Best Carpet for Pets
Chloe and Cooper...two of our more active children!
I received the following question over the weekend and thought it might provide some answers to all of us with animals that are more than just pets, more like family members. Here are two of our guys who are part of our “active” test team for carpet and upholstery!
Question: Al, I have five dogs and five cats (I’m a sucker for stray animals), and as you can imagine my carpet takes a beating. Which brand and style (pile and cut) of carpet would be best for ware(heavy traffic) and hiding dirt and hair?
Thanks, Michelle
Answer: Michelle, we're dog lovers, too! Right now, we're down to only three dogs and one cat, all members of the family with full range of the house. Our suggestion would be a lower pile friese (think low pile shag), and maybe something in a fleck pattern (using the color combination to help hide dirt between cleanings). Given the pet situation, we would also suggest you consider a Stainmaster carpet pad under your carpet. The Stainmaster pad has an anti-microbial treatment as well as a moisture barrier to help prevent liquids, including urine, from soaking into the pad (which is impossible to clean completely because of its foam characteristics).
On the carpet fiber, you have two primary choices: nylon and PET (polyester). Nylon has traditionally been a longer wearing, more durable fiber but is a little less tolerant of stains. Having said that, today's anti-stain treatments have come a long way. Polyester, on the other hand, is generally a softer fiber and is naturally more stain resistant than nylon. We don't think you should rule out either without looking at the options they both offer.
One final thought in terms of a specific product is that you consider the Bliss Healthy Essence line of carpet from Beaulieu. The Bliss Healthy Essence line features Magic Fresh which is an odor fighting treatment built right into the carpet fiber, a real plus if pet odors are a problem. Bliss Healthy Essence also features Silver Release technology, which like Magic Fresh, is built into the carpet fiber. Silver release is a Beaulieu patented technology which actually kills bacteria making it an anti-microbial product just like the Stainmaster pad. You can see more about Bliss carpets at www.blissflooring.com.
And don't forget professional cleaning. All of our major carpet manufacturer's recommend professional hot water extraction cleaning at least once a year. In your case, as with our dogs, we clean a little more frequently than that. You can find out more about professional cleaning at www.SteamaticOfColumbus.com. 
I hope this helps! Al
Have a question concerning your next carpet or flooring project? Click to email direct.
