It’s the most wonderful time of the year… but maybe not for your floors. From the spilt gravy to fallen pine needles, to the scratching of high heels and the chaos of over-excited kids, your floor can go through a lot over the Christmas period. And with parties carrying on till new year’s eve, your floor will no doubt get a little messy.

But not to worry. Here are some tips and tricks you can try to keep your floor well looked after this Christmas.

Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree

You can’t beat having a real Christmas tree. Not only does it give your room character, but the smell of pine takes you through a winter wonderland. But the needles can be a real pain when it comes to scratching your hardwood floor and making your room look messy.

First things first, before you bring it in, give it a good shake to get rid of loose needles and dirt. It will make the cleaning job a little easier for you too!

And when your tree is ready to take pride of place in your home, the best way to solve this is to place a mat under your tree. Not only does this protect your floor from scratches, but it also adds a decorative flair to your space. A quick brush up from time to time will get rid of those dreaded pine needles and make your room look clean and tidy.

Be careful not to overfill your tree bucket as excess water may seep through. If you let water seep through to your floor, you'll find the wood will start to warp, which is something you don't want around Christmas.
If you have solid or engineered flooring, take extra care and place a mat or tray to avoid spillages. Although laminates and luxury vinyl tiles are water-resistant, they may damage if water is kept on the surface for too long. And if you want to avoid all the fuss, you could always buy a fake Christmas tree instead!

christmas tree wood floor Credit: Unsplash

Try to keep the gravy for the turkey

We all have that one family member who manages to spill something. Food and drink are a nightmare to clean, especially when your house is full of guests.

There might not be enough room to get your mop and bucket out, so keep a damp cloth, kitchen roll, sweeping brush handy and clean up any spillages as soon as they happen. The last thing you want is spilt gravy, red wine or turkey dripping to leave a mark on your solid or engineered floor.

 

Dining area with red bow, wreath and candles Credit: Unsplash

Protect the Dancefloor

After a few drinks, your guests will definitely get a little merry and show off their terrible dance moves. And terrible dance moves come with accidental scratches, spillages and furniture getting moved around. But luckily for you, there are a few preventative measures you can set in place that'll stop shoes like high-heels and table legs from scratching your floor.

Place a ‘no shoe zone' sign or ask your guests to take off their shoes before they enter your home. It will minimise the risk of scratches and scuffs.

If you have luxury vinyl tiles, solid wood, engineered wood and laminate, heavy furniture may dent and scuff your floor. So, it's best to place furniture pads underneath your table and chair legs to stop this from happening. It's a cheap and cheerful way to protect your floors and one less thing to worry about when it comes to cleaning up the next day.

And finally, you can't go wrong with a huge rug that will cover most of your space. It doesn't have to be anything fancy, just something to lay down that will stop scratches altogether. Remember to keep some cloths handy just in case anything gets spilt over!

 

baubles, tree and wine Credit: Unsplash

Festive Floor First Aid Kit

It’s always good to have some cleaning products at the ready for any accidental spillages. We have put together the ultimate cleaning pack that will keep your floors looking squeaky clean.

  • Wood Flooring Soap
  • (but not too much as it can warm your beautiful natural wood)
  • Microfiber cloths
  • Mop
  • Soapy water (for LVTs and Laminates)
  • Kitchen roll
  • Vacuum

Give your floor the ultimate gift with our wood flooring maintenance package that includes: maintenance oil, wax oil, wax & clean, intensive cleaner, cloths and instructions. It’s the perfect cleaning kit for after you’ve hosted the annual family get together. If you’d like some more tips on how to get your home ready for Christmas, head on over to our blog.

We hope that the tips we’ve given you will avoid damage to your hardwood floor. We can’t wait to see your festive space! So tag us on Instagram when your home is feeling festive.