October 2021

If you live at Erie Station Village, you already know how to choose a pet-friendly apartment. But do you know how to choose a pet-friendly rug? We have suggestions for rugs that are easier to clean, durable, and still look great – as well as rugs to avoid.

To be pet-friendly, a rug needs to be able to stand up to a lot. Muddy paws, long nails, playtime, and the inevitable accident will all affect a rug in different ways. Picking the right one means paying attention to materials, color or design, and pile.

Materials

• Synthetic rugs. Look for materials like polypropylene, nylon, or polyester. They are durable and easier to keep clean because stains can’t permeate into the fiber
• Wool rugs. Wool rugs are durable, soft, and very long-lasting. The downside is that they are harder to clean and more expensive than synthetic materials.
• Indoor/outdoor rugs. Since they’re made to withstand the outdoors, they can easily stand up to your pet. However, they won’t be as soft or attractive as other options.

Pile

• Pile refers to the density of fibers in a rug and it also correlates to the height of the fibers. Low pile is usually shorter, more densely packed fibers. High pile is longer, looser fibers. And if you guessed that low pile rugs are better for pets, you’d be right. While long pile rugs feel luxurious, they hold dirt and fur in a way that makes them hard to clean.

Color and design

• Patterns. Busy or small patterns hide fur better, if your pet is a shedder. And while you hope to never have a lingering stain, they hide those better too.
• Colors. If your pet sheds, try to choose a color that’s in the same family as your pet’s fur. In the very least, go with dark rugs for a dark colored pet and light rugs for a lighter colored pet.

What to avoid

• Tassels or fringe. They can dress up the edges of a rug nicely, but many dogs and cats think they’re toys to chew or tug.
• Jute and sisal rugs. While durable and less expensive, they’re highly absorbent. That makes them hard to clean and deodorize.
• Silk rugs. They’re elegant, but far too delicate for pet owners.