How Dog Owners Can Extend the Life of Their Carpet

More than one of the households regularly visited by Preferred Carpet Care of Redding includes a friendly dog or two, or even more. Of course, dogs don’t wipe their feet when they come inside and they also tend to pick up lots of things from whatever they rolled in outside. If you have an inside/outside pet, how can you manage to keep your carpet clean and extend its life despite the additional dirt and wear created by a dog?

Wipe Those Paws!

Train your dog that before it can come in, it needs to have its paws wiped. Keep a towel or two handy by the entry to care for this, instead of just opening the door and letting your best friend in. For this reason too, doggie doors are an incredibly bad idea if you like your carpet. Wiping your dog’s feet will save considerable dirt and grime from making its way into your house.

Entryways

Just as some houses have mudrooms for the people, an area near the door that is surfaced in tile, hardwood or linoleum will be easier to clean than a stained section of carpet. If your carpet is wall-to-wall, consider some throw rugs by the door, and definitely door mats outside, to pick up as much dirt as possible before it makes it to the carpet fibers.

Clip Those Nails!

Long nails on a dog’s paws will start to claw up your carpet fibers. By keeping their nails trimmed, you reduce the wear on your carpet, especially if your dog loves to run around the house or jumps up to greet visitors at the door.

Vacuum Regularly

Many dogs shed lots more hair than your typical human being, so a house pet definitely adds to the dirt load in your carpet. Regular vacuuming, daily if need be, with a vacuum that can handle pet hair is essential to reduce long-term grime.

Use a Blanket, Rug or Bed

If you just lie in the same place every day, your carpet would get stained from the oils in your skin. Pets tend to rest in the same spots over time, and if they have their own bed, rug or blanket to lie on, instead of the carpeting, your flooring will stay cleaner. Keep in mind, that in winter months, a pet’s body heat can actually cause condensation to occur underneath its blanket, rug or pet bed. This dampness can lead to mold and mildew. A good insulating pad underneath a rug or carpet, or a raised bed that allows for air circulation, helps prevent this. Always check to make sure that condensation has not formed overnight after your pet has slept in the house. If so, you need to make adjustments to your dog’s sleeping arrangement or habits.

Regular Carpet Cleaning

Besides preventive and daily care measures, a regular carpet cleaning schedule is especially important to have a clean and enduring carpet. Many dogs respect cleanliness, so keeping or training a pet to be housebroken is aided by clean carpet. We can tell stories about what pets do in houses where the carpet is never cleaned properly! This also emphasizes the importance of always cleaning up any pet accidents promptly! Leaving a urine or feces stain untreated, or poorly treated, leads to more “accidents” in time. When incidents happen, call Preferred Carpet Care for quick treatment of your rug or carpet.

For further questions, do not hesitate to contact us. Preferred Carpet Care – helping homeowners love their pets and their carpet!
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