Flooring is an important part of the interior design scheme throughout your home. It’s also one of the more “used” elements; it’s subject to foot traffic, the weight of furniture and potential damage from water or other substances. Flooring also requires maintenance. Reduce the time and effort needed to keep your flooring looking good by choosing low maintenance flooring products and the right type of flooring for each room.
Kitchen
Tile, either ceramic or porcelain, requires little more than a quick swipe with a wet mop to remove food spills and shoe scuffs. The drawback is the hard surface may be uncomfortable for those with back or joint pain.
Vinyl and linoleum flooring are also low-maintenance options for the kitchen, as well as the laundry room. Both have more “give”, making them a more appropriate choice for those who find tile uncomfortable. Vinyl and linoleum, however, may show scratches and do not have the same durability as tile.
Family Room
Laminate is durable flooring that requires very little maintenance. Its resin surface is stain resistant and holds up to high foot traffic, making it a good option for family rooms and hallways.
Laminate floors cannot be mopped or otherwise exposed to water, nor should they be waxed. Maintain laminate flooring by simply dusting or vacuuming the floor once or twice a week, and wipe up spills with a paper towel or clean cloth.
Laminate flooring though, like tile, offers little comfort underfoot. To retain the low maintenance offered by laminate, try adding a large area rug to the room, one made of olefin or nylon. Both olefin and nylon are stain resistant and require vacuuming as little as once a week. Both yarns also allow you to use off-the-shelf steam cleaners for deep cleaning once a year.
If you have a room reserved for more formal uses such as entertaining or holiday family gatherings, plush carpet adds an elegant touch to the decor. Select a carpet made from nylon as this yarn is stain resistant. A carpet with a shorter, tighter density, or yarn twist, retains its texture better than one with long yarns. Because the room has little foot traffic, the carpet requires vacuuming no more than twice a month. If the room is used more frequently, however, a hardwood floor may be a better option.
Hardwood floors are durable and age well. Used in rooms with moderate foot traffic, hardwood floors require little more than occasional vacuuming and an annual application of a wood renewal product such as urethane to renew luster.
Bedrooms
Carpeted bedrooms offer comfort, both visually and physically. Bedrooms are usually low in foot traffic or at least the exposure to shoe soles is minimal. Select a carpet with a high-numbered yarn twist; you won’t need to vacuum as often to remove wear patterns.
Place a chair and shoe rack or shoe cubby by the door and encourage family members to remove their shoes when they come into the house. This reduces the soil and debris brought in via shoe soles.
Use furniture coasters or furniture glides under the legs of heavier furniture to protect your carpet from carpet crush. These also guard against scratches on laminate and hardwood flooring. Attach small felt pads to the bottom of legs on lighter furniture such as side chairs to protect against scratches.
Keep the house well-ventilated to avoid trapping chemical pollutants in the house when steam cleaning your carpets. The best time to steam clean carpeting is early spring or autumn, when you can leave the windows open for several days.
Resources:
HGTV Remodels
House Plans and More
Further Reading:
A Guide to Environmentally Friendly Kitchen Flooring Materials
Carpet Smart: A Look at New Technologies in Carpet
Tile Installation and Your Toilet
