With their furry little faces and unconditional love, you can’t help but treat your pets like one of your own—that is, until they destroy your favorite rug while you’re away at work. While many pet owners inevitably let their homes go to the dogs (literally), there are easy ways to combine style and function to create a pet-friendly home that’s suitable for both you and your animals.
Area rugs are easily one of the most destroyed elements of a home. However, there are plenty of pet-proof options that can fit any owner's needs and aesthetics, from indoor/outdoor styles to designs that require little to no maintenance. Let’s take a look at some elements of our favorite area rugs that will never have you guessing if you can ever have “nice things” again.
1. Indoor/Outdoor Rugs
One of our favorite ways to keep your home Fido-friendly yet stylish is by using indoor/outdoor rugs inside. These rugs work double duty. Not only do they keep carpeted floors clear of debris and stains, but they come in interior-worthy prints and add a touch of style to your space. Outdoor rugs can be easily washed and mask elements like muddy paw tracks and grass better than a traditional area rug. They’re also made for durability and can handle more hearty cleaning methods like scrubbing and bleaching (depending on the rug material). Place one in high traffic areas like the entryway, as well as near where your pet eats, too.
2. Pet-Friendly Materials
Choosing pet-friendly materials for your area rug will make all the difference in durability and function. Stick with polyester blend, nylon and wool area rugs. These materials are relatively easy to clean and will look good as new after a messy mix-up. Polyester blend area rugs are wonderful at stain repellency, and wool and nylon rugs follow soon after. Synthetic fibers like polyester and nylon are also budget-conscious options, so if Fido utterly destroys your area rug, it can easily be replaced. Wool area rugs are a wonderful natural fiber option, but will come with a slightly higher price tag.
3. Lively Patterns
Going for an area rug with a lively pattern will not only add “oomph” to any space, it will also make it easier to mask stains and pet “oops.” Large-print and solid rugs will make stains much easier to spot, so stick with geometric or intricately patterned rugs to draw attention toward the design and away from dirty paw prints. We love the look of this busy rug. It adds a stylish pattern to the space but is still functional enough for furry friends.
4. Low-Pile Rugs
We all love the feeling of high-pile rugs with lots of texture to sink our toes into, like sheepskin and shag rugs. Unfortunately, so do our pets, who tend to gravitate towards plush rugs to burrow and dig their paws into. Wide-looped strands of those beautifully fluffy rugs can be easily hooked by kitty claws and puppy nails, so stick to low-pile rugs to avoid potential destruction. Cut-pile rugs are another alternative. Because the rug material is cut, not looped, you won’t have to worry about pets fluffing your new area rug any time soon.
Which area rugs do you and your pet love?
