Guests for the Holidays? Here’s How to Protect Your Carpets
For many, the holidays are a time of excitement and cheer. Whether you're hosting a New Year's Eve party or have family in from out of town for a whole month, your house is bound to feel more lived–in during the periods when guests are at your home. While it's wonderful to be around family and friends, you may have some not–so–cheery feelings when it comes to cleaning your carpets afterward.
Carpets are particularly vulnerable around the holidays when there's higher traffic, more activity, and muddy conditions, thanks to winter weather. Thankfully, there are a few steps you can take to prepare your home and prevent the spread of dirt and bacteria. Here are a few ideas for keeping your carpets clean during the holidays.
1. Make Mopping a Habit
You’re probably wondering, what does mopping have to do with keeping carpets clean? More than you’d expect. One of the most common ways that dirt and grime end up on carpeting is through transfer from a hard surface. If the flooring in your home alternates between rugs or carpeting and hard surfaces like tile or wood, the dirt is bound to end up in the carpets and rugs.
As you or guests walk through your home, you pick up the dirt from the hard surfaces and inadvertently transfer it to the rugs and carpets, where the fibers will hold onto it. By mopping frequently, you can cut down on the overall amount of dirt in your home and help keep your carpets fresh.
2. Implement “Shoes-off” Areas
Reducing the amount of dirt being tracked around your house in the first place is the best way to cut down on damage to your carpets and rugs. Consider asking your guests to remove their shoes in your mudroom or entryway. This will reduce the potential of mud reaching the carpets and keep your home cleaner overall. Set up a designated area with an easily–cleaned mat where everyone can leave their shoes. Make the request fun by incorporating some festive holiday slippers for your guests to wear around the house!
3. Vacuum Frequently
Even with the best precautions, some dirt and grime will inevitably make it to your rugs and carpets. Whether it's a rogue guest who forgets about your no–shoes request or small children or pets, outside dirt will eventually get to your carpets. In addition to dirt, holiday gatherings often include food, and food spills will occur. That's okay! Vacuum a bit more frequently while guests are in town to prevent dirt from sinking deeper into the fibers of your carpet. This will also help boost the effectiveness of professional cleaning later on.
4. Professional Cleaning and Protection
The most important step you can take in protecting your rugs and carpets is to bring in professionals to clean and protect your carpets. Before your guests arrive, schedule an appointment with Zerorez to have your carpets and rugs cleaned and protected.
Removing the existing dirt from your carpet’s fibers will start the carpets out on solid ground before the company arrives. With Zerorez Premium Fiber Protectant™, the surfaces of every fiber in your rugs and carpets become slippery so that dirt can’t stick and spills can’t soak in. This can help slow down fiber degradation and prevent stains and bacteria. Having a carpet protectant professionally applied will make a world of difference in maintaining the health and freshness of your carpets, no matter how large of a party you throw or how many family members you host!
After your guests leave, assess the state of your carpets to decide when to schedule your next professional cleaning. Depending on how many people you hosted and for how long, you’ll likely want to reduce the amount of time between cleanings to get your carpets back to their desired softness and freshness.
Let the holiday preparation commence. Book your appointment today!