Pets And The Threat To Your Wood Floor
They are part of the family. When you open up your home to your furry friends, that bond formed with them lasts all through their lives. However, that doesn’t mean that things will always be peachy. Being a pet owner, you will inevitably deal with messes being made on the floor at one time or another. Those urine stains stick out like a sore thumb, forming a spot that ruins the elegance of the floors. Then there is the odour itself, which permeates in the different rooms, affecting the comfort of the occupants. The floor cleaning measures needed when dealing with urine stains are different from the regular dirt removal processes. Let’s expound on what these situations mean for your floor.
The Trouble With Urine Stains
The acidic nature of pet urine causes it to discolour the floors, leaving behind dark stains. Now, for the pet in question, the odour from this spot may cause them to take it to be their go-to area for relieving themselves. Repeated urination on the same section causes more damage to the wood tissue.
The conventional household cleaners don’t have the power needed to get rid of the spot. Here, formulations ranging from existing agents to enzyme cleaners are required. Note that you can’t just go sloshing ammonia or vinegar onto the spot. Sure, these popular formulations for other household cleaning tasks come with a strong aroma, but that won’t be enough to deal with the urine odour – and it also risks damaging the wood floor. Remember that the wood is a highly sensitive structure when it comes to the kind of chemicals that can be safely used on it.
In case of extensive damage to the wood – especially where a long time has passed without the required floor cleaning being carried out, in turn allowing the urine to seep deeper into the wood tissue, a round of floor sanding and refinishing will be required. Speaking of which, one of the protective measures required against the pet urine stains is treating the installation with a quality polyurethane finish. This is to provide a barrier that prevents the urine from soaking into the wood structure. This is not a replacement for the thorough floor cleaning. It just serves to buy you time to carry out the required measures after the urine accident has occurred, and protect the underlying wood.
Dealing With the Underlying Problem
Of course, in addition to the floor cleaning, you’ll need to address why your furry friend is peeing in the house. This can be due to a myriad of issues, including:
- House-training not complete
This usually affects the young pups and new pets in the home, where they have yet to fully grasp the house training. It can take a while, but during this time additional measures can be taken to protect your floor. For instance, whenever you leave the room and the puppy will be alone, consider putting it in a dog crate with a metal or plastic bottom to prevent leakages onto the floor. Pre-empting urine accidents by setting up regular breaks to take the puppy outside before they get an urge to pee in the house will also help them learn that they need to be outside when relieving themselves. For those moments where you see your pup peeing in the house, you can pause them mid-steam and rush them out. Don’t forget to praise the pup afterwards for completing the task outside, as part of the positive reinforcement during house-training.
- Urinary tract problems
When your pet starts relieving themselves in the house – even after proper training, it could be a pointer to a urinary tract infection. It’s one of the most common health problems affecting dogs – but you will need to visit the vet to confirm. Most of the urinary tract problems can be addressed with supplements, medication or even having dietary changes.
- Incontinence & Additional Health Issues
Incontinence typically affects the senior dogs. Your furry friend “leaking” those urine puddles on the floor during naps can indicate that your pet is losing control over their bladder.
Other health issues that can cause urine accidents include diabetes, kidney disease as well as Cushing’s disease. Testing is required here to identify and deal with the underlying cause.
- Behavioural problems
These are diverse. It can be dogs marking their territory. You may have brought over a new pet and the resident dog felt intimidated. The pet may experience stressful situations, including those with separation anxiety – like when they are left alone in the house. Changes in the environment of the pet – addition of a family member, departure or loss of one, heavy disturbances from nearby construction projects – can all affect the dog.
Stopping your dog from urinating in the house is a priority. This takes different measures, from retraining your pet, giving your pup more potty breaks outside, identifying the trigger when it comes to the behavioural problems, all through to meditation when it is a health issue. With that covered, next is dealing with the stains that have been formed on the floor.
Bogged Down By Pet Urine Problems?
Don’t fret. We’re here for you. Get professional floor clearing services that include removal of pet urine stains that are on the installation. Having been in the building care and maintenance industry for years, you can rest assured that you’re dealing with qualified professionals – with the ratings, reviews and testimonials to back it up. We have invested heavily in the training of our personnel to keep them up to date with the latest in floor cleaning technologies to deal with those dirt problems and stubborn spots – including the frustrating urine stains, without putting the structural integrity of the underlying floor at risk. The formulations used break down the stains, and neutralise the odours – so you won’t have to worry about those stenches recurring. What’s more, you get professional advice specific to your particular situation, with the measures you can put in place to further protect your wood floor while making your pet comfortable in the space.
