Pets are your best friends…until they aren’t. Between ripped carpet, scratched walls, torn furniture, and chewed-up possessions, your cuddly pet can cause a whole ‘lotta destruction.
However, there are precautions you can take to protect your pets and belongings. By pet-proofing your home, you can ensure the safety of your furry friends and your tangible possessions. Luckily for you, pet-proofing is easy, accessible, and super simple. From the living room to the back yard, here are some essential pet-proofing hacks, your home (and your pet) will thank you.
Living Room
Perhaps one of the most used rooms in your abode, the living room may be home to some of your most expensive possessions: your television set, couches, toys, and anything else used for entertainment. Thus, pet-proofing this area is extraordinarily important:
- Put electronic devices away in a drawer or a high shelf to restrict access
- Pet-proof furniture with anti-scratch tape or plastic/fabric covering to protect it from damage
- Wrap electrical cords in electric tape to avoid chew-through breaking
- Use pee-pads or protective carpet to make potty-training clean-up easy
Kitchen
Due to the smells and easy access to food, the kitchen is probably your pet’s favorite place to be. However, between trash, harmful foods, appliances, and sharp utensils, the kitchen can be a pretty dangerous place for pets. That’s why it’s essential to implement these pet-proof tools:
- Add a gate to the doorway to keep pets out
- Cover or fill gaps between cabinets and appliances
- Add a stove guard to avoid appliance-related mishaps
- Cover trash cans and recycling bins with lids
- Hide harmful foods and cleaning supplies in cabinets or high shelves
Bathroom
Just because your pet-pal can’t use the toilet, doesn’t mean that this room can go without pet-proofing. Your floors, toilet paper, and hygiene products can be subject to the adventurous nature of a pet. Not to mention, cleaning supplies and hair accessories can be a complete health hazard to pets. To ensure the safety of your pet and your bathroom, there are a few necessary steps to take.
- Put away hair accessories like ponytails to avoid choking
- Store toilet paper in a cabinet when not in use
- Move medications to a locked cabinet or high shelf
- Always remember to shut the toilet lid!
Bedroom
It’s important to keep your personal space clean, organized, and free of extra stressors like chewed-up belongings and furniture. While pre-bed snuggles with your pet are a necessity, it’s even more important to keep them and your space safe.
- Close your closet door to protect clothes and other belongings
- Cover charging cables in electric tape
- Keep items off of the floor: pillows, linens, clothing, and shoes
Garage
Your garage is probably home to many of the extra items you didn’t have space for inside. Along with bikes, cars, tools, and other miscellaneous items, the garage can be a very dangerous place for your pet. But don’t sacrifice your storage, there’s plenty of ways to pet-proof this space.
- Keep the door to the entrance and the garage door shut when not in use
- Store tools and sharp objects in pet-proof containers and cabinets
- Put toxic cleaning supplies and chemicals away in cabinets and locked storage spaces
- Remove mouse traps and other harmful tools
Yard
Finally, your pet’s all-time favorite place deserves some pet-proofing too. With long days of playing fetch and bonding with your furry friend, it is important to keep your yard as safe and secure as possible.
- Install a quality fence or repair/update your existing one
- Clean up waste and dispose of it regularly
- Never let pets out unsupervised for long periods of time
- Block off access to electrical units or other dangerous outdoor appliances
- Put away tools and lawn equipment when not in use