How to protect your floors in winter
Here is a brief overview of how to protect your floors in winter. Winter can bring beautiful scenery, much needed snow days and holiday cheer for many people. Unfortunately for your floors, the winter months can be a stressful time.
Damage caused by snow melting material and gaps in the floor caused by excess moisture being tracked under boots are good reasons to seek additional protection for your beautiful hardwood floors for example.
Tips
Our primary concern is to help you care for your floor and protect it from damage. We understand how much stress different types of floors can endure. Here’s how to prevent flooring disasters and keep those floors safe and clean all winter long.
Snow melting salt products can leave a white, abrasive residue that can seriously damage your laminate and hardwood floors. Using traditional mops and buckets will pick up some of the salty residue, but will never really dry the floors. Be sure to use the correct floor cleaner that is recommended for your floor type.
Wipe up spills, drips as quickly as possible to prevent liquids from penetrating wood and laminate.
Place rugs in hallways or other areas of frequent traffic. This will help reduce stress on the floor. Also, if any liquids enter or spill on your floors, rugs will help reduce the risk of slips and falls, since laminate planks can be very slippery when you have plenty of moisture.
Maintain proper humidity levels in your home. Wood can shrink or expand depending on the humidity in your home, making it more likely to warp or otherwise become damaged. As we turn on heaters more prominently in the winters, this can further dry out the air in your home. It is especially important to control humidity during the winter.
Colder temperatures and lower humidity in winter reduce the moisture in your home, which causes wood to shrink. To prevent shrinkage, use a humidifier to maintain the proper humidity level and keep the thermostat set at a temperature your floors can withstand.
Consider a shoeless policy to protect your floors not only from dirt and winter elements, but also from scuffs and excessive wear from heels, skid marks and heavy winter soles.
Finally…
Vinyl flooring is the best choice for winter defense. Vinyl apartments are extremely water resistant and have a tough, durable wear layer. The tough wear layer will resist scratches and scuffs and give you more time to remove harmful chemicals. While not 100% resistant to winter stress, vinyl planks will do their job by resisting physical stress and wet conditions, giving you time to wipe up moisture and prevent damage.
Sweeping floors frequently during the winter is your best defense against scratches caused by small particles and debris. Puddles are a problem for many different types of floors. They warp wood, Clean up puddles of water from melting snow or ice immediately to avoid permanent damage to your floors. Use a towel to absorb the moisture, mop the area and then dry it completely. Be careful not to scratch the floors if you see salt in the water.