9 DO’s & Don’ts for Living Stylishly With a Pet

Easy-to-clean ceramic tile, fabric and hair-proof furniture are some of the tricks pet owners are using to make their pets feel more at home. 

U.S. pet owners spent whopping $99 billion every year on their animals, so it’s no surprise they’re adapting their homes to better suit them.

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Also Read: 25 + Pet Friendly Living room decor ideas

Nifty Tips for a Chic Pet Friendly Home

Lets start with Dont’s

9 Don’ts for Living Stylishly With a Pet

1.Do not use Expensive Rugs

Rugs are, in fact, an option. Buying cheap ones is the key. Rugs, as opposed to carpet, may be removed, cleaned, or thrown away. 

If you’re looking for a neutral backdrop that goes with any décor, consider washable luxury mats, according to Natalie. When they grow filthy, they’re inexpensive enough to trash. They’re tough enough to endure months of pet traffic. 

If you think disposable carpets are a waste of money, consider that throwing out that rug from Amazon  will be less expensive than paying for the skin issues your new puppy would get if you leave her in the yard.

Do you own a priceless Persian heritage rug that you simply must have? Hang it on the wall where your dog or cat can’t get to it as a work of art.

Also Read: 10 Cheap Hallway tables Many will ask you where did you get it from.

2. Don’t use Fragile & Expensive Decorative stuff

Animals and fragile objects should not be mixed. Your Will-George flamingo figurine collection will go skittering across the room like bowling pins if you let your dog or cat bat his tail or paw at it.

Natalie  recommends collecting cast iron doorstops as a worthwhile hobby. 

“A place where your dog won’t trip over them would be a good idea. And your pets won’t be able to harm them, so they’re perfect for your home.”

Display delicate items in a china cabinet with glass panels, says Manny That way, he adds, “you can see them, but your pet can’t break them”.

Instead, Natalie suggests that you spend your decorating funds on framed photographs, prints, and paintings.

Your dogs can’t get to the art since it’s on the walls.

3.Don’t let your Expensive Sofa be without Pet-Friendly cover

Canvas is ideal for pet-friendly houses due to its rip resistance and lack of filth and hair accumulation. 

The sturdy, tightly woven fabric may be cleaned with soap and water. Protect your furniture with canvas slipcovers, which are inexpensive and easy to use. 

When the cover becomes filthy, just remove it and wash it in the washing machine to remove dirt, dander, and hair.

Stains, smells, and damage can still occur even with pet-friendly materials. Consider applying a product like Scotch gard Fabric & Upholstery Protector (you get it for $9 from Amazon) to help resist spills and make cleaning simpler, which can provide further protection. 

If you’re worried about your furniture becoming damaged, keep your pets away from the sofa altogether.

The interior designer Natalie B , and pet-mum to  two dogs, believes leather is excellent for pet owners. Pet hair will not adhere to the smooth surface of the leather since it is resilient and wipeable. 

When cleaning up pet hair and dander, use a vacuum or moist micro-fiber cloth. 

Accidents and stains should be cleaned up right away using a clean, lightly damp cloth. Over time, leather naturally acquires a weathered patina that hides tiny scratches and scuffs well.

MAINTENANCE OF PETS’ CARPETS AND FURNITURE

Your pets’ paw prints and hair can track dirt and debris into your home. 

Keep your dog’s nails clipped to reduce the amount of damage they do to your carpet, and clean up any spills right once to avoid the material seeping into the pile and causing more serious damage.

1.Don’t have carpet-flooring in the living room – keep it wooden floor

In addition to comfort and warmth, carpet flooring offers a variety of colours and designs that are great for adding a little flair to your house

However, when it comes to the finest carpet for dogs and cats, not all carpets are made equal.

Carpet with loops might catch your pet’s claws, so avoid them if possible. Wool is a long-lasting and stain-resistant material, but nylon is also an excellent alternative because of its low cost and great durability. 

Carpet tiles, which can be readily replaced as individual tiles, are another wonderful alternative for pet owners.

If you’re going to utilise carpet in your pet-friendly house, keep it in rooms with less usage.

Benefits(Pros): The most significant benefit of carpeting for pets is the ease with which they can walk on it. 

Pets love it because it’s a comfortable place to rest and because it’s a cushion for cats when they fall from high places like counters or couches. On top of that, carpet hides scratches caused by canine nails better than tile.

Cons: Cleaning up mishaps and getting rid of old stains might be more difficult when you use this method. Pet pee, faeces, and vomit stains should be addressed immediately if you want to keep your carpet looking great. Some of our residential carpets are treated to be water resistant.

In addition, if you have a pet like a cat or a dog that is particularly active, your carpet may suffer additional damage.

Even if you avoid carpet flooring in the living room, there could be many rooms with the carpet. Tips to choose your carpet when you own pets.

HOW TO SELECT CARPET WHEN YOU HAVE PETS in your Home

1.PUT YOUR MIND TO WORK ON A CARPET PILE

The length and thickness of the carpet fibres used to weave the rug or carpet are referred to as the carpet pile length and thickness. 

It is possible to have loop or cut-pile carpet, depending on your preferences. 

Cut pile is the greatest option if you have pets. It is possible for the loop pile to get tangled in your pet’s claws. 

To make matters worse, once this happens, they’ll likely try to gnaw on or shred it up as a chew toy. Cut pile carpet is the way to go if you want to prevent this hassle.

2.Select the best carpet fibre for your home or office.

Natural (such as wool) and synthetic (such as nylon) carpet fibres are also available (like nylon and polyester). 

A sturdy and stain-resistant material is a must if you have pets. You’ll want a carpet that can handle stains like vomit or urine, and you’ll also want one that can easily be cleaned of pet hair.

Because most of us don’t vacuum on a daily basis and because pets shed, it’s an unavoidable reality of life. Pet dander is mostly composed of dead skin cells, shedding hair, and urine protein. 

While it’s critical to get the stains out of your carpet, choosing a carpet with a pattern and a colour that complements your pet’s fur may be more appealing in the long run.

3.You should have your carpet professionally cleaned at least twice a year

 if you have dogs who spend a lot of time indoors. This is true regardless of the type of carpet you pick.

The pet dander will draw dust mites. It’s impossible to remove all of these pollutants, but having them cleaned by a professional on a regular basis can help. 

The other thing to remember is that pet pee and vomit stains should be cleaned properly to avoid spending more money in the long term on cleaning.

Also Read: Is home decor a waste of money ?-10 things you should always spend less than $30 on

5.Don’t use flat finish and Toxic paint.

Smudges on walls and door jambs will persist even if your pet is regularly groomed. If you shake your basset dog’s head, drool will fly across the room and over the wall. If you shake your parrot’s cage, goo will fly out and onto the wall.

Try wiping off a filthy area and some of the paint comes off as well, leaving an unattractive stain that must be redone. Flat finish paint is virtually hard to clean. 

Semigloss is the simplest to clean, but any dings or irregularities in your walls will be highlighted by its sheen. 

While glossier paint has a more modern look, satin or eggshell finishes are just as simple to keep While glossier paint has a more modern look, satin or eggshell finishes are just as simple to keep

There are numerous companies that offers the rich, deep appearance and washability of flat paint with the affordability of semi-gloss. 

According to  Natalie   “It’s by far the most effective. In homes where there are animals, I always utilise it “based on what Natalie has to say.

Choosing a Stain-Proof  paint Colour

Picking a paint colour is the most exciting part of the paint selecting process. Before you start planning on the colour to paint your dining room, there are a few things you need think about as a pet owner.

To begin with, smudges are more visible on brightly coloured surfaces such as red, blue, and green. 

Natalie  also recommend neutral hues like charcoal, olive, or brown for those who wish to go really dark. 

Scratches and smudges are less noticeable with these colours since they blend in. We also suggest a light white or cream colour so that you can quickly and easily touch up any blemishes that may occur.

The significance of using non-toxic dyes

To be sure you’re using paint that won’t damage your home, look at the label on every bottle you choose. 

While formulas based on natural components such as water, plant dyes, and essential oils are wonderful, they sometimes lack pigments with sufficient potency to make the colour stand out. 

The Do’s

1. Avoid Wall-wall Carpet.


Carpet acts as a sponge, soaking up unavoidable pet-related stains and odours as well as collecting pet hair. According to Sydney interior designer Neon Williams, who creates pet-friendly interiors for clients and keeps three cats at home, “I try to steer pet owners away from carpet.” “It’s challenging to stay clean. It’s a terrible concept.”

Choose a modest pile if you really must have carpet, she advises. “If there’s an accident, it’s simpler to clean.” A pet toenail can unravel continuous loop carpet by catching a single woven loop, so stay away from it.

2.Provide your pet with neat snacks and toys.


Dogs enjoy pig’s ears and rawhide bones, but Elias Saba believes it’s a poor idea to give them these treats. She explains that they are covered in nitrates and create oily stains on carpets and furnishings.

It is essential to provide your dog with a chew toy, or he may seek out a chair leg. Saba advises toys made of rubber, such as the Kong or the Super-Tough Rhino.

Saba an Interior Designer In Brisbane suggests, a wall-mounted scratching post and climbing tree for cats. It is a trendy, geometrically designed amalgamation of colourful metal and cardboard that provides a stylish alternative to carpeted scratching posts.

3. Match colours to the fur of your pet.

Your pet might serve as a source of inspiration when selecting room colours. The concrete floor should be painted the same shade of grey as your cat.

Cover your sofa with honey-coloured microfiber to complement your Cavoodle This is not simply an artistic tribute to your pet; it is also a functional one since their hair will be less noticeable.

Elisa Saba states, “If you put a white floor in a house with a black Lab, there will be black tumbleweeds everywhere.”

Elisa saba- Interior Designer

Elisa saba describes a Chicago artist whose Macaw prompted him to paint a room in her apartment a vibrant shade of Blue.

“The Macaw is reminded of his ancestral habitat in the jungle. The beautiful wall makes the bird considerably happier “she explains. She believes that painting walls white is both aesthetically and practically undesirable. “Let’s face it; when dogs are present, a white wall turns grey within a minute,” Elisa Saba explains that this forces you to be more imaginative and bold when selecting colours. “Pets provide you the chance to truly experiment with colour.”

Elisa Saba

4.Make Use of stain-resistant fabrics on your bed & couch


Don’t even think about a velvet couch or Velvet Arm chair, which attracts pet hair like a magnet. You should try Crypton, a synthetic fabric that is impervious to stains, odours, bacteria, and muddy paws..

Leather is a fantastic material because it is sturdy and simple to maintain. Scratches are all most pets can do to lower quality leather, but those scratches simply add character.

Feeling a twinge of guilt about buying an animal-based leather sofa for your pet? Pleather is a great alternative. It doesn’t harm animals, it’s not too pricey, and it will never go out of style.

Another option is Ultrasuede, a microfiber that is as soft and alluring as genuine suede but can be washed in the washing machine.

I can’t sing Ultrasuede’s praises loudly enough, says Elisa Saba . She reupholstered a vintage Heywood-Wakefield set from the 1950s in Ultrasuede and had a pair of pet beds built out of the leftover fabric. “It is lovely, and no matter the temperature outside, you will always feel comfortable inside. That’s vital for the happiness of both you and your pet.”

Ms. Saba

5.Regular baths and brushings are necessary for your pet.

If you take good care of your pet dog or cat, your home will stay cleaner for a longer period of time. Nails that have been filed down will not damage floors or upholstery.

Brushing and showering on a regular basis will remove any stray hair from your body so that it does not fall onto the floor, your bed, your throw pillows, or your curtains. If they do not need to be washed as frequently, upholstered goods and rugs will have a longer lifespan.

Consider this: it is more convenient and, in most cases, more enjoyable to clean your dog than it is to clean your upholstery.

6.Vaccum you Home on a regular basis

Even if your chaise and your Russian Blu cat are a wonderful match, you should still vacuum the hair off of the furniture at least twice a week. This is true even if the hairballs are barely noticeable. When your pet is shedding, you might need to vacuum their living space every day.

Pet hair has a distinct odour, and it also contains an oil that causes the fabric on which it is sitting to get dirtier. It is because of its remarkable capacity to suck up animal hair that the upright vacuum is called the Dyson DC14 Animal. She recommends that you purchase one.

Elisa adds that after you see the awful amounts of grime and hair the Dyson pulls up from your floors and furniture, you will wonder how you ever survived without it. The price is approximately $550, but Ms. saba believes you will wonder how you ever lived without it.

How do you keep your pet-friendly home fur-free?

When you have a dog or a cat, you should expect to see a lot of hair. The reality is that if you have a dog, you’ll have to deal with a lot of shedding.

Keeping a pet-friendly house fur-free is a difficult undertaking. However, there are a few things I do to keep it in check –

Once a day combing through his fur is a big help. Brush your pet’s fur thoroughly at least once a day for at least 10 minutes.

Once you’ve collected all of the stray fur, you’re good to go for the rest of the day.
Bath time can also be beneficial.

Make certain you’re using a shampoo that’s suitable with your Pet’s Fur. Preparing your pet’s coat an hour before bath time with oil is a good idea if you have the time.

After that, use a soft brush to remove any extra fur.

Do your best to get rid of any excess hair while they’re in the bath. For at least a few days, this keeps my house clean of pet dander.

pet Friendly vacuum cleaner is a better option than the traditional broom in this situation. It’s a bit pricey, but you’ll notice a significant improvement after using it. It removes all of the pet’s hair without moving it to a new location in the house.

Use a Dyson Animal handheld vacuum cleaner and tool attachments to dust often after removing pet hair from fabric furniture using a pet hair remover first. Wash your everyday clothes, as well as your cat’s bedding and blankets, frequently. Regular brushing of the cats will help to keep them hair-free as well.

These three strategies have helped me keep my house free of fur for a while now.

If you have a pet, you’ll always have fur. Everything in your home will be covered in fur — your couch, your bed, and even the laundry! For the sake of those adorable munchkins, though, we must let go of our grip on reality.

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Use a Dyson Animal handheld vacuum cleaner and tool attachments to dust often after removing pet hair from fabric furniture using a pet hair remover first. Wash your everyday clothes, as well as your cat's bedding and blankets, frequently. Regular brushing of the cats will help to keep them hair-free as well.

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01/06/2023 06:40 am GMT

What are the safest and most cat-friendly ornaments to put on a Christmas tree if you have cats?

I utilise decorations that are resistant to breaking. 

The fact that many of them are designed to look exactly like glass ornaments makes them a more aesthetically pleasing option than the plastic decorations that were popular in times gone by. 

There are other decorations that are not intended to seem like glass but yet are lovely, such as velvet-covered balls that are studded with jewels. 

It is best to steer clear of anything that might shatter in the event that the cat decides to knock it off the mantel or tree.

Final thoughts:

We all adore our dogs, but they can be difficult on our carpets in terms of wear and tear. 

Other than the inevitable mishaps, you should also be prepared for them to grab your carpet pile with their sharp claws and cause unsightly threads to be ripped. 

This depends on the sort of carpet or the Paint you’ve got. Your House can still be stylish with pets in it.

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