Covid drives demand for hard surface flooring

Some hotels have decided to remove all carpets in guest rooms and replace them with hard surface floors, such as vinyl and wood. This has been done to make rooms easier to deep clean in order to protect guests from Covid-19.

Dwayne MacEwen, the head of DMAC Architecture, said:

“Durable nonporous materials such as hardwood floors with a nonporous surface, especially those that are surface-sealed, make it easier to clean.”

Interior designer Molly Forman said that luxury vinyl tiles are easier to clean and sanitise than carpets.

Hardwood is a safe option for hotels, but frequent cleaning with automatic scrubbing machines can degrade the wood quicker in comparison to the pre-virus routine of mopping daily. Cleaning too harshly can chip and crack wood, causing worn areas to trap dirt.

Not all hotels have removed carpets, however. They may take longer to clean than hard surface floors, but as long as carpets are disinfected after cleaning, the room will be safe for use by guests.

Other commercial workplaces have not replaced their flooring but instead increased the frequency of cleaning. In public areas, carpets can have contrasting coloured tiles placed in positions that provide visual guides to social distancing.

Whether you have vinyl flooring or carpets in your Chester home, if they are in good condition, there is no need to change them in response to Covid-19. As long as the floors are cleaned regularly and disinfected, the household should be protected.