Everyone loves the dining area simply because that’s where all the food is! Kids and pets are the most common visitors of the dining area and although we do love them, they tend to leave behind gigantic messes that take hours to clean.
Most of us have a long to-do list on a daily basis and the last thing we want is to see peanut butter splattered all over the kitchen walls. So, here are 8 tips that can keep the dining area looking spotless, all the time, every time.
1. Safety Gates
Image Credit: Naver.comThis is the simplest solution to all the possible kitchen nightmares that could happen. These gates are pretty easy to install and operate. They safely keep out kids and pets, without having to yell at them at every two-minute intervals.
2. Oil-Based Paint
Image Credit: ArchideaphotoThis is an absolute lifesaver. Just imagine coming home to splats of ketchup all over your wall. But, you’re unfazed because they just come right off with a spritz of warm water and a wipe over. Oil-based paints make it harder for stains to stick onto the paint coating, leaving you with a clean dining area wall, 24/7.
3. Flat-Weave Rugs
Image Credit: Rugscenter.comPets are known for their scratching and cats are exceptionally notorious for this. Rugs that have wider, loopy weave tend to hook fairly easily to pet claws and cause pilling in no time. Flat weaves, however, take a lot more time for your pets to scratch through and they’d be to busy with those to try and scratch anything else.
4. Wooden/Tile Flooring
Image Credit: Houselogic.comHaving kids and pets definitely means that your wall to wall carpet in the dining area is bound to take a few hits. The better option would be to go for wood or tile flooring, which are way easier to clean. You could always have a few rugs here and there, that conveniently go into the washing machine when they seem like they might need a round of laundering.
5. Wooden Shutters
Image Credit: Outlandscigar.comCurtains look great in the kitchen but curious kids and prowling pets don’t let them stay great for a long time. Cats are known to climb on curtains and inadvertently damage them while kids tend to use them as hand-towels. Wooden shutters not only add a natural look to the dining area, they also a breeze to clean.
High-Cabinets
Image Credit: Houzz.comThese help keep things out of reach from kids and pets, especially flammable and toxic items you might have in the kitchen or dining area. Plus, storing items away give you a more polished look. You could also use these cabinets to hide treats from greedy little paws and fingers.
6. Kid & Pet-Friendly Fabric Covers
Image Credit: Harveysfurniture.co.ukNot all dining furniture were made equal, and when you have the upholstered chairs it’s usually a nightmare to clean – unless you have slipcovers for them.
Machine-washable fabric covers are thus a blessing when you have messy eaters. Even pet hair from pets on food foraging trips to the kitchen comes off leather and velvet slipcovers fairly easily with a lint roller and some vacuum power. Get your custom dining chair slipcovers here for a more strategically protected dining area.
7. Natural Deterrent Spray
Image Credit: Videoblocks.comJust spray these indoors and on furniture to keep your pets from clawing through everything you have in the house. Be sure to choose ones made from all-natural ingredients and without any chemical additives. You can easily find plant-based ones at your local hardware store. Now, if only they made one that worked on kids too.
8. Colour Coordinate
Image Credit: Mydecorative.comThe easiest way to clean up a mess is to hide it. And what better way to mask the unending bouts of pet hair than to colour coordinate with your pet. If your dining area is more prone to muddy paws and dirty hands, you might want to opt for darker colours for your dining table and chair covers to help conceal stains.
Bonus : DIY Rope Scratching Posts
Image Credit: Pinterest.comPet toys and scratching posts are all fine and well but they don’t necessarily go with your decor. Some DIY spirit and tons of rope could get you a budget-friendly scratching post in no time. Just securely wind a length of rope or twine around pipes or table legs and voila! They double as insulators for your heating pipes (especially from curious little hands) too.
Phew, All Done!
There. We’ve compiled all the dining area hacks that we could think of to keep grubby hands and paws from wreaking havoc in the kitchen. We hope that with these 8 tips, we’ve made life in the dining area much simpler for both you and your kids (and furkids).
Did we miss any of your favorite dining area hacks? Let us know in the comments below!