If you have pets at home, you have probably experienced the frustration of dealing with pet urine on your wood floors. Not only does it leave an unpleasant smell, but it can also cause long-term damage to your beautiful wood floors.
In this article, we will have a look at why pet urine is bad for your wood floors and what you can do to protect them. I will also cover an added section to see if some pet urine causes more damage.
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The issues you may find with Pet Urine on your wood floors:
Pet urine is highly acidic. When left untreated, it can penetrate the surface of your hardwood floors. Sadly, this can cause warping, discolouration, and even structural damage if the urine is down for too long. The longer the urine sits on the floor, the more damage it can cause.
In addition to damaging the wood, pet urine can cause unpleasant smells to linger in your home. Even after cleaning the affected area, the smell can persist, making it difficult to enjoy your living space fully.
What you can do about urine on your wood floor:
If you have pets at home, there are a few ways you can protect your hardwood floors from pet urine damage:
1. Clean up accidents as soon as you can:
When you notice pet urine on your hardwood floors, could you clean it immediately? Use a kitchen roll or cloth to soak up as much of the urine as possible, and then clean the area with a solution of lukewarm water.
2. Use protective mats or even puppy pads:
Consider using rugs, protective mats or even puppy pads in areas where your pets spend a lot of time. These mats can help prevent urine from seeping into the hardwood floors and causing damage.
3. Train your fur babies (easier said than done, but the quicker, the better):
Please train your pets to use a designated area for elimination. This can help prevent accidents on your hardwood floors and reduce the likelihood of damage.
4. Refinish your floors:
If pet urine has already damaged your hardwood floors, you may need to have them refinished. A professional flooring contractor can sand down the damaged area and apply a fresh finish coat to restore your floors to their original condition.
Does particular pet urine cause more damage than others, or are they all the same?
Different types of pet urine can vary in their ability to cause damage depending on the animal type and their diet. It can even depend on the medical conditions they may have.
As an example:
- Cat urine can be powerful and may contain high levels of ammonia, which can cause a strong odour and potentially damage carpets and other surfaces if left untreated.
- Un-neutered cats and dogs may produce urine with a higher concentration of hormones, which can lead to more significant staining and odour issues.
It’sIt’s also important to note that pet urine can vary in acidity levels, which can impact its ability to cause damage to different types of flooring or other surfaces.
For example:
Acidic urine may be more likely to cause damage to hardwood floors, while alkaline urine may be more damaging to carpets.
It’s safe to say that pet urine can significantly threaten the lifespan and appearance of your hardwood floors. But by taking measures to clean up spills straight away, you can help prevent and minimize the damage caused by pet urine. Don’t forget to use protective mats, train your pets, and refinish your floors when needed. Prevention is key when protecting your hardwood floors and ensuring you can enjoy them for many years.
Here is a short video of our wood floor sanding service:
This particular job was special; as you can see, our guys truly care about what our customer wants and what your floor needs!
If you are looking for a floor sanding company, check out this article:
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Written by Tracey Gilbey, Marketing and Admin Coordinator at Art of Clean.
For further advice or information on our Carpet and Soft Furnishing care, please do not hesitate to contact the Art of Clean team on 01223 901551 in Cambridge. Our services include Carpet Cleaning, Upholstery Cleaning, oriental and area Rug Cleaning, Curtain Cleaning, Patio, and Driveway Pressure washing, Leather Cleaning, Stone and Tile Floor Cleaning, and Wood Floor Sanding and Restoration. We also supply new flooring and carpets through our sister company Art of Flooring. Our Dry-Cleaning service is provided by Farthings Cambridge
