Top Tips to Protect Your Floors During the Holiday Season
It’s that time of year again: the holidays. Cooking, baking, dinners, and get togethers with family and friends. All of us are preparing for a stream of visitors, and we look forward to it each year. It’s the season that includes parties, gift exchanges, and multiple vacations and cold weather that keep us and the kids in the house much more often.
So it’s a good time to think about protecting your floors from all of that added foot traffic; it doesn’t take long for spills and scuffs to add up. But regardless of the type of flooring you have — carpets, vinyl, laminates, or hardwood — we’ve got you covered with this handy list of universal tips to help keep your floors in tip-top shape. So you’ll be celebrating the New Year under the mistletoe with no worries.
- Boot Trays: Boot trays are designed as a place where boots and shoes can be stored, right after walking in the door. Trays keep water and dirt from getting on the floor. This is especially important during rainy and snowy days. Boot trays can also be incredibly artistic and rustic additions to a foyer or entrance hall: boxes crafted of carved woods, for example. But an old, thick towel or plastic storage container works just as well, in a pinch.
- Remove Shoes: The best way to save your flooring from intense foot traffic is to have guests and family remove their shoes upon entering the home. If you’re going to have a large dinner party or family get together, this is especially important. It’s a good idea to let your invited guests know this ahead of time though. Or you could even incorporate shoe-removal into the party itself, by passing out holiday slippers or socks.
- Doormats: Everyone loves a quality doormat, and they come in a wide variety of colors, designs, and materials. Many use doormats as part of the décor, but their original purpose serves as a place for people to wipe their feet, keeping dirt and water away from your floors. For the holidays, consider switching out your purely decorative doormats for more serviceable varieties that you don’t mind tossing away, once the season is over. It’s also a good idea to double up at each door too: one doormat outside and one inside. And though you want to make sure your doormats don’t slip and slide too much, avoid rubber-backed doormats if you have wood flooring. Trapped water can do serious damage to hardwood floors.
- Rugs: Area rugs and runners work as an extra protective layer between foot traffic and floor surfaces, and they can be placed anywhere. But the best places to set area rugs and runners are in high traffic areas: bathrooms, dining rooms (for dinner parties), and hallways.
- Tree Trays: Christmas trees can do a real number on your flooring if you’re not careful. Keep in mind that your tree sits for weeks, and this can be a problem if you’re not prepared. Use a tree tray and be sure to be careful when watering live trees. Always clean up splashes and spills immediately.
- Pets: Keep your pets’ nails trimmed to avoid damage to your floors. If you have guest pets, please ask their owners to do the same. Remember that having multiple guests can sometimes make your pets more excited than usual, so pet accidents will happen. Just be sure to clean up any spills or accidents immediately.
- Clean Frequently: Dust and debris acts like sandpaper on linoleum, vinyl, and hardwood floors. Be sure and sweep your floors frequently during the holidays to keep sand and grit from building up.
Contact the SMART Carpet and Flooring Expert
If you’ve got a flooring renovation job planned before the holidays, it’s a great idea to call an expert before you get started — especially if you have any questions. We have years of experience, and we can offer tips to save you extra time and money.
If you’re in the Tri-State area, call SMART Carpet and Flooring at 1-800-526-RUGS (7847) for more information or advice. Our highly qualified specialists can bring our mobile showroom right to your house, at a time that is most convenient for you.
Call now to schedule an appointment!