to prevent the pets from digging around or ruining the garden. They will learn and get trained with time.  

With all the pet dander and fluff, you will have to vacuum and clean around the house regularly especially if you have rugs and carpets. This becomes even more of a headache when your pet comes in after playing around in the yard all day. They have dirty paws and feet from walking in mud. And they take all that dirt inside with them when they come into the house.

To prevent this, get an outdoor mat for the pets. The pets will wipe off their feet on the mat before entering. This will keep your house clean and create a good welcoming vibe as well.

Also Read: 10 Tips to Keep Your House Clean with Pets

Your pets have certain quirks and it won’t do you well if you try to train them out of it. For example, some cats like to perch and watch outside the window or scratch. This makes them comfortable and cozy. So, you can install some built-in features in your home that safely aid such habits. 

Instead of deterring your cat from scratching the surface, get a separate wall-mounted scratching surface made from natural materials like cardboard. Install an elevated surface on your patio for the pets to perch on and observe. You can get door flaps for some doors to allow the pet free movement to certain places. Make sure your home feels like home for your pet.

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