It’s the most wonderful time of the year! December is upon us and Christmas is fast approaching. Once you’ve got the decorations up, the stockings filled and the turkey ordered, it’s time to start planning for your festive guests, but how can you prepare and protect your home from the unavoidable spills and stains of dinners, drinks and a house full of excitable relatives? 

Photo by NeONBRAND on Unsplash

With proper care and maintenance, and under normal use, good quality hand-made rugs and carpets should last for at least 10 years, as should sofas and armchairs, although depending on whether you have pets and young children this may vary. As a little gift from us to you this Christmas, we’ve put together the best, most reliable ways to prevent damage and remove stains around the home.

• Damage protection is for life, not just for Christmas! It sounds simple, but regular use of a good quality domestic vacuum cleaner removes grit and surface dust and fluff. Do this at least twice a week and you’ll stave off as much wear and tear as possible, extending the life of your interior. 
• Spills are inevitable, we’ve all dropped the odd forkful of food or knocked over a glass of wine, but it’s what you do next that counts. Act fast and you might save yourself the heartache of a serious stain. For upholstery, white vinegar is a great natural stain remover for most fabrics. Start by blotting the stain with equal parts water and vinegar, then wipe the stain away gently using a microfibre cloth (be sure to use a brand new cloth to make sure it’s completely clean). Follow this up with a mixture of mild detergent and tepid water to remove any lingering vinegar smell and leave it to dry naturally.

Topfloor Erosion rug by Esti Barnes

• When it comes to your carpets and rugs, we advise seeking professional help as soon as you can as they can be damaged more easily with standard home-remedies. A quick Google search will help you find your local cleaning professional, but remember to always choose ‘Carpet & Rug Institute’ approved cleaners to guarantee a good job done.
• Here at Topfloor we offer a specialist protective coating that will protect your rugs and carpets from stains. The eco-friendly, non-toxic formula creates and protective coating that acts as an invisible barrier, repelling liquids, mud and dirt. Get in touch for more information about this.
• Something to remember before you grab the cleaning products and vinegar is to read the label (we’re all guilty of not doing this at some point or another). Whatever you find on the label should inform how you proceed: W means you can only use a water-based cleaner. S or P means it can only be cleaned with solvents (dry-clean only). SW or WS means that you can use either a water-based detergent or solvent cleaner. A steam cleaner will be fine to use. Finally, X means that you can’t use any water or detergent on the surface – get it professionally cleaned instead.

Photo by Tj Holowaychuk on Unsplash

Whatever happens, remember that you can always ask for cleaning and maintenance advice from the experts who produce and sell and your favourite interior pieces, so don’t hesitate to ask.