From hardwood floors to carpet, no surface is immune to the holiday chaos. With some thoughtful preparation and a few clever tips, you can protect your floors from potential damage while still fully embracing the magic of the season.

Start with Strong Defenses: Floor Mats and Doormats

Picture this: your guests arrive, stomping snow, mud, and debris onto your welcome mat—or worse, your floor. A sturdy floor mat or doormat is your first line of defense against messes. Look for drainage mats to trap moisture and doormats with bristles to catch dirt before it makes its way inside. Place mats both outside and inside every entrance. Layering them creates a double barrier, ensuring debris doesn’t sneak in when guests rush to escape the cold. While they may seem like small additions, these mats can save you countless hours of cleaning and prevent long-term damage to your floors.

Protecting Hardwood Floors from Holiday Wear and Tear

Hardwood flooring is beautiful, but it’s also susceptible to scratches, dents, and spills. During the holiday season, the risk of damage skyrockets. Adding rugs in high-traffic areas like the living room and dining room not only protects your hardwood floors but also adds a festive flair to your décor. If you’re moving furniture to make space for a holiday party, use felt pads under heavy pieces to avoid scratches. A well-placed tree skirt can catch needles and sap from your Christmas tree, while a waterproof mat under the tree stand will prevent leaks. These simple holiday floor protection measures are great tips if you’re trying to shield your floors against Christmas trees, fallen ornaments, or the occasional holiday gathering.

Guarding Carpets Against Stains and Spills

Between wine spills, food crumbs, and muddy footprints, your carpeting faces endless threats during the holiday season. Consider using small rugs in dining areas to shield the carpet beneath from spills. Scheduling a deep carpet cleaning before and after the holidays can keep your carpets looking fresh and ready for all the festivities. For quick cleanups, having a plastic bag or small bin handy can be a lifesaver when accidents happen. Taking these proactive steps ensures your carpet survives the holiday season unscathed and looking its best.

Kitchen Floor Protection During the Holidays

The kitchen is the heart of holiday festivities, buzzing with activity as meals are prepped, cookies are baked, and drinks are poured. But with all that action comes the risk of spills, scratches, and scuffs that can take a toll on your kitchen floors. Whether you have hardwood, tile, or vinyl, taking steps to protect this essential space can save you from a post-holiday headache. Your festivities may vary, but there are plenty of holiday floor protection methods you can use to keep your floor pristine.

Start by placing a durable runner or area rug in high-use spots like in front of the sink, stove, or prep area. These rugs not only protect your floors from spills and scratches but also add a cozy, festive touch. Anti-fatigue mats are another great option, providing both floor protection and added comfort for those long cooking marathons.

Spills are inevitable during the holiday rush, so keep a microfiber mop or cloth nearby for quick cleanups. This prevents liquids from seeping into the flooring or creating stains that are harder to remove later. For added protection, consider placing felt pads under chairs and stools to minimize scuff marks from constant movement.

With a little foresight and effort, your kitchen floors can weather the season’s challenges and remain spotless, ready to shine for your next holiday gathering.

Holiday Floor Protection Must: Managing the Christmas Tree Mess

There’s no denying the charm of a real tree, but it can wreak havoc on your floors. Pine needles, water spills, and sap are just a few culprits. A decorative tree skirt isn’t just for aesthetics—it catches falling needles and shields your floor from sap and sticky residue. For those with hardwood flooring, placing a protective mat underneath the stand can guard against scratches and moisture. By regularly checking the tree stand for leaks and keeping the area tidy, you can enjoy the beauty of your Christmas tree without the stress of floor damage.

Flooring Options for Holiday-Ready Homes

If the holidays leave you pondering a flooring upgrade, consider durable options that can handle the hustle and bustle. Hardwood flooring is timeless and elegant, but it requires proper care to withstand heavy use. Tile floors are scratch-resistant and easy to clean, making them perfect for high-traffic areas like entryways or kitchens. Luxury vinyl flooring combines style and practicality, offering a durable solution for homes expecting a flurry of activity. These options not only enhance the beauty of your home but also provide peace of mind during the busiest times of the year. And remember, durable flooring isn’t just for the holidays—it’s an investment in your home’s long-term functionality and style.

Post-Holiday Floor Protection and Care: Cleaning and Restoration

When the holiday buzz finally settles, your floors often bear the brunt of the season’s celebrations. From pine needles and spilled eggnog to scuffed surfaces, it’s time to show your flooring some love. With a little post-holiday TLC, you can restore their beauty and ensure they’re ready for the year ahead.

Hardwood Floors: Begin by sweeping or vacuuming to remove any lingering debris, such as glitter, crumbs, or holiday tree remnants. Follow up with a gentle hardwood floor cleaner to restore its natural shine and protect against further wear. Avoid using harsh chemicals or excessive water, as these can damage the finish or seep into the wood.

Carpets: Your carpet likely endured spills, foot traffic, and maybe even a dropped plate or two. Professional carpet cleaning can help remove deep-set stains, odors, and dirt that regular vacuuming might miss. For smaller stains, spot cleaning with a carpet-safe solution can work wonders.

Tile and Grout: Tile floors are holiday workhorses, especially in kitchens and entryways. Tackle dirt buildup by scrubbing the grout lines with a mixture of warm water and mild detergent or using a grout-specific cleaner. A quick mop will refresh the tile’s shine, leaving your floors looking brand new.

Post-holiday floor care doesn’t just preserve appearances—it protects your flooring investment for years to come. A little effort now can make a big difference later!

Conclusion: Keep Your Floors Festive and Flawless

The holiday season is a time for joy, laughter, and making memories, but it doesn’t have to come at the expense of your flooring. With a little forethought and a lot of heart, you can keep your floors looking their best while fully embracing the season’s festivities. Whether it’s strategically placing rugs to catch crumbs during a lively family dinner, using a tree skirt to shield your hardwood from falling pine needles, or deep cleaning your carpet after the last guest has left, every small effort helps.

It’s also worth noting that caring for your floors during the holidays can make your post-season cleanup much easier. With the right precautions, you’ll spend less time dealing with scratches, stains, or wear and more time cherishing those holiday memories. And if the season leaves you inspired to refresh your flooring altogether, consider exploring durable, stylish options tailored to your needs.

Ready to ensure your floors are holiday-proof and ready for every occasion? Schedule an at-home appointment with Empire Today®. We are here to guide you, offering solutions that combine functionality, beauty, and peace of mind. Let us help you create a home that shines not just during the holidays, but all year long.

The post How to Protect Your Floors During the Holidays: A Comprehensive Guide appeared first on Empire Today Blog.

Flooring Protection Starts Outside

A major source of potential flooring damage is not simply your guests’ shoes as much as what might be stuck to the soles of those shoes when they step into your home. From muddy slush to abrasive rock salt, your guests’ walk from their car to your front door can be fraught with any number of potentially catastrophic contaminants that can stain carpet or scratch hardwood, laminate, and vinyl floors. By making sure you keep as much of their path possible as clean as possible, you’ll greatly cut down on the level of debris that gets tracked into your home.

First, ensure that there is a clear, clean walkway from wherever guests will be parking to your front door. Shovel it, scrape it—whatever you can do to keep it clean will help immensely. But even a perfectly dry path can be a problem. If it hasn’t snowed recently and there isn’t any in the forecast, consider sweeping up any rock salt that may be hanging around since you last spread it. Not only can those salt crystals quickly scratch up your floors, but the chemicals used in some snow-melt products can strip the finish from hardwood flooring.

On your front stoop, set out a robust door mat, the type with high bristles that can really get into all the nooks in the sole of a winter boot. You might even consider laying out an indoor/outdoor runner along your front walkway to give guests some extra foot-wiping area as they arrive.

Place Rugs and Runners Everywhere

That flooring protection should extend indoors, of course.  If the area inside your front door allows it, consider a two-stage floor protection system. First, place a robust rubber or bristled floor mat in the area where your guests will initially step. These are great for removing and collecting dirt and packed snow from shoes but often don’t do much for any lingering wetness on the sole.

The second layer of flooring protection should be a highly absorbent mat. These are often made of a microfiber or terrycloth material and are designed to soak up water from pets’ paws and people’s shoes. A few good stomps on the first mat and a quick shuffle on the second mat should greatly reduce the gunk and slush stuck to most shoes, greatly reducing the likelihood that any of it ends up on your floors.

Turn the Heat Up!

This one might not make sense at first, but hear us out. For most of the country, holiday celebrations involve coming in out of the cold, wet weather and into the formal areas of a home. One of the best ways to keep your floors from getting dirty or scratched up by dirty shoes is to completely eliminate shoes from the equation. Asking your guests to remove their shoes at the door is a simple way to keep dirty soles off your floors, and will greatly reduce the odds of mud getting tracked onto carpet or stray bits of sidewalk salt scratching up your hardwood floors. The problem with going shoeless in the winter is that it can be quite uncomfortable if you don’t have carpeted floors. No one likes walking on a cold tile floor while they’re trying to party!

By making sure your home is a comfortable temperature, your guests will be more likely to happily oblige your request to go shoeless. And depending on your crowd, you might even consider making a trip to your local discount dollar store to pick up a selection of fun holiday socks to give out to those who get cold toes. The rugs and runners mentioned earlier will also help keep feet nice and toasty on tile or vinyl floors.

Protect Floors from Chair Legs and Other Furniture

You should also consider more than just your guests’ footwear when prepping for a party. An important part of your plan should be to protect your floors from chair legs and other pieces of furniture that will get shuffled around as guests eat and mingle. For many homeowners, hosting a holiday party means breaking out the fine China and fully utilizing the formal dining room—a room that may seldom be used otherwise. Before the crowds arrive, take a closer look at the seating in the rooms where guests will be dining and hanging out.

It’s not uncommon for formal dining sets to be a bit on the old side, perhaps even family heirlooms. As a result, any chair leg floor protectors that may have been installed on them are often worn away to the point that they provide minimal protection. This is especially important if your dining room has hard surface floors. Even scratch-resistant hardwood is not impervious to damage from a sharp wood or metal chair leg. Check the feet of all of your dining chairs to make sure they’re adequately protected to minimize the potential for scratching or scuffing your floors. Spending a few dollars on flooring protection for your chairs, like plastic sliders or felt pads, can save you the headache and expense of repairing badly scratched hardwood.

Simple Floor Protection Tactics can Prevent Significant Headaches

Taking the proper precautions before a big gathering—and even in everyday living—can go a long way toward protecting your floors and keeping them looking great for the long haul. Of course, despite your best efforts, your floors will probably encounter their fair share of muddy boots and spilled drinks. If you can’t prevent mishaps, the next best thing is to make sure you deal with them properly. Check out our Flooring Care page to learn about the best ways to clean each type of floor. And if your existing floors are showing their age and you’re thinking about replacing them, contact us to set up a FREE In-Home flooring shopping experience to learn about the variety of flooring products offered by Empire Today®.

The post Flooring Protection Tips for Winter Parties appeared first on Empire Today Blog.

Human Smell is Interesting… and Weird

Let’s take a quick journey back to fifth grade science class. How does your sense of smell work? To put it simply, tiny sensory cells high up in your nose have odor receptors. The smell after a rain storm and the smell of a poodle that was just playing in it both release different odor molecules. These microscopic odor molecules are detected by your odor receptors, which send a message to your brain that identifies a particular smell. There’s one catch: you have only have a limited number of odor receptors.

Human smell is influenced by thousands of nerves working together.  Volatile, evaporating materials all around us have odors, but we can only detect a small portion of them . Whether you absorb aromas through your nostrils or your throat via taste, your sensory neurons are providing a unique smell to your brain. Smells that truly reek – like garbage dumpsters on a hot day or freshly cut onions, are a result of your nerve endings on your eyes, mouth, nose, and throat working together. Carpet is in a league of its own when it comes to smells.

How Does Carpet Trap Smells?

Detecting the source of a smell in the home can get really complex, really quickly. It’s one thing if food liquid leaks from the bottom of a garbage bag into your trash can. There’s a quick fix for that: run some soap and hot water and scrub the inside of the trash can. And the same goes for cleaning a non-porous hard surface floor like vinyl plank. A quick mopping and boom—smell  eliminated. But what about a family cooking with aromatic spices all the time? Or a house full of smokers? These odors don’t have a visibly identifiable source, but still seem to perpetually linger in the home

Carpet is often a prime suspect for trapping smells. The source of a carpet smell isn’t always what you think. Thick, shaggy fibers seem like a great hiding place for old food and cooking oils. But it’s not just about particles resting on or among the carpet fibers—if that were the case, then vacuuming would eliminate the smell. As you know, vacuuming isn’t enough.

Carpet smells originate from liquids seeping into the backing layer of the carpet. Quite often, this is a latex pad that the fibers are attached to. When liquids find a home in the padding (and in the subfloor beneath it), that’s creating an environment ripe for bacteria, allergens, mildew, and eventually strong odors that never seem to go away.

Easy, At-Home Odor Remedies for Getting Smells Out of Carpet

Your adorable cavalier puppy just peed all over your new carpet. As a homeowner, this often induces a fight-or-flight response. We frantically scramble for a rag (or anything) to clean up the spill and make sure a spot doesn’t remain. This is great for carpet stain prevention, but it doesn’t address the liquids or particles that make their way deep into the padding and begin a new lifecycle of annoying smells.

Baking soda is also a common suggestion for deodorizing a carpet. Simply pour a little bit of baking soda on the spot, let it sit for a few hours, and finish the job with a thorough vacuuming. But this usually needs to be done immediately after a clear spill for the best chance of fully deodorizing the carpet. Also, keep in mind that kids and pets need to be kept out of the powder zone.

Other suggestions for deep cleaning are not as advisable. Many of these “tips” you see in social media feeds suggest mixing hydrogen peroxide and soap. If you’re unfamiliar, mixing chemicals incorrectly can be extremely dangerous. Another suggestion seen recently is to use cinnamon to help get odors out of your carpet. That’s a good way to permanently stain your carpet, especially if it is lighter in color. Plus, do you really want your home smelling like a Christmas candle year-round?  If you’re considering any of these ideas, use extreme caution and run a test on a small portion of the carpet before blasting your whole house with your new creation from the internet. Our advice? Trust a professional carpet cleaner for deep cleaning.

How Does Carpet Deodorizer Work?

Most of us will try anything to save some time and money before hiring a professional cleaning company. That’s perfectly normal. So we turn to carpet deodorizers.

Carpet deodorizers can be a great way to counteract smells from pets, moisture, or carpet that hasn’t been cleaned in a long time. Most deodorizers are available as a powder or spray, and application methods will vary as well. In a world of quick fixes, carpet deodorizers are definitely one of the first household utilities that come to mind if you need to mask a musty basement smell or wet dog before your guests arrive.

So, does carpet deodorizer work? Unfortunately, while these products may make carpet smell good in the short term, sprays and powders are often unlikely to solve the smelly carpet problem completely. Think of carpet deodorizers like deodorant on armpits. Deodorant can be great after an afternoon run if you need to freshen up and don’t have time to shower, but is not actually removing the source of the body odor.

Every thread you read online will have a similar set of rules to keeping your home smelling great: Don’t have carpet. Don’t have pets. Don’t cook. Clean every inch of your walls and ceiling. Use carpet deodorizer. But if you’re actively searching for ways to make your carpet smell good, you’re probably not a fan of the idea of completely ridding your home of all carpets—or pets!

There’s no mistaking it: carpet can and probably will trap a lot of dust, dirt, mold, and allergens. For a long term solution that throws all the above restrictions out the window, it’s time to rethink how carpet is constructed entirely.

HOME Fresh is the World’s First and Only Hypoallergenic, Odor-Neutralizing Carpet

It’s no secret that we love carpet—in fact, it was the first flooring product we were really known for. So we’re always dismayed to learn many people are willing to sacrifice warm, soft comfort because they are worried about odors in the home. The truth is, odors are going to happen no matter what. In fact, part of what makes someone’s home unique is how it smells! When you go to a friend’s or relative’s home, it most likely has a familiar, but not unpleasant smell.

As a solution to the odor issue, we set out to provide a carpet that doesn’t just mask smells—it actively neutralizes them. HOME Fresh helps get rid of smells from cooking, smoking, and pets on the carpet completely. Here’s how HOME Fresh can make an unforgettable impact in your home.

HOME Fresh helps cancel out odors in your home. The secret? A natural, odor-neutralizing mineral breaks odor molecules into separate compounds, effectively removing unpleasant smells that come into contact with HOME Fresh’s carpet fibers over time.

Another plus? HOME Fresh’s carpet fibers and premium felt padding are one unified piece. This construction allows for better airflow in the carpet, making vacuuming and cleaning much more effective. HOME Fresh also doesn’t absorb liquids, so it’s much more difficult for odor-causing spills to take hold, and for mold, mildew, and allergens to develop (some of the most common sources of a bad carpet smell).

Carpet deodorizer does not reduce smells as much as you think. At-home remedies are nice, yet short-term. And sometimes even professional cleaning isn’t enough. That’s where HOME Fresh excels—helping your home smell fresher than it did with your musty old carpet.

To learn more about what makes HOME Fresh awesome, see our hypoallergenic carpet blog and our in-depth HOME Fresh carpet guide.

If you’re ready to see HOME Fresh samples in the natural light of your home and feel the softness for yourself, Schedule a FREE In-Home Estimate today. Sniffs included!

The post Carpet Deodorizer Does Not Remove Smells from Carpet as Well as You Think appeared first on Empire Today Blog.

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 five simple ways homeowners can keep their carpets and floors in top shape this fall and beyond.

1. Use Blinds and Shades to Protect Floors from Direct Sunlight

This time of year, most people want to maximize the amount of sun that comes into the home. That means wide-open blinds or shades. Unfortunately, that same warm sun also puts out harsh UV rays that can cause premature fading and discoloration to floors, especially hardwood flooring. While a few days of direct sun won’t have immediate adverse affects, it’s possible that some fading can happen in just one season. This will be more noticeable if one single section of the floor spends a lot of time in the sun, Consider using some translucent drapes or other form of diffusion on your windows to reduce the intensity of the light hitting the floor, while still providing that cozy warmth. Carefully positioned rugs are another way to protect floors from UV rays.

2. Use Door Mats at All Outside Entrances

One of the simplest ways to prevent dirty floors in the fall is to have high quality door mats outside all of the entrances to your home. Look for a doormat with thick bristles that can get into the deep treads of heavy boots. Just a few seconds of shuffling on a robust door mat can greatly reduce the amount of dirt, leaves, and other debris that gets tracked into your home. Pair the outdoor mat with one just inside the front door that will absorb any remaining wetness on guests’ shoes—or which can act as a staging area for them to remove their shoes altogether.

3. Use a Dehumidifier as Needed

Seasonal changes mean more than just less light and the arrival of cold weather. In many parts of the country, fall is the wet season. And that itself means more than just worrying about liquid water ending up on your floors—the increase in overall humidity can also be a concern. High humidity levels can negatively affect hardwood floors, causing swelling and expansion that can lead to small cracks and even major buckling. It also increases the possibility of mold or mildew development in carpeting. Using a dehumidifier when humidity levels are high will remove the excess moisture out of the air, greatly reducing the likelihood that it can harm your floors.

4. Vacuum Instead of Sweeping

Even if you take every precaution possible, dust, dirt, and allergens will find their way into your home. At that point, your plan should shift to efficient cleaning methods. One great tip is to prioritize vacuuming your floors instead of sweeping—even on hard surfaces—to pick up as much of the debris as possible. While sweeping is great for getting the big chunks, it will often spread the finer dust and dirt around, sending it into the air and letting it settle on other surfaces. Vacuuming your floors with a HEPA-filter equipped machine can greatly reduce the amount of dust and allergens that remain on your floors and in your home overall.

5. Consider Waterproof Flooring Options

If you’ve been planning on having new floors installed, this is a good time to consider water-resistant or fully waterproof flooring options. If you’ve made it this far, you’ve already read about the problems that moisture can cause to your floors, whether in the form of rainwater tracked through the kitchen or high seasonal humidity. Water-resistant or waterproof flooring effectively negates those and many other water-related hazards, taking a huge worry off your plate.

One of the best things about the selection of Aqua Defense floor products available from Empire® is that you won’t have to compromise style just for the functional benefit. You can choose from dozens of wood laminate or vinyl floor products in the day’s trendiest designs, all while still getting protection against water.

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.

The post Top 5 Floor Care Tips for Fall appeared first on Empire Today Blog.

With hundreds of suggestions out there on how to remove stains, it’s hard to understand exactly how you should care for your floors. At Empire Today®, we know a thing or two when it comes to flooring, including how to keep your floors in tip-top shape in the long run. Here are a few easy tips to keep in mind for those annoying flooring stains:

1. Use the Correct Cleaning Technique

Anyone who has needed to know how to get stains out of carpet knows how frustrating they can be. While it’s important to remove a stain as quickly as possible, make sure to follow the right technique and manufacturer recommendation for how to remove set in stains. Be careful not to scrub the area too hard—being overly aggressive can cause your carpet fibers to fuzz and stand out from the rest. It’s also important to start from the outside of the stain and work your way in (not the other way around). This helps prevent the stain from spreading further.

2. Be Careful with At-Home Chemistry Experiments

Many of the tips you hear in social media posts and blogs suggest how to get stains out of carpet, like mixing hydrogen peroxide and soap, but be careful—mixing chemicals incorrectly can damage your floors. If you’re considering trying one of these sorts of tips look at what the manufacturer recommends first, then use caution, and run a test on a small, discrete portion of the carpet before trying it out on the actual stain. If you’re not sure, call a professional for help or try a safer DIY option. We suggest a couple safer at-home DIY solutions below in #5.

3. Make Sure to Use the Right Tools for Your Floors

It may come as a surprise, but high-tech cleaning tools aren’t always a good idea for all flooring. For example, high temperatures generated from steam mops can cause irreparable damage to certain types of floors. Make sure you check the manufacturer to see if a steam mop is safe for your specific floors. And if you’re not sure, steer clear.

4. Choose Quality Cleaning Products and Follow Directions

When it comes to mystery stains on your floors, the best course of action is to use a quality, name-brand floor cleaner designed for the specific flooring type you have. Remember, when it comes to cleaners, stronger is not always better. Be sure to read the directions on the bottle of cleaner and follow them carefully, and use the applicator recommended for the cleaner being used.

5. Consider Using Supplies from Around Your House

A sticky stain like chewing gum can be a real pain. But did you know that an ice cube can do the trick to remove it on laminate flooring? Instead of reaching for a sponge and scrubbing it away, you can place an ice cube directly on the sticky spot. As it cools, the gummy substance will typically harden—making it a lot easier to remove in one go with a dull plastic scraper.

I know we said to be careful with DIY solutions (and that’s still true), but not all are created equal. There are some helpful at-home remedies that are generally regarded as safe. For example, for rust stains on your vinyl flooring, a simple tip is using lemon juice and cream of tartar to help remove the stain. Afterwards, clean up with simple rinse with water and you’re done. For more general cleaning tips and maintenance ideas for your specific type of floors, see our Product Care section.

6. To Extend the Life of Your Carpet, Hire a Professional Carpet Cleaner

Hiring a professional carpet cleaner isn’t just about refreshing the look and feel of your carpet (though it’s helpful for this, too). Getting your carpet professionally cleaned using hot water extraction every six to 12 months can help remove set-in or fresh stains. The professional carpet cleaner can also re-apply soil and stain protectants to help avoid future carpet stains. This makes maintenance easier, as well as providing you with additional peace of mind about your carpet’s longevity.

7. Consider a Flooring that Resists Stains and Cleans Easily

What’s better than getting stains out of your flooring? Preventing them before they even happen! Flooring options from Empire that resist stains and clean effortlessly make it easy.

For a softer option, HOME Fresh is a one-of-a-kind carpet that’s not only comfy but also helps keep your home cleaner! How? Its one-of-a-kind construction with a built-in premium padding provides better airflow, allowing dirt and dust to be vacuumed up easier. HOME Fresh’s fibers don’t absorb moisture, helping prevent the growth of mold, mildew, and allergens (the most common sources of a bad carpet smell). Plus, HOME Fresh comes with Scotchguard Protector 3M with Advanced Repel Technology, providing long lasting stain protection that helps keep spills from seeping into the carpet.

For a hard surface option, look into vinyl plank flooring. Also known as luxury vinyl plank, some vinyl plank flooring options are 100% waterproof, so they can stand up to large spills, dampness, moisture, or flat-out wetness. With the look and feel of natural hardwood flooring, vinyl plank flooring will keep your mind at ease and your house looking great for years to come.

8. If It’s Time to Update Your Stained Flooring, Empire Can Help

If professional cleaning isn’t doing the trick anymore, or the old stains keep piling on, it might be time to replace your floors. Schedule a FREE In-Home Estimate with an Empire flooring professional to see all the beautiful options you can choose from. From carpet to hardwood, laminate, vinyl, and tile, Empire Today has hundreds of choices. You might be surprised by the types of flooring you can get that give you the look you want with the convenience you need to stand up to spills, messes, and stains.

Even those of us who do our very best to keep our flooring clean and without stains will likely end up with a spill or mystery spot on our floors from time to time. It happens! We hope these tips give you the confidence you need to remedy the situation when stains do show up on your floors—keeping them, and your home, looking beautiful!

The post How to Remove Stains from Your Floors: The Dreaded Mystery Stains appeared first on Empire Today Blog.

1. Remove Your Shoes and Keep Dust at the Door

As much as you love them, your shoes collect germs and dirt when you’re outside! You may not think of dust on your footwear unless they’re sitting in the closet, but the dirt you track in your home can eventually turn into dust. Removing your shoes can not only help prevent bringing dirt and germs in the home, but can help with keeping hardwood floors dust free in the long run.

2. Wipe Away Dust with a Floor Mat

Place a floor mat in the entryways of your home and have your family and friends wipe their feet before entering. That way, if your guests forget to take off their shoes, a good amount of the dirt will have been removed already.

3. Use Microfiber Dust Mops for a More Efficient Clean

Cleaning your floors means choosing the right tools. Don’t just use any mop, get one that will give you a thorough clean. Microfiber mops can pick up germs and dust more than cotton mops, giving you a more efficiently cleaned floor. In addition to cleaning better, microfibers have less of a chance of leaving lint residue.

4. Dump Your Bags and Live Clean

Like carpet, you can vacuum hardwood if you make sure you use the proper settings. However, your vacuum won’t be of much use if it isn’t clean itself. When overfilled with dust and dirt, your vacuum can overheat and won’t pick up dirt as well. Always remember to follow the maintenance recommendations of your vacuum, regularly dump out your vacuum’s bags, and clean the filters to help make sure your floors are getting properly cleaned.

5. Clean Your Home from Top to Bottom—Literally

One of the main factors in keeping hardwood floors dust free is making sure to dust your home from top to bottom. From the ceiling fan to the legs of your furniture, dust can accumulate throughout your home, especially if you have furry pets, and inevitably transfer to your floors. Literally cleaning from top to bottom will help make sure you clean your home without leaving dust on the surfaces of the objects below. Always clean your floors last so you can pick up the dust that may have fallen from anything above it.

6. Keeping Hardwood Floors Dust Free Means Keeping a Schedule

Life can get hectic, but making sure you have a clean home can be beneficial for your mind and your health. Set aside a specified time to clear your space of clutter, dirt, and dust. Creating a simple daily schedule to clean your home, or even just your floors, can help ensure you’re keeping your hardwood floors dust free.

Making sure your floors are dust free is just one step in maintaining their fresh look. Schedule an In-Home Estimate with Empire Today to see samples of wood looks with easy maintenance.

The post 6 Simple Techniques to Keep Hardwood Floors Dust Free appeared first on Empire Today Blog.

1. Consistent Mopping Keeps Vinyl Flooring Fresh

Let’s start with the obvious—for clean vinyl floors, mop consistently. Every day if you can. However, make sure you’re not using excessive water. Using a damp mop to clean vinyl floors every day can prevent a buildup of dirt and keep your floors looking fresh.

2. For Rust, Try Lemon Juice and Cream of Tartar

The first sign of rust may send you in a panic, but you don’t have to necessarily run out and buy expensive products. Sometimes, the best products are right in your kitchen. A mixture of lemon juice and cream of tartar is a simple solution to eliminating rust stains and reviving your vinyl floors. Be sure to rinse with water after you’re done.

3. Isopropyl Alcohol Works Wonders

Isopropyl alcohol, also known as rubbing alcohol, is known for cleaning wounds, but it can also help you clean your floor. Pen ink, permanent marker, nail polish, or hair dye can easily be erased if you rub a little isopropyl alcohol on the stain.  Rinse with water after the stain is removed.

4. Be Mindful of How You Shine

Using “mop and shine” products or detergents can leave a dull film on your flooring. For a simple homemade solution, add a cup of vinegar and a few drops of baby oil to a gallon of warm water. You don’t need to drench the mop with the solution, either. Dampen it and you’re good to go.

5. No Steam Mops

Steaming may be a good solution for cleaning carpets, but steam mops are a poor choice for hard surfaces such as vinyl. Exceedingly hot temperatures and moisture is a dynamic duo that can potentially warp and destroy vinyl if you’re not careful. It’s best to avoid steam mops overall, but if you’re stuck on the idea, make sure to read your floor manufacturer’s guidelines before using one.

6. Never Use Bleach or Ammonia to Clean Vinyl Floors

These two chemicals are known for being super cleaners, but their hardcore make up and notorious fumes are not what you want on your floors or in your home. Instead, use milder cleaning products with a neutral pH to help avoid corroding your floors.

These are just a few of many tips that can help you keep clean vinyl floors! If you feel cleaning just isn’t enough, it may be time for a new look. Schedule a FREE In-Home Estimate to view our latest vinyl flooring options in your home.

The post Don’t Stress the Mess: 6 Easy Tips to Clean Vinyl Floors appeared first on Empire Today Blog.

1. Regular Vacuuming Isn’t Enough

You’re the most thorough, consistent vacuumer on the planet, and you take pride in how good your carpet looks. Guess what? Your carpet and the air in your home are a lot dirtier than the surface lets on. While vacuuming twice a week is an essential part of keeping your carpet clean, it is not enough to protect your investment long term. Aside from visible stains and crumbs, carpet fibers can hold dirt, dust, bacteria, and other allergens, which can affect not only the air quality of rooms with carpet, but your entire household as well. Hot water extraction, or steaming, is a surefire way to have a clean carpet.

2. What Sets Professional Carpet Cleaners Apart? Professional Equipment

Just because you see a carpet steamer on a commercial with hundreds of testimonials doesn’t mean that product is appropriate for your carpet type, color, or home. Before you say “I already have a steamer,” industrial grade steam cleaners that truly deep clean your carpet can cost a fortune to rent. It’s also highly unlikely that you can safely operate an industrial steamer without causing more damage. That’s where a professional carpet cleaner can save you. Equipped with the proper equipment to give your carpet the deep clean it deserves, professional carpet cleaners make your carpet look new, improve indoor air quality, and extend your carpet’s overall lifespan.

3. Professional Carpet Cleaners Know the Best Approach for Different Carpet Types

While you may know the basics, such as the different types and how soft they are, a professional understands the science required for a truly deep clean. It’s their job to understand how your carpet is constructed and which chemical solution is best for your particular carpet.  We may try to tackle stains on our own, but the wrong cleaning solution or appliance can make the damage even worse. Different kinds of carpet react differently to spills and stains. Professionals understand this and know the best approach. It should be common sense, but don’t assume all carpet cleaners are equally skilled. Be sure to carefully research reviews and ask trusted friends for a recommendation before hiring. And if someone doesn’t know what hot water extraction is, keep looking.

4. Professionals Can Protect Your Carpet from Future Soiling

Hiring a professional carpet cleaner isn’t only about refreshing your carpet. Pros will re-apply soil and stain protectants to your carpet. This can guard your carpet from future stains, making maintenance easier and providing you additional peace of mind about your carpet’s longevity. For every 6-12 months you consistently hire a pro, you’re adding comfort, fresh air, and warmth to your home.

When hiring carpet cleaners won’t cut it, it may be time to replace your carpet and start new. That’s where Empire Today can help. Schedule a FREE In-Home Estimate with us today to browse carpet selections in your home.

The post Is Hiring Professional Carpet Cleaners Worth It? 4 Reasons You Might Be Surprised appeared first on Empire Today Blog.

1. Shop for carpet with built-in stain protection.

Scotchgard 3M, R2X® Protection, and Stainmaster® make it more difficult for puppies to leave permanent stains, odors, and soiling.

2. Always check for “pet urine protection” labels on carpet samples.

Some brands will have different names for it. This can help keep accidents and odors on the surface for easy clean-up, rather than deep in the fibers where it can turn into a tough stain.

3. Scratch, stain, and moisture resistance goes for hard floors, too!

Check for tough protective coatings such as aluminum oxide on flooring samples. This can defend floors with most scratches, stains, and moisture.

4. Aim for darker colors for carpet.

Although it is possible to have a lighter carpet color if you own a pet, having darker or multi-colors can make cleaning and your life in general much easier. Why? Stains tend to stand out more on lighter colors, which can be an eyesore for you and your guests if not cleaned properly.

5. Grooming is everything.

When’s the last time your dog’s nails were trimmed? Long, jagged nails can cause scratches to hardwood and laminate if overlooked.

6. How resilient are your floors?

Dogs tend to follow their own pre-determined paths over and over and over again. Durable laminate, hardwood, or  vinyl flooring are great for heavy foot traffic.

7. Avoid loop carpet.

Even if your dog keeps those claws trimmed, you may want to avoid looped carpet, as nails at any length can snag and rip it easily.

8. Pattern, frieze, and textured carpet can help hide dirt.

Sometimes, it’s nice to not have to clean up immediately. Certain carpet styles conceal crumbs and flecks of dirt better than others.

9. Don’t let sleeping dogs lie.

Not only is sleeping on a hard surface uncomfortable, but a dog’s dead weight could leave an impact on your floor over time. Find a comfy dog bed large enough for the pup to stretch out on!

10. Time to chow down? Use a feeding mat.

Puppy eating and drinking manners are a little different from ours. Opt for a feeding mat beneath the water bowls to avoid standing water on your floor.

11. Floor mats can keep mud and dirt at bay.

There’s no avoiding a little mud or dirt in the house, but strategically placed mats at every entryway and long hallway can make a huge difference.

12. Consider tile or vinyl entrance ways.

Taking the mat concept a step further, tile or vinyl is a lot better next to the backyard door than wall-to-wall carpet. It adds a buffer for liquids, mud, and dirt.

13. Keep bones and toys in one place when you can.

Bones and doggy toys can be pretty heavy! If they’re being knocked off a couch or dropped from a decent height, bad things could happen to your floors.

14. Drink on the edge of the table?

That’s just asking for a tail-whipping! Pets are just like kids in a lot of ways. Lots of sudden movements, not much grace. Keep drinks in hand or away from edges to avoid messes!

15. You can never have enough clean towels.

If you are constantly “acting fast” cleaning up spills left and right, make sure you have a steady supply of towels strictly for the dogs.

16. Where there’s a will, fur will find a way.

While cleaning up shedding, use mops, brooms, and vacuums without the beater bars to avoid scratching your floors.

17. Regular vacuuming is a must.

On both carpet and hard flooring, vacuum twice a week in high traffic areas. Once a week is fine for “pet-free” rooms.

18. Don’t be afraid to deep clean.

Use manufacturer-recommended products for carpet, wood, laminate, vinyl, and tile alike. Absorb stains as much as possible with a towel to remove excess moisture. Avoid abrasive scrubbing. Steam-mops and heavy machinery are not recommended.

19. Hire a professional cleaner once a year.

To keep your floor looking fresh longer, consult a professional cleaning service through the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning, and Restoration Certification. They can get out the doggy bits your deep cleaning missed.

20. Above all else? Be prepared!

Accidents will happen. Don’t panic! If you have soap-free cleaners, mops, clean towels, and a vacuum on hand, you’re already halfway there. Most stains and soils can be avoided if you act fast and thoroughly.

Dogs and flooring can peacefully exist. It just requires a little more effort to keep your floors looking their best. If you need any help figuring out what dog-friendly flooring would be best for your  home, Schedule a FREE In-Home Estimate now!

The post 20 Ways Dogs & Flooring Can Peacefully Coexist appeared first on Empire Today Blog.

Unfortunately, many people don’t realize the same thing which makes steam mops such a “good cleaner” also causes it to be unsuitable for many types of finished flooring. Flashback to junior high: steam is formed when water is heated above 212°. However, most flooring manufacturers recommend the surface not be exposed to temperatures above 85° to 95° (well below the temperature of steam). Here’s why it’s important to take the manufacturers’ recommendations for your flooring into consideration.

Wood Flooring

Many manufacturers will tell you that wood and water just do not mix. Therefore, water-based cleaning products are generally not recommended on wood flooring. Continued use of steam mops is likely to cause seams between the boards to swell. Additionally, heat and pressure can force steam (water) deep into the wood surface resulting in abnormal expansion, which can cause cracks.

Vinyl Flooring

Flooring products, such as vinyl tile and vinyl plank flooring, are not designed to withstand the high temperatures which are required to create steam. Even Sheet Vinyl can be susceptible to the focused heat generated by steam mops resulting in the adhesive beneath breaking loose causing bubbles in the sheet vinyl floor. In addition to heat, water from a steam mop can also cause damage. Steam can be forced through the seams causing water build up under the floor resulting in tile or plank edges curling up.

Laminate & Ceramic Flooring

While laminate flooring can resist moderate temperatures, the pressure of a steam mop can force steam into the joints between the planks causing moisture build up, resulting in the seams swelling in small areas or even across the entire floor.

Most ceramic tile is not affected by the heat or water, but the same cannot be said about the grout between the tiles. Today’s grouts contain polymers to make them more crack and stain resistant. These can be affected by repeated exposure to both the high pressure and high temperatures, causing surface pitting and eventually cracking in the grout. Additionally, repeated use can cause grouts to lose their original color and look mottled.

Cleaning Services

Customers with cleaning services may not even realize their new flooring is gradually being damaged. Many assume that the professional cleaners they hire are experts. Therefore, they rarely watch them clean the floor. Worst of all, in many situations the damage is gradual and takes several weeks or months. By the time it is evident to the consumer, the damage is already done and irreversible, leaving the cost of repair with the consumer.

When you think about it, using steam to clean is like boiling a pot of water on the stove and pouring it on the floor surface to clean with. Most of us realize this is not a great idea. However, with all the TV ads for Steam Mops saying “it can be used on any kind of floor” and “it cleans and sanitizes your floor”, many people think since they show it on TV “it must be OK – right?” Wrong.

Recommendation

The best course of action is to use a quality, name brand floor cleaner designed for the flooring type you have. Remember, with cleaners, stronger is not always better. Be sure to read and to follow the directions on the bottle and use the applicator recommended for the type cleaner being used.

When it comes time to update your floors, or if you need help figuring out what floors may be best for your home, Schedule a FREE In-Home Estimate.

The post Steam Mops: Not the Miracle Cleaning Method We Thought appeared first on Empire Today Blog.