Christmas season typically means more visitors, more trips in and out of the house and cold, snowy weather. And while this may increase the festive spirit, it can also be detrimental to the floors that are supporting all the excess traffic. In order to reduce the impact of Christmas activities on your flooring, we’ve put together this list of three tips for protecting your flooring during the holiday season.
Use Doormats
Especially during inclement weather, doormats are the primary defence against floor damage. Make sure to use two doormats per door – one on the outside and one on the inside. This will allow you and your visitors to wipe off any moisture and dirt from your shoes twice before you even set foot on the floor. And while doormats will trap a lot of the particles that can scratch and damage your floors, it’s also important to clean them often. Vacuuming or beating the dirt out of your doormats will reduce the amount of dust and debris that gets inside your house and onto your floors.
Increase Your Floor Maintenance Schedule
With increased foot traffic, it’s important to increase the amount of floor maintenance you perform. If you’re typically sweeping or vacuuming once a week, you may want to increase that to two or three times a week, or even daily, if you have a lot more visitors. Removing excess dirt and grit from the floors will reduce the chances of them being scratched or prematurely worn down.
Ask Guests To Remove Their Shoes
In some parts of the country, removing shoes before entering the house isn’t an automatic thing. If you have new flooring that you’re hoping to protect, the holiday season isn’t a bad time to ask your guests to remove their shoes when entering your house. Most people will understand that you don’t want snow and dirt tracked into your home. You can make things a bit more comfortable by supplying a basket of slippers for your guests to wear if they choose.
