10 tips for protecting your floors this winter

10 tips for protecting your floors this winter


Winter is hard on all kinds of floors: hardwood, carpet, laminate, vinyl. Between all the snow, ice, gravel, and all the other “stuff” that comes with winter, wet feet (and paws) can do quite the number on your home. You know what we’re talking about: floor stains, damage, warping, and all the other damage from the elements. The good news is that all that damage is preventable—if you use these tips to protect your floors this winter.

Put rugs by all your doors.


Adding mats by all your doors is a simple and effective way to keep the snow and water puddles off your floors. If you have wood or laminate floors, stop at your local flooring store to find out if you need to put a protective pad under your mat to minimize scratches. Mats also prove to be a relief for homeowners with carpet so water and winter mud doesn’t cause stains and cleaning headaches.

Wipe up puddles and spills right away.


If any snow does make it past your mats, have paper towel or rags handy to clean up your puddles right away off your wood or laminate floors. Puddles can stain any kind of flooring or cause your wood and laminate floors to warp.

Don’t skip a daily sweeping.


With all the snow and ice that comes in on boots and paws also comes gravel and debris that can scratch your hard floors and leave your carpet looking dirty. Set some time aside each day to sweep up the small pieces that leave a mark—literally.

Add felt pads to all chairs and furniture.


This is a year-round protection tip that you need to take to heart all year round. Put felt tips on all your furniture and tables. If you are using folding chairs to accommodate all your additional holiday and party guests, make sure there are protectors on all your folding chairs as well.

Be careful when moving furniture.


Moving furniture for your holiday get-togethers or to accomodate your Christmas tree is pretty much a holiday norm. It can also be a scratch hazard to your floors. Use cardboard or large felt pads to keep your floors in as good shape as it was before your furniture move.

Have guests take off their shoes.


It’s not rude to ask guests to remove their shoes at the door. Make this simple request to keep your floors clean and shoe print free.

Don’t steam clean your wood floors.


As tempting as it may be to buy one of those steam cleaners off of TV for your wood floors, please don’t. Steam floors can damage your floors, and void the warranty if your floor is a new install. Instead, to deep clean your floors, use our tips for deep cleaning wood floors.

Schedule a carpet cleaning.


If you’re worried about your carpets and the snow, schedule a professional carpet cleaning that can deep clean your carpets after all your holiday get-togethers. Not only will a professional carpet cleaning get your carpets clean, it can also rid your carpets of all those indoor allergens that cause problems over the winter.

Follow cleaning instructions to a “T.”


When using cleaners on your carpet, don’t take any liberties with the cleaner or how you apply it—unless you want to end up with a spot or damage you don’t want. Visit your local flooring store to make sure you find a floor cleaner that works and won’t damage your floor. Test cleaners before you use them, and follow the directions on your floor cleaner closely so you don’t void your floor warranty.

Put protectors (mats, rugs, etc.) under your holiday tree.


This tip rings true for any home with hard or carpeted floors. Make sure you buy a floor protector to put under your tree so you don’t have any problems with water leaking onto your floor. You don’t want your merry holiday to end badly with a damaged floor and a badly needed repair.