Keep Your Carpets Looking Great With Children And Pets

Let’s just say what everyone is thinking, “carpeting is amazing.” But, children and pets are tough on carpeting; is it possible to have both — carpeting and pets and children — in the same home and still have the carpeting survive?

Perhaps there are some obvious things to say. Maybe carpeting in highly trafficked areas is simply a bad idea. So carpeting in kitchens, dining rooms, and entryways may be a non-starter. But this leaves other important spaces still, living rooms and bedrooms. Perhaps these would be good spaces for carpeting. 

With that said, most believe it is still a good idea to have carpeting in your home, you just have to go about it in the right way. 

Carpeting, Pets, and Children: Yes You Can

The key to “having your cake and eating it too” is between the right carpeting, the right maintenance plan, and good home practices. 

The Right Carpeting

The carpeting you choose will make a massive difference in the lifetime of your home flooring. If you choose some cheap carpeting, you will have a poor experience. But, if you choose a high-quality carpeting material you will in fact have a good experience. 

Some carpeting fibers like polyester or triexta are durable and are really good at resisting stains and dirt. Nylon is a durable option, it’s also soft, but it needs a stain treatment. Wool materials are also very popular, especially because of their eco-friendly reputation and their resistance to wear — but they are pricey and stain easily. 

A Pro choice would be choosing darker colors and good material. Stop by your local carpeting supplier and ask for recommendations, make sure they understand your goals so they can best help you. 

The Right Maintenance Plan

Maintaining carpeting in your home with children and pets has a lot to do with maintenance. Hiring a carpet cleaning company to professionally clean your carpeting every one or two years — really the goal would be, as needed — will maintain a visibly clean space and will help prevent odors and grime from being permanently soiled in your home. 

Good Home Practices

Finally, if you are going to maintain your carpeting in the midst of children and pets, some healthy home practices will help you in the process. Here are three ideas:

First, it might come as a surprise, but doormats are your home's first line of defense to dirt and grime that eventually makes its way into your home's carpeting. In fact, having multiple mats, one outside that tends to the coarser side and another inside that’s soft will do an incredible job of maintaining your carpeting. 

Second, regular vacuuming habits are the key to clean carpeting. Multiple times a day, pull out the vacuum and catch the dirt that’s made it’s way inside. Hit the higher traffic areas and save yourself some headaches. 

Third, wipe the paws of your pets before they enter your home. If they’ve been running around outside, do not allow them into the home before they’ve been de-grimed, as one might say.

The Final Word

And that’s it. You can have carpeting in your home and have pets and animals, it just takes a little bit of intentionality and planning. 

Enjoy your carpeting, have fun, try your best, and when things don’t go the way you hoped, that’s ok too.