The holidays mean lots of great food, good cheer, and time with family and friends! But this busy season also can bring increased foot traffic into your home. Give your floors a little extra love before the in-laws arrive and party-proof carpet with these tips!
Clean Carpets Before
There’s no time like the holiday season to get you cleaning in a hurry. In addition to decluttering living areas, washing sheets, and giving the bathroom a good scrub, take some extra time vacuuming and getting carpets ready. While you might want to wait until the aunts and uncles leave for a professional carpet cleaning, you can still get carpets looking and smelling fresh before they arrive.
Don’t Forget Other Flooring
Remember to take care of your tile! If your grout has been neglected for a long time, get it sparkling before visitors arrive. Schedule a professional title and grout cleaning today!
Create a Sign
In addition to putting out festive holiday decor, consider making or buying a sign that asks guests to kindly remove their shoes. A sign in your entryway is a simple carpet protection idea. Encouraging guests to leave shoes at the front door with a sign will minimize tracking into the house without having to individually ask each guest to take them off.
Add a Shoe Rack
If you worry they won’t see the sign, send the same message when you add a shoe rack to your entryway! If you’re feeling crafty, you can even make a DIY boot tray using rocks. Having a designated spot to put shoes will help ease any awkwardness or confusion about removing shoes, as well as make it obvious where they can put them.
Provide Shoe Covers
A few family members might grumble about this, but the groans are worth it if you can keep your carpets, hardwood, and tile fresh. Boot and shoe covers are cheap and will help keep snow and sludge from staining or damaging your flooring. Greet guests with shoe covers and a drink as they come in to help ease the transition!
Throw a Slipper Party
A creative and fun way to protect the flooring in your home is to throw a slipper party! Ask guest or visitors to come in their favorite slippers. Not only will they be more comfortable, but you’ll also have less of a mess to worry about, and you won’t even have to ask them to remove their shoes or put on covers.
Buy Extra Floor Mats
Add floor mats to your entryway and outside your front door. Creating extra surface area for guests to wipe their feet before coming into your home will help contain the mud and moisture.
Invest in Rugs
Use rugs as protective floor coverings! Placing a runner or large rug in high traffic areas can be incredibly helpful. If you plan to serve food and drinks outside of your kitchen, stain-proof carpet by adding rugs to help protect from spilled cranberry sauce and rolling meatballs.
Place Trash Cans All Around
Decreasing the area guests have to carry empty plates can prevent excess spillage. Stop shrimp cocktail sauce from creating a trail or red wine from dripping too far when you keep waste bins all around for easy disposal.
Designate the Party Zone
Set clear boundaries! Close doors or use baby gates to keep party guests in a designated area. While most guests won’t go roaming anyway, it can be helpful to clearly set the perimeter. Containing the party to just a few rooms will make cleaning up easier when everyone heads home, as well as make sure crumbs don’t creep into your spare bedroom.
Clean Carpets After
Despite your best efforts at preventing spills and protecting your carpets, the holidays will likely add some wear and tear—and that’s okay! Time with family and friends is what matters most during the holiday season. Don’t sweat the small stuff when you get your carpets professionally cleaned after your friends and family leave.
Now that you have some carpet protection ideas to try, get excited for holiday fun! Even if messes do occur, get the gift of great carpets and sparkling tile for less with these coupons and deals!