Top 10 holiday cleaning tips

Thanksgiving dinner plans, holiday songs, invitations to holiday parties, Christmas cards, winter weather…as the song says, “It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas.” The feel of the holidays is in the air, and with it comes a lot of holiday gatherings and traffic on your new wood, laminate, vinyl and carpeted floors—and that’s not even counting all the other messes related to your holiday activity. So how can you stay on top of those holiday messes and ahead of the holiday cleaning?

1. If you’re getting a real tree, buy floor protection. It’s not expensive to protect your carpet, wood or laminate floor from the water that comes with a real tree. Buy a round, plastic protector so the water doesn’t spill and damage your flooring.

2. A daily cleaning goes a long way toward keeping on top of the holiday cleaning later. As busy as you are, try to do a few items of daily cleaning each day: washing dishes, wiping down counters, sweeping, and anything else you have time for. Your daily efforts cut down on the amount of time you spend cleaning before your next holiday gathering.

3. Rugs, rugs, and more rugs…and towels. If you have a laminate or wood floor, water from melting snow is the enemy. Keep rugs by all exterior doors for your guests and family to clean off their feet, and keep a towel handy to clean up any stray snow spills. If you have a pet, clean off your cat or dog’s paws before they enter the house.

4. Clean before you put up decorations. You don’t want to hang your stockings on top of a layer of dust. Dust and sweep before you put up the decorations to minimize the amount of cleaning later.

5. Carpet clean after the holidays. Get rid of the stains from spills and holiday gatherings as soon as possible so the stains don’t set in permanently. Don’t just rent a carpet cleaner from the local store—use a professional service that can get those deep stains out.

6. Wipe up messes ASAP. During holiday gatherings at your home, make sure you keep a small towel handy to wipe up any spills off of your hardwood or laminate floors. Sitting water or puddles on the floor can warp and damage your floors.

7.Protect your wood floors from scratches when moving furniture, tree and decorations. This is one of the cheapest, and most important, ways to protect your laminate and wood floors: felt pads. Make sure you have felt pads on the bottom of your chairs and furniture when shifting things around. Use caution when moving anything around to prevent scratches.

8. Vacuum and dry mop regularly. Keep your carpet in shape with regular maintenance. Dry mop your hard floors, and sweep to keep the dirt and grime at bay.

9. Be careful about steam cleaning your wood floors. Before purchasing a steam cleaner for cleaning your wood flooring, consult your manual to see if your warranty will be void if you use a steam cleaner. If you’re still not sure, don’t be afraid to visit us or email us.

10.Ignore the deep cleanings for now. Clean only what you need to clean for your holiday gatherings. If your guests won’t be going into your basement storage area, close the door and concentrate your efforts on another area.

Unfortunately, we can’t help you get ready for your next family gathering, but we can answer any questions you have about cleaning your floors. Contact us. If you want your carpets cleaned before your next family gathering, make an appointment now so you can get your carpet cleaned right away and get your home ready for your holiday gathering.