You Better Watch Out

We have been talking about your floors the past few months, but we have not discussed the abuse our floors take during the holiday season and the hazards of the winter months. Harwood flooring is like our “high maintenance” child. They require a little more time and a little more care. At this time of year, we are all familiar with the phrase, “You better watch out!” Well, this pertains to our floors also! Listed below are some of the things we should keep in mind during the wintery months.
Rock salt is something we use to help melt the snow outside. We need it outside, however we should be very careful with rock salt coming into our homes. If we should happen to have a White Christmas, rock salt is like the abominable snowman in the Rudolph story and our floors are its victims. Harsh chemicals that do not melt and stick to the bottom of boots or shoes can damage the finish, quickly leaving it dull and spotty. It is important to remove shoes and use walk off mats. By taking these precautions, we can avoid rock salt hazards!
Excited pets. During the holidays, we may have more guests coming over and furniture may be re-arranged so that we can put our trees up. All of these things can be upsetting to “man’s or woman’s best friend.” Be careful to pay close attention to any and all pet accidents. Getting to pet accidents right away is very beneficial for our floors, as bacteria forms within 24 hours and can damage our floors’ finish. So our best advice is to be aware of pets sniffing around, and wipe up quickly!
Oh Christmas tree! Water is the enemy of hardwood floors. Many flooring products such as hardwood, pre-finished boards and laminates can all be damaged by water. Many of us have artificial trees, but for those of us with the great smelling, beautiful, fresh cut trees, water is essential to keeping our trees looking healthy and fresh during the Christmas season. Several things can be done to prevent any water from causing damage. Place a piece of plastic covering down with a mat on the top where the tree stand can comfortably sit. This can prevent spills from getting to our flooring. A fresh cut Christmas tree makes our homes smell so good!
Everyone’s welcome! Christmas and New Year’s Eve parties are so much fun – family gatherings and great food are in the air! To protect our floors, don’t forget to clean walk off mats at entrances and once again get to spills quickly. When the party is over, dry mopping is recommended. Hard surfaces should then get a good cleaning with floor spray and a terry cloth mop. Carpeted areas in the home should be vacuumed; this can extend the life of carpets. Protecting our flooring investments is something we can take into the New Year with confidence!
Foglio’s Flooring Center wants to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! We hope you enjoy your holidays and your flooring!