How to Make Your Garage Pet-Friendly

Your garage can serve many purposes—a place for your cars, a place for your tools, your equipment, your seasonal lawn care machinery, a place for shop projects, and extra storage.  For some homeowners, a garage is also a place for your pets.  However, if you don’t first prep your garage, it won’t be a safe place for your pets.  Because of everything else stored in your garage, your pets could be exposed to an unsafe environment.



With just a few adjustments and modifications, the transformation into a safe space for your animals can be a quick and simple fix.  Here’s how to transform your garage into a pet-friendly place:

Declutter

Garages tend to become cluttered, and with the typical items stored in a garage like chemicals, hazardous products, sharp tools, and potentially dangerous equipment, you’ll want to clear out the clutter before sending your pups to hang out there. Decluttering is something you should strive to do regardless, and it will allow your pet ample room to move around.  Keeping your garage space open and clear of collected stuff will make navigating it easier and require less work from you in the future.

Store Hazardous Chemicals Properly

Perhaps the most dangerous part of keeping pets in a garage that isn’t properly prepped for their stay is the chemicals that are usually stored.  Not only are these chemicals dangerous for your pets, but they’re also dangerous for humans.  All chemicals should be stored safely in the garage. Some products will have instructions on their labeling for correct storage.  Materials like paint or certain types of cleaners will need to be stored in appropriate temperatures, otherwise too extreme of temperatures will ruin their composition and you won’t be able to use them again.  Read each manufacturer label thoroughly when organizing your garage’s chemicals for storage. The best place to store hazardous chemicals is in cabinets mounted on the wall.  This way, your pets (or kids) can’t reach or access them.  Make sure these cabinets have latches or locks.  Although you shouldn’t leave your pets unsupervised in the garage, there may be a few moments when you can’t keep your eyes on them.  With chemicals being stored safely up and out of the way, you’ll at least rest assured that your pets cannot get into them.

Use Airtight Storage

Keeping your garage pet-friendly is good for your pets and good for your garage.  Airtight storage will prevent your pet from getting into things like food being stored in the garage, but it will also keep out unwanted pests and critters.  Mice, rats, and bugs will make your garage their home too if food is easily accessible.  You don’t want pests infiltrating your garage because it can be dangerous for both you and your pet. Keep all food items stored in containers that have an airtight seal.  Periodically check any containers that store food to make sure they aren’t cracked or damaged.  If your containers show signs of wear and tear, replace them right away.  Protecting your pets from overeating and unwanted pests will make your garage a pet-friendly place.

Tuck Away Tools

The garage is a place to keep your tools, but if you don’t carefully store them, your pets could easily hurt themselves.  Sharp tools like saw blades, knives, scissors or pruners, gardening tools, and any tool that has a sharp edge can be a threat to pets if they’re not stored up and out of the way.  Keep in mind that tools that aren’t put away could also fall and hurt your pet, too. Use a corkboard and vertically hang your tools to take advantage of wall space if your garage is on the smaller side.  You can also purchase garage storage cabinets and store your tools in latched or locked cabinets and drawers.  Your tools don’t have to be sharp to potentially harm your pets, but if they’re put away out of reach, you won’t need to worry about anything accidentally falling or hurting your pets.

Keep it Clean

Sure, your pets don’t have as high of standards in where they hang out as us humans do, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t keep your garage clean and organized.  Sweep your garage regularly so your pets aren’t exposed to dirt, grime, and debris.  Garages can get dirty very quickly and that means your pets will, too.  Once in a while, power wash your garage floor and remove oil stains.

Make it Comfy

Make an area for them that contains a dog bed, crate, blankets, or other safe space so they can be comfortable in the garage.  Garages tend to have hard concrete or epoxy flooring and if your pets spend an afternoon in the garage, you’ll want them to be able to rest. Sometimes organizing your garage isn’t enough and you can’t repair damages. That’s when it’s time for a new garage and Danley’s is here to help. We have been building garages for Chicago homeowners since 1959. Get a free quote now and start your garage building project today.