Let’s face it, Christmas can be rough on your home. There are decorations to go up, more items to squash in, and people coming and going like a revolving door. Kids (and grownups) will spill things, the tree will shed needles everywhere, and mud will get tracked in whether you like it or not. And if you’ve just had your floors professionally cleaned or replaced, it can be heartbreaking to see them worn in, dirtied up or damaged. So to save your sanity this festive season, we have a few tips to help you protect your flooring and keep it clean.
Underneath The Tree
Putting a mat or spare piece of carpet under the tree might not seem the most festive option, but it can be a saviour for your floors. If you have wood flooring or laminate flooring then this can stop the heavy tree and base from scratching the floor, and for carpets it can decrease the likelihood of dents you need to try and get rid of. Plus, you can buy tree mats in a variety of festive finishes, or cover them up with a tree ‘skirt’ if you want to keep the Christmas spirit in every detail.
Dance with the Vacuum
ESPECIALLY if you have a real tree. Pine trees will shed their needles throughout the Christmas period, and these will end up sitting on your floor for quite a while. Not only are they quite unpleasant to stand on and present a choking hazard for pets and small people, but they can also cause damage to your flooring. They are sharp enough to scratch laminate, lino and wood, and on carpets they can leave a stubborn green stain, especially if they’ve been trodden in a bit before they get swept up. Even if you have a wooden floor and would normally sweep, we recommend using a vacuum around the tree, as needles can get stuck in bevels and bristles and just end up being moved around the house otherwise.
Doormat Delights
Doormats are great things – our first line of defence against all the mud and dirt outside, keeping it away from our nice clean inside. And at Christmas time, on top of mud you also have snow, ice and salt from the paths and roads, none of which you want on your floors! But if you’ve had the same doormat for a while, then odds are it’s not doing its job the way it should anymore. Doormats get less effective as time goes on and they get worn in, so if you want to protect your home from extra dirt, get yourself a nice festive doormat.
Don’t Be A Drag
There will likely be a lot of moving around of furniture as people get comfy, shift spaces throughout dinner or decide they need to create an impromptu dance floor in the living room. All of this is great, but if you drag furniture like chairs and tables across the floor then it could cause a lot of damage. So get your guess to help you lift and move bigger furniture, and for things like dining chairs you can fit protective pads or cups to the feet that will stop any damage – and those horrible screechy noises!
No Shoes, No Problem!
Shoes bring in dirt and grit and road salt, all of which can scratch and damage your floor. Not to mention the fact that those glitzy numbers we pull out of the wardrobe for the festive season are pretty hard on wood floors, and can end up leaving dents in softer woods before you realise it. So when cousin Tracy comes in wearing her spiky high heels, kindly ask her to leave them by the front door.
And if your floor doesn’t quite survive Christmas and New Year unscathed? It might be time to replace it in 2025. At Warson Flooring we specialise in all kinds of flooring options for every space, taste and budget. To take a look at our range, just click on our online flooring showroom or get in touch with the team today to talk through your ideas.