When it comes to construction, interior design, and making those final decisions which will transform your house into a home, there’s a lot to be said for combining your aesthetic preference with an eye for functional detail.
Like it or not, those decorative accessories, vibrant rugs, and intricate furnishings all need to be cleaned regularly – and the easier such interior elements are to clean, the more you will love them in the long run.
Flooring is one such detail which plays a major role in the overall finish and look of your home – and it’s also one of the biggest pains to clean.
Let’s be honest, nobody likes cleaning a floor, but as a necessary evil we are here to take you through some of the best flooring options for durability, functionality, and of course ease of cleaning.
Carpet
Long considered a luxury for modern homes, carpet is an umbrella term for all manner of different finishes, textures, and thicknesses – with homeowners often selecting carpet as the go-to flooring for their living spaces and bedrooms.
While it offers a soft, comfortable, and stylish solution in the home, carpet wears away quickly in spots which are frequently subject to footfall and the opening and closing of doors, which can leave it with inconsistencies in presentation over time. It is also worth noting that carpet quickly becomes dented by furnishings, and so it can be difficult to keep carpet looking its best if you regularly move furniture around.
In terms of cleaning, carpet is easy to hoover but any spills need to be tended to quickly else you risk leaving a lasting stain. This is even the case if you spill something like water which dries clear, as wet patches can leave a visible ring. As such, if you opt for carpet, it is worth considering rugs which are easier to clean in spots where you often entertain, or around doorways and entrances.
Wooden flooring
An opulent solution for homes of all shapes and sizes, authentic wooden flooring is timeless and can seamlessly compliment a modern or a more traditional home. There are many different types and styles of wooden flooring that you can opt for, with hardwood and layered wood both presenting the same aesthetic but with varying price tags.
And it’s not all about looks – wooden flooring is one of the easiest to clean, with spills easy to mop up and hoovering a quick and effective process in removing debris and dust. The only thing you need to be aware of if you choose wooden flooring is a build-up of grease or grime, and scratching – with wooden flooring treatments advised to retain the quality of your surface.
Laminate flooring
An ideal solution for those who want the look of a wooden floor but with none of the upkeep and a fraction of the cost, laminate flooring is essentially a HDF or MDF material with a photographic top layer which provides the aesthetic you’re looking for.
Durable against scratches, the thing you need to know about laminate is that there are a variety of different qualities out there – with the cheapest often not giving you good value for money, while the more expensive solutions could last upwards of twenty years. Whatever laminate you choose, typically you can keep it clean with a hoover and occasional mopping – though be careful when using water that you don’t unsettle the sticky back of the flooring and cause warping to the surface.
Vinyl flooring
Vinyl flooring is last on our list because it is typically considered the easier flooring type to clean – boasting a cushioned underbody which is available in an endless array of colours, designs, and finishes, and which has a protective layer across the top to protect it from any lasting damage caused by spills, stains, and other accidents. It is even scratch proof which gives it an edge over wooden flooring.
To clean vinyl, you can use a hoover for regular maintenance and then simply mop it once in a while for a deeper and more effective clean. The one thing to consider when mopping is ensuring that you remove an excess of water from the mop – as this can seep between the cracks in the surface and cause the vinyl to become unstuck over time.
Choosing the right flooring type for you
All four of these options offer their own benefits and considerations – with the main piece of advice you need to take away from this article being that little and regular cleaning is a better approach than sporadic deep cleaning.
For more information on each of these flooring types and for advice on which is best for your home, reach out to our team.