One of the most appealing things about holiday parties is the décor, right down to the draperies, braided rugs, and statement accessories. And after decorations, what makes a fun and successful holiday party? The food! Setting up a buffet table with appetizers, chips, dips, drinks, cheese balls, fruit tarts, pies, and chocolate is one of the biggest attractions to your party.

So what does it mean when you combine a delicious food spread with area rugs and braided runner rugs? The risk of spills can be enough to roll up the rugs right before the party and forget about getting the ambiance right. But before you do that, take a look at some of these tips.

Keeping Rugs Clean During Holiday Parties

Although it seems impossible, you can have nice things during a holiday party. Practice these tips to eliminate spills and messes on your beautiful braided rugs.

1. Designate Food Areas

When you throw a party, you are in charge of where the food goes in your home. If you have a beautiful white braided rug in the middle of your gathering room, ask people to please keep food out of that room. You can set up chairs along the hallway and throughout the kitchen to accommodate guests as they snack and visit.

If you do not want to feel like a party pooper, you can simply ask guests to keep food out of carpeted areas. It will make them feel better too! No one wants to be the guest who spills a red drink all over the light carpet.

2. Bring in More Tables for Drinks

One catalyst of spilled drinks is the lack of surfaces to put the glasses down. As a result, guests end up setting the drinks on the floor or balancing them on a cushioned chair. You can rent a few party tables strategically around the room, so guests have a place to put their snacks and cups.

In addition, you can place coasters on your existing tables and countertops to signify where you would like drinks to go when not being carried. Guests love a helpful cue on proper party etiquette in your home.

3. Control Which Foods Are Served

Some foods are messier than others. For example, if you have neutral braided rugs in your home, imagine the impact of salsa, fruit punch, or chocolate sauce spilled all over. Not only is it shocking to you as the homeowner, but the guest can feel awkward if they’re responsible for such an accident.

Eliminate foods from your menu that stain easily, such as red wine, fondue chocolate, or greasy sauces. Instead, you can serve a fruit tray with cheese and crackers. Or even a piece of vanilla cake would not stain as badly as chocolate cake. When you make sensible choices in food, a spill will be less consequential.

4. Keep the Kids in the Kitchen or Outside with Food

Kids are indeed more likely to have an accident than adults. They are not used to juggling food and drinks as they walk from place to place. You can set up a special place for kids with tables for everyone to have a spot to sit. If the weather is nice, outside is always a good option.

You can also lay down a table cloth under a temporary table in a game room or entryway for the kids to sit. Then if they drop food, you can gather it all up at the end and throw out the disposable table cloth.

5. Take Shoes Off at the Door

Along with spills and accidents, high traffic can cause wear and tear to the rugs. So asking guests to leave their shoes at the door is a reasonable request. Think about the dirt and mud that can track through the house, especially during winter storms.

6. Clean the Rugs Right Before

It may sound like cleaning your rugs right before a holiday party may be a waste of time. But the truth is that people are more conscious of clean environments. If your braided rugs are in pristine condition, guests will be more careful with their food and drinks.

7. Vacuum Often

If you are hosting a series of holiday parties, increase the frequency that you vacuum your braided rugs. Instead of letting the dirt and crumbs sink deep into the fibers, vacuum each day to get any morsels you may have missed.

Increased vacuuming will keep your braided rugs in tip-top shape and ready for the next party. And your rugs will always be guest-ready if someone decides to pop in early or between parties.

8. Clearly Mark the Garbage Bins

Guests may not know where to put their snack plates and drinks after they are finished. You will avoid abandoned drinks and crumbs when you have a few garbage receptacles around the house. You may not think trash cans fit in with the décor, but they don’t have to be pretty. Even walking by with a plastic bag periodically to collect trash will save your braided rugs from inevitable accidents.

9. Use Durable, Easy-to-Clean Braided Rugs

The best tip is to use braided rugs that are easy to clean. Then, if a spill happens, it will not be so detrimental and bring down the whole party. Accidents happen, and knowing that you can clean the spill with gentle soap and water after the party ends will keep spirits light and stress-free.

Choose Homespice Braided Rugs

Decorate for the holidays with Homespice braided rugs. Add a round braided rug under the holiday tree. Adorn your kitchen with a few braided runner rugs for warmth and comfort. In addition, choose braided coasters and placemats for your table setting. The farmhouse braided rugs will give you the country holiday vibe that will make everyone feel at home.

Browse Homespice Rugsst to find the colors and styles perfect for your home décor. You will find a wide variety of sizes and shapes. For example, layer an oval braided rug over a rectangular one for contrast and variety. And don’t forget your patio. A braided rug is perfect for keeping your feet warm on cooler nights. Start shopping today.