Running a household with little children inevitably makes any parent run into several safety concerns. One worry that may be crossing your mind every day is the possibility of them getting injured while playing. How do you make your house a safer space for the children to run around and have fun?
There are some precautions that you should take to avoid accidents at home. One solution makes all the different parts of your house safer: make the floors slip-resistant.
Different solutions apply to different areas of your home. Check these out below to keep your home safe without sacrificing aesthetics or needing big renovations.
Driveway
Have you looked at your driveway recently and noticed that it looks a little lifeless? The reason is sometimes staring you in the face. The buildup of dirt, grime, and mold could be the culprit for the dullness of your home exterior and the increased risk of slipping.
Sometimes, all your house needs is a deep clean. Seek the expertise of professional pressure washing services to remove years’ worth of filth hiding in plain sight. Brick, concrete, or other hard surface, pressure cleaning can rid your house exteriors of safety hazards.
Not only do deep cleans reduce the risk of slipping, but they also bring back the curb appeal of your house. No new paint job or renovation needed! You would be surprised at how much your house can transform with a bit of washing.
A helpful extra precaution is installing rubber mats on frequently visited areas. Non-slip coating can also add traction to sloped surfaces.
Garage
Especially during winter months, parking your car in the garage brings in snow and car fluids to the floor, which makes the ground slippery. Containment mats help by catching all of these liquids and preventing them from flowing onto your floors. Just park your car over them and let them do their magic.
Containment mats are also better paired with non-slip carpet runners for better protection. They come in different lengths and shapes, so you can easily fit them into narrower spaces inside and outside your garage.
Living Areas
There are many parts of the home that you need to make slip-resistant. Let us take you through the best methods for each room.
Living Room and Bedrooms
Kids like to crawl around and play in the living room and bedroom. But hard floors put them and seniors in your home at risk for falling or slipping. A low-cost way to keep your living room and bedrooms from becoming accident-prone areas are rugs and carpets.
Rugs provide a good cushion and makeshift play mat for when your children are playing on the floor. Choose a non-skid or anti-slip rug, or even install non-skid backings yourself. You may also want to opt for hypoallergenic rugs to prevent allergic reactions.
Keep in mind, though, that you should also arrange your furniture in a way that kids cannot bump into anything sharp or accidentally touch wires or outlets. Using a playpen will be best for younger children.
Kitchen and Dining Room
Your kitchen and dining areas are regularly exposed to oil and grease. The best way to keep these places sanitary and accident-free is to clean the floors regularly and make sure they are dry before leaving. Note, however, that simply mopping up the floor with water may only spread grease rather than remove it.
When getting rid of oil residue on the kitchen floor, use a cleaning cloth and a mix of warm water and a light detergent or dishwashing liquid. Other kinds of flooring, such as linoleum and wood, may be easier to clean with a mixture of water and vinegar.
Playroom
Choosing playroom flooring presents challenges aside from making sure the surface is slip-resistant. There are also concerns of durability and easy stain removal for whenever the kids make a mess.
Rubber floor mats are the most popular option for playrooms. They come in different colors, sizes, and thicknesses, making it easier to customize the area as you or your kids wish. They are also resistant to most fluids, making them easy to wash without any stains or residue.
Note that oil and grease can seep into rubber mats. Make sure that your kids enter the room with clean hands and feet to avoid permanent stains.
The Bottom Line
There are many ways to make your floors slip-resistant without having to replace the flooring in your home completely. Take these steps in addition to child-proofing your furniture and other home equipment to make the home the safest place for your children to explore.
