5 Tips to petproof your tile floor

Pets are great, they provide companionship and become part of the family. Unfortunately for your floors, pets can pose a problem. Many homeowners decide to tile their homes to minimize the wear and tear on their floors that can come along with the joys of owning pets.  Tile floors can also reduce problems associated with allergies due to the ease of keeping them clean.  However, it's not always enough to simply tile the floor and hope for the best. While the tile generally isn't an issue, pets and grout can pose some challenges. With a few simple tips, your tile floor can be man's second-best friend:

1. Clean up messes promptly - Your grout, and to a lesser extent your tile, can contain small pores that can trap fluids below the surface. If those fluids happen to be of the smelly variety, this can lead to lingering odors. Clean messes up promptly with water and regularly mop with a neutral pH cleaner. For tougher cleaning problems, our Ultracare Everyday Stone, Tile, and Grout Cleaner can help.

2. (Re)seal your grout - Cement grouts require regular re-sealing to remain stain resistant. Grout sealers fill the microscopic holes in the grout so pet messes don't. A product like Ultracare Grout Sealer can make all the difference between discolored, stained grout and grout that will withstand the rigors of pet ownership.

3. Keep your pets' nails trimmed - Grout is strong, but not as strong as the tile next to it. Over time, repeated scratching from the nails of pets can erode the surface of the grout and leave scratches. By keeping pet nails trimmed your grout will stay in tip-top condition. Consider mats in heavily trafficked areas such as doorways and halls.

4. Clean under and around pet crates and litter boxes regularly - Often crates and litter boxes are left in one location for convenience.  Cleaning any obvious mess around the crate or box is important, but so too is moving it periodically and cleaning under and around it.  For tough cleaning application, Ultracare Heavy Duty Stone, Tile, and Grout Cleaner may be required.

5. Consider a better grout - If you have not yet installed your floor, consider upgrading to Flexcolor CQ or Kerapoxy CQ grout.  Both are highly stain resistant and both are a better choice when pets are part of the equation.  Flexcolor CQ does not require mixing and is a great choice for residential applications.  Kerapoxy CQ adds extreme scratch resistance for multi-pet applications such as kennels.

A tile floor is a great solution for pet owners, and these simple tips will make maintaining your floor a breeze.