With fall quickly approaching, you may be thinking of changing leaves and cooler weather. But here at Empire Today®, we always have flooring (and window treatments) on our mind.
The typical worries for your floors this time of year are foot traffic, constantly changing levels of humidity and moisture, outdoor dirt, and allergens. These culprits can easily wreak havoc on your flooring if you’re not careful.
So as the summer months come to an end, we wanted to share 5 simple ways homeowners can keep their carpets and floors in top shape this fall and beyond.
When the sun’s out, harsh UV rays can cause premature fading and discoloration to floors, especially hardwood flooring. But whether you have hardwood, vinyl, laminate flooring, or tile, closing your blinds or shades will help prevent your flooring from fading (not to mention keep your home cooler). If it’s necessary to keep curtains open, just remember to close them before you head out to save your flooring from unnecessary sun damage.
One of the simplest ways to prevent dirty floors in the fall is to have a high-quality door mat outside all outdoor entrances. Have all family members and guests wipe off their shoes before coming inside—or better yet, leave muddy shoes and clothes outside on the porch, patio, or right inside the entrance. Taking just a few seconds to scrape off the bottom of your shoes can keep allergens from getting inside and prevent abrasive particles from scratching up floors.
Seasonal changes often bring more than just sunshine—humid weather can also make itself welcome in your home during the transitional months between summer and fall. High humidity levels can affect the color and shine of your flooring, and at worst, can even cause warping or cracks in your floors. Using a dehumidifier when humidity levels are high can help draw moisture out of the air to keep your floors looking shiny and new. Yes, please!
No matter what you do, dust, allergens, and dirt are sure to make their way into your home at some point this time of year. Prioritize vacuuming over sweeping—even on hard surfaces—to pick up as much grit as possible. Sweeping can spread dust and dirt around instead of eliminating it, especially tiny particles that aren’t easily visible. If you’re going to mop or sweep, make sure you vacuum first to prevent moving those itty-bitty particles and abrasives (like sand) along the floor’s surface, which can scratch or damage floors.
Even after beach season is over, water has a sneaky way of making its way into your home. Since water can cause damage and ruin your beautiful floors, you’ll want to be extra careful here. Make sure you have towels inside and outside doorways to prevent excess water from getting in your home, and consider using water-resistant or waterproof flooring to help protect your floors from moisture, water, and spills.
Empire® offers several products from their Aqua Defense line that are 100 percent waterproof to make this step super easy. Beach House Laminate, Sunset Drive Laminate, and Grand Junction Vinyl Plank are all waterproof flooring options that are designed with quality and optimal function in mind, to make your life easier and your home look its best.
If you have old carpet or flooring, and professional cleaning just isn’t doing the trick anymore, it may be time to replace it. Schedule a FREE In-Home Estimate with Empire to see all the allergy-friendly and odor-neutralizing options—like Empire’s hypo-allergenic HOME Fresh carpet—you can choose from. We’ll help you figure out the one that’s right for your home.
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