Winter Weather Cleaning: Managing Salt, Snow, and Mud Indoors
Winter is the most wonderful time of the year, but not when it comes to your flooring. Mud, snow, dirt, and salt melt can wreak havoc on carpets and tiles. Of course, this doesn’t mean you must stay indoors all season long, holing up and hibernating. There are several ways to stop Old Man Winter from muddying up your home, including the following:
Shun the Shoes
Shoes might be fashionable, but they’re no friend to your carpets or health. They’re covered in seasonal muck during winter (and bacteria, viruses, and heavy metals at all times of the year).
A no-shoes-in-the-house policy is a simple way to give unwanted dirt and germs the boot; keeping a storage bin at your front door or garage entrance makes it easy to pull sneakers on and off and put them aside. Encouraging your children to wear dedicated winter boots, which they wear each time it snows, is also an easy way to keep the house as clean as possible.
Invest in Floor Protection
Washable rugs and runners placed in high-traffic areas can help absorb moisture from melting snow and salt strewn along neighborhood streets, keeping your floors dry and chemical-free. Be sure to cover all entrances, including front and back doors and the garage (if you enter and exit that way), and wash your rugs and runners regularly in the washing machine or with a shampooer.
Clean Often
Most floors need increased attention during the winter months. From mud to crud, carpets, tile, and linoleum all get dirty more readily when it’s wet outside. At a minimum, you should aim to vacuum your carpets at least once a week and deep clean them with a shampooer monthly (or when the floors become saturated). Keep your shampooer handy for spot cleaning, too; this helps prevent staining and wear and tear.
Don’t Let Things Get Salty
Salt melt is the most common way to remove ice and snow from sidewalks and city roads. Its wide use means it’s easy to drag into your house without you realizing it. Unfortunately, its corrosive nature isn’t suitable for your pets or floors. It can irritate Fido’s paws (or cause stomach distress if swallowed). It can also damage your floors beyond repair, so removing it promptly (with a vacuum, shampooer, or extractor) can save you money and frustration.
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