Monday 4 December 2017

Protect Your Hardwood Floors From Real Christmas Trees

Hardwood flooring is beautiful to look at, easy to take care of but can be nerve racking when it comes to the holidays. You love your floors and you really want to keep the real Christmas tree as a part of your family traditions. Nothing brings tears faster than a wooden floor with water damage, sap stains, or deep scratches from the tree stand. With a few extra steps, you can keep your family traditions and keep your hardwood floors looking their best too.
Start With Layers
Before you head out to pick out your tree, create the spot for your tree in your home and have it fully prepared before hand. To guard against scratches, fold an old sheet into quarters and place it where your real tree will go. Then cut an old plastic table cloth or a trash bag to fit on top of the sheet. Once the tree is in position, cover both sections with your tree skirt to complete your festive look.
Prepare Your Tree Outside
Instead of bringing in the real tree directly from your car, prepare it outside first. Cut the netting or twine and stand it up to release the branches. Gently shake the tree to remove any lose needles that have come off in the moving process.
Protect Your Tree As You Move It
Once your tree is ready to move into your home, put the base of the tree into an extra large trash bag and gently pull it around the bottom of the tree. Move your tree upright through your home to its permanent position. Use a shears to cut away the bag as you place it securely into its tree stand.
Water Daily
While your tree may not need a daily watering, its important to keep an eye on your tree throughout the season. Water with a plastic pitcher or watering can that allows you to direct the water where you want it to go. Watch the base for cracks to ensure water doesn’t seep out and onto the floor.
Tree Removal
To remove the tree, siphon the water out of the base. Then use the old sheet and tablecloth as a base to slide the tree to the nearest door to remove. Be sure to keep the path from the tree to the door as clean as possible to avoid scratches.