How can I protect my laminate flooring from my dog? Let’s Explore

How to erase dog tracks from your laminate floors

One of our Swiss Krono customer service experts knows all too well the answer to this problem! She has two house dogs who play tag whenever the mood strikes them, and this means paw prints are everywhere. Here’s what she has to say:

“I often clean with a microfiber dust mop, dampening it with warm water and vinegar in a spray bottle. In addition, the vinegar acts like an odor eliminator so I have no doggie smells, especially after they have gotten wet on their daily walks. I installed my laminate flooring in 2006, and it still looks great.”

If your laminate floor is highly glossy, you’ll want to clean frequently with a microfiber mop and hot water in a spray or mister bottle. High-gloss laminate flooring often shows prints, especially so if you have a dog.

Different types of floors and their protection needs:

How can I protect my laminate flooring from my dog?

  • Carpet or large area rugs – Carpet and rugs can be the toughest floor types to clean because stains and smells can soak in all the way to the padding. Some carpets do come with a sealant already on them, which helps repel stains.
  • Wood – A lot depends on if a wood floor is finished or unfinished. A finished floor may repel some stains but not entirely; an unfinished floor is more likely to absorb them.
  • Laminate – The coating on these floors will dissolve from messes such as urine, and moisture can make laminate buckle. If you have a puppy or an older dog, it will be easiest to completely cover a laminate floor, even if it’s with carpet.
  • Tile – Tile floors are beautiful (I sometimes sit in my bathroom and stare at mine) and they may be one of the best choices for dog owners if you can control what floors are put into your place. You‘ll need a sealant for the grout, however, or else any liquid messes will seep into it.
  • Concrete – This type of floor is most likely to be found in a multimillion dollar penthouse in Manhattan owned by hipster thirtysomethings who think they’re being eco-friendly with this choice. That said, concrete floors are super cool with color mixed in and topped off with a thick sealant. This sealant should make this type of floor almost mess-proof.
  • Addition from Dogster reader Susan Springer: Vinyl plank can be waterproof and give the dogs more gripping than wood or tile — great product.
  • Buckling and Bending:

    How a dog pees on the floor directly impacts how much damage is done to it. When a dog stands up and uses a dominant leg, its rear legs will be higher from the pee spot. This causes an indentation that can buckle your laminate flooring or even bend your tile/stone floors too profoundly.

    Customer had a horrible smell from dogs on the laminate floors and was making the home hard to sale