How to enjoy Christmas without ruining your floor (and your life)

Published: December 23, 2015

Christmas time and the party season that surrounds it is abundant with cheer, drinks, food, family, friends and sometimes headaches. While there is no great cure for over-indulgence, painful in-laws or sugar-high children, there certainly is a cure for saving your floors during this time. While your floors deserve to be looked after all year round, at Christmas they tend to require particular TLC. Consider the following flooring tips for floor care while enjoying your Christmas pudding.

Carpet

While you may be caught up in all the fun, don’t forget to attend to any spills straight away. When Great-Aunt Margaret spills her fourth brandy, make sure to clean it up as soon as possible. Remove any residue with a cloth before gently blotting the area from the outside in. Never scrub any spills.
Once the party’s over, run a vacuum over the areas which have any loose dust or grit. Regular vacuuming ensures the longevity of your carpet as dirt can accelerate wear of your flooring. Turning on the vacuum is also a great way to prompt any unwanted remaining guests to leave.
If you’re unsure how to clean a particular spill on your carpet, follow our handy cleaning guide in the link below. Several attempts of cleaning a spill unsuccessfully can cause more harm than good and each incident may require a different solution.
A full carpet care guide can be found here.

Wooly Native Elegance Kakadu Plum 1250x845

Native Elegance in "Kakadu Plum"

Hard flooring

Don’t be afraid to state the rules to your guests from the front door. Shoes, particularly stiletto heels can create a lot of dents and damage to your timber floors. Ask your guests to remove them before entering. While they look pretty, heels are floorboards worst nightmare. We always like to suggest a doormat too for all external entrances. This lessens any dirt transferring into the house and scratching the floors.
Never drag furniture across the floor. While creating the impromptu Beyoncé dance floor, make sure to find some friends to help lift the furniture into place to avoid any furniture and flooring damage.
High traffic areas such as hallways often benefit from carpet runners to lessen the wear and tear. Just warn the kids to be careful not to trip when they transform the hallway into their temporary cricket pitch. Make sure not to use rubber-based mats as they can damage the floor further, particularly if they are bamboo.
Similar to a carpet, prompt response to any spills is the best way to avoid long term damage. So when Great-Aunt Margaret and her brandy strikes again, use a damp cloth straight away to mop up her accident. Never use oils, soaps or detergents on your floors, they can cause more harm than good.

loosely longboard mountain spotted gum dining room black framed windows

LooseLay Longboard in "Mountain Spotted Gum"

Vinyl

If spills occur on a vinyl surface, mop up with a dry cloth, or a slightly dampened one if the spills are sticky (i.e. a gin and tonic or little Charlie’s lemonade). Like any hard surface, spills can become slip hazards and end in a nasty fall. No-one likes a trip to the hospital, especially on a stomach full of prawns and turkey!
Like timber floors, adopt a no-shoe policy. While your guests may think you’re being fussy, your floors will thank you. If they really kick up a stink about taking their shoes off, perhaps they will be off next year’s invite list….
For further vinyl care tips click here.

Disclaimer: In some states of Australia, the building regulations for Vinyl Planks, Vinyl Tiles and Hybrid flooring varies. Meaning they may not be suitable for areas requiring water resistance, such as bathrooms and toilets. We advise to always ask your local Flooring Xtra store for the correct advice regarding the local regulations. We also advise to follow the manufacturer’s recommended installation instructions and guidelines, not following the instructions could make the product not fit for purpose, for the area it’s being installed into and void your product warranty. To ensure you get the appropriate product for those areas, please contact your local Flooring Xtra store.

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From inspiration to installation and beyond, Flooring Xtra are here to help. If you’re uncertain what product will work best in your home or fit your budget the team are delighted to assist. Choosing new flooring is a big decision so whether it’s hard flooring or carpet you’re looking for, know that Flooring Xtra will have the perfect option for you! VISIT your nearest store