Carpet, tile and hardwood are all susceptible to damage caused by water, mud and freezing temperatures. During most of the year, keeping the elements out of your home isn’t as difficult. However, in the winter it’s not always possible. Even if you enforce a no shoe household, mud and moisture can still make it into your home. Umbrellas, jackets and pets harbor these winter floor damage hazards. Keeping up with your floor care routine all winter long is a challenge. Chances are your floors aren’t going to make it through winter without some damage.
Carpet:
- The cold and wet days of winter takes a toll on your carpet. Tracked in moisture from rain or snow can cause mold in a matter of hours. The lack of sun and warmth can make this problem worse. If you notice your carpet is wet, dry it as soon as possible. Even if you don’t see mold on your carpet, it doesn’t mean it isn’t hiding in between fibers.
- Mud is another threat to the condition of your carpet. If left untouched, it hardens. Then foot traffic usually grounds it deep into your carpet fibers.
- Salt and calcium chloride, used to melt snow, are damaging to your carpet as well. They cause your carpets to dry even slower than normal. Once it finally does dry, it leaves stains.
Tile & Grout:
- Most tile is resistant to damage due to moisture, mud or salt. However, grout isn’t as resilient. It’s porous and stains easily. Sealed grout is able to withstand the elements more effectively.
- Some tile isn’t resistant to freezing temperatures. Depending on your location, make sure your tile is approved for use in freezing temperatures to prevent cracking.
Hardwood:
- Hardwood is beautiful but does require a fair amount of maintenance to keep that way. Winter temperatures cause you to rely heavily on your heating system. This may cause your wood flooring to release moisture and contract. As long as the humidity in your home stays above 40%, your wood floors should retain their moisture.
- Your hardwood flooring is porous and absorbs water quickly. Tracked in rain and snow causes stains if not wiped up quickly. In addition, your floor can buckle if it absorbs large amounts of water.
All of the damage mentioned above is most likely to occur in the winter. The effects of rain, snow and cold temperatures are difficult to avoid completely. Tracked in moisture alone can cause lasting damage on most types of flooring. Now that spring is just around the corner, it’s the perfect time for a professional floor cleaning. Schedule an appointment to clean up the floor damage that winter inevitably causes. You’ll be able to enjoy the warm weather without worrying about stained and damaged floors.
ServiceMaster of Germantown is your local tile, floor and carpet care expert. Contact us at 901-854-6225 to schedule professional floor care services that cancel out the damage your floors have sustained all winter long.
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