Here in the UK, it’s pretty common knowledge we’re a nation of animal lovers. In fact, according to a census by insurers Petplan, there are currently an estimated 51 million pets residing in homes. If you’re a cat or dog owner, you’ll want to ensure a healthy environment for you and your pet. Natural stone is considered to be a pet-friendly option for durable floors; read on as we weigh up the types of stone in more detail.
Why choose pet-friendly natural stone flooring?
Pets are truly wonderful friends and incredibly cute, apart from when they are trailing mud through the house. Then there’s the shedding of hair; SO MUCH HAIR – they certainly know how to make maintaining floors a bit of a challenge. Thankfully, natural stone is pretty easy to clean and more hygienic than carpet as it doesn’t store skin or dust. Don’t assume any type, however, will hold up against pets; read on for our roundup of the best and worst:
Best and worst flooring for pets
Sandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock consisting of sand or quartz grains and has very little sensitivity to acid in most cases. It’s also available in many earthy-toned shades, mimicking the look of beach sand and will look fabulous in just about any interior. The downside with sandstone, however, is that it is highly absorbent, and vulnerable to bacteria and stains. If you really want the best of both worlds, apply a protective stone sealer, and you’ll improve your floorings resistance to pets and their mess.
Marble
While it may be a beautiful stone, marble is not the best option for flooring in households with pets. Underneath a very pretty exterior lies a high maintenance stone, and let’s face it, cats and dogs are unpredictable at the best of times. Urine and vomit are both highly acidic and can potentially cause etching if the unexpected happens. This is something even a sealer won’t fix, so your best bet? Stick to marble countertops instead.
Limestone
Like marble, limestone has a high level of calcium carbonate making it vulnerable to acids, not ideal if you’ve just got a new puppy. Again, this type of stone is easily etched when exposed to urine, but you can reduce the risk of damage by cleaning up swiftly. Pets like cats and dogs also imply high traffic, which means your flooring should be scratch-resistant and durable too. Slate and granite are far better options, and they look just as good, a win-win for the average pet owner.
Granite
Unlike limestone and marble, granite is perfect for flooring and man’s best friend. Granite usually has a low level of calcium carbonate and is incredibly tough, requires little maintenance and is scratch resistant. It should, however, be properly sealed to protect against stains such as urine and general pet smudges. It’s also a naturally cooling stone so it will make a great place for Fido to cool down in the summer months.
Slate
Thanks to its differing shades and tones, slate is one of the most popular types of natural stone. It’s also soft with a nonslip texture, and even better, slate is not acid-sensitive either. So when it comes to households and pets, slate stands up well and is far more forgiving than other natural stones. Prolonged use of the wrong products, however, can cause dullness and streaks – let’s find out the best cleaners to use!
Pet safe cleaners for cat and dog owners
Everyone loves a squeaky clean home, but if you have pets, you’ll need to be careful with the products you use. Cats and dogs are curious by nature, relying on us for their safety, so avoid anything that might harbour toxic ingredients. FILA’s RAPIDSAN and SANIFAST are safe for households with pets to clean, disinfect and eliminate odours. They are also safe for delicate surfaces such as natural stone, providing instant action against germs and bacteria. Additionally, MP90 ECO XTREME is a green protector and provides environmentally-friendly stain protection for natural stone. This water-based protector is also low VOC plus solvent-free and will hamper the absorption of common watery and oily pet stains.
Natural stone and pets are more alike than we think – they need a little work but are worth the effort. So if your pet is your life, we want to hear from you – why not drop us a comment with their name below? With an array of eco-friendly products that are kind to pets too, with FILA, the purr-fect cleaning regime has never been so easy! For more help and advice on natural stone floors, simply contact our team for assistance. Thank you for reading.
