Ways to Pet Proof Your New Home

Published: September 01, 2015

If you have pets, then you are already aware that they have the ability to make a house feel more like a home. But pets have a bad habit of making messes and not cleaning up after themselves and are often the biggest cause of recreational damage in homes. Since it’s easier to prevent damage rather than repair it, we suggest starting with preventative measures when you move into your new home to keep it looking as new as possible for as long as possible.

Here are a few tips to help minimize the damage pets are prone to in order to keep your property from decreasing in value:

Proper Training

Dogs and cats can be trained to alleviate bad, damaging behaviors. Focus on rewarding your pets for proper behavior so they learn the best way to behave. Be patient, as it can take a little time for animals to learn!

Protect Your Furniture

Furniture is often the first object of your pet’s attack. Plastic or fabric furniture covers are an easy, cheap investment if you have new furniture or plan to keep your furniture looking somewhat new for a few years. When purchasing new furniture, look for materials that are easy to clean, like microfiber. We recommend avoiding leather since it is easily scratched, and not so easily repaired.

Keep Up With The Cleaning

If you’re regularly keeping up with cleaning chores—mopping, sweeping, vacuuming, and dusting—you’ll significantly reduce the amount of built-up damage a pet can do over time. Getting your carpets cleaned once or twice a year works wonders in removing lingering pet stains or odors.

Fence It In.

If your yard doesn’t have a fence, consider adding one. If you do have a fence, be sure to inspect it periodically to ensure that your pet hasn’t done any major damage to it. Remember, it’s much easier to fix something while it’s small & insignificant small than to it is to let it get out of control and have to replace it completely.

Prevent Future Damage.

Invest objects that will help protect your home in order to avoid expensive fixes later on down the road. Area rugs are great for covering up harder to clean carpets or hardwood floors in order to prevent your pet from doing expensive and lasting damage to those hard to repair items. Add non-slip rugs to entryways to prevent tracked-in dirt that can stain. Apply adhesive scratch protectors that shield doors and walls from the incessant scratching of dogs and cats. Be sure to keep all fragile objects out of easy reach of your pet’s paws or body so that you don’t come home to broken glass or knocked over plants!