5 floors that can handle water (& spring cleaning tips that keep them looking great!)

April showers bring May flowers—and puddles, mud, and all the other
messiness that comes with spring. If you’re in the market for a floor that can handle all the spring messes (plus spills, wet paws, muddy footprints, etc.) our rainy weather can dish out, we’ve compiled a list of floors that are easy-to-clean (especially for muddy foot and paw prints), durable, and look great—no matter what kind of water gets tracked in.

Luxury vinyl

Luxury vinyl is the perfect floor for a high traffic area that gets a lot of

muddy footprints. Many of these floors look like wood, but do not have the traditional wood floor problem of water damage from sitting water. If you do get muddy footprints or water tracked in, just use a cloth or dry mop to clean up the mess. Luxury vinyl planks floors can also be installed as a do-it-yourself project if you’re handy.

Tile

Porcelain tile is water, odor, and mildew resistant; the perfect recipe

for a flooring that can withstand water. Tile floors are also a great buffer for your wood floors. Install tile floors in your entryways and mudrooms so you can “catch” all the water and mud that gets tracked in before it hits your wood floors. As an added perk, radiant heating can be installed under floors which keeps them warm to the toes and dries out any water tracked in.

Laminate floors

Laminate floors are incredibly durable and easy-to-clean, which is

why they are ideal for spaces where the mud and rain is tracked in. There is one note of caution: while laminate floors can take the mud and wet footprints, be careful with standing water. Standing water on laminate floors can warp the floors, so make sure you clean it up promptly.

Sheet vinyl

Sheet vinyl can handle water, even a foot of water. That’s right we’ve seen sheet vinyl floors that have survived a flood and still look great. Because there no seams, homeowners with sheet vinyl floors don’t have to worry about water damage from moisture seeping in between the planks. Today’s sheet vinyl floors also come in a variety of styles that look great.



Tips to keep your floors looking great during spring

Use rugs for décor and a catch-all for mud and water.

If you don’t want water and mud tracked in, use rugs to catch all the water, gravel, and debris that gets tracked in. Place a wide rug or long runner by each door to give your guests (and pets) a place to clean off their feet before they come in.

Leave your shoes at the door.

Once you (and your guests) walk in, take off your shoes and ask your guests to remove their shoes as well. If you do leave your shoes on when you come in, clean your shoes off as well as you can. Train your pets to stop at the door so you can clean their paws off before they leave muddy footprints across the floor.

Regularly sweep or dry mop your floor.

To prevent scratches and keep your floor looking great, regularly sweep or dry mop your floor. A regular sweep picks up small debris that can scratch your floor and keeps stains from setting in.

Ask before you clean.

When you have new floors installed, don’t assume that you can use the same cleaners on the new floor as you did on the old one. Some cleaners can damage your new floor and void your warranty. If you have any questions about cleaners, ask the experts at your local flooring store to make sure you use approved cleaners that remove the spring messes and remove the stains.

Deep clean (or schedule) a deep cleaning periodically.

A regular sweeping isn’t enough; give your floor a regular deep clean (or schedule an appointment to get your floors deep cleaned) to keep your floor looking like the mud of spring never was (or at least never was in your house).