Floor cleaning alert!
With yet another snow storm on the way, it means cold temperatures and icy roads. The road crews use thousands of pounds of salt used to keep everyone safe, but when you bring this into your house on the soles of your shoes it could wreak havoc on your floors, rugs, and carpets.
The salt used on the roads is a hard crystal that can be extremely abrasive on any type of flooring you have in your home or if you are a business owner, in your commercial space. Not taking care to get rid of the salt and the residue it leaves behind can fray the fibers in the carper which will make it look worn. For the hardwood floors in your home, the salt can scratch your floors, dull and damage the finish – almost as if you applied sandpaper to your floors!
While hiring a professional for your floor cleaning needs will lengthen the life of your rugs, carpets and hardwood floors, there are several steps homeowners or business owners can take on their own to prevent salt damage or to help minimize the damage once the salt is on floors.
Hardwood Floor Cleaning Tips
- Make sure you have mats at the front door of your home or office. Also, vacuum the slush from the mats every day using a wet/dry vacuum.
- Immediately remove any water or piles of salt from the flooring. To do this on a hardwood floor without damaging it spray the floor with warm water that is mixed with equal parts of vinegar. After spraying let it sit then wipe it up with a dry towel or mop.
Rug and Carpet Cleaning Tips
For rugs and carpets, it can take a lot of effort to get rid of any traces of salt.
- Vacuum the rug or carpet in different directions and slowly to make sure the vacuum brush is getting to the fibers.
- After vacuuming the stained area to remove any loose pieces of salt, create a solution of equal parts warm water with vinegar and lightly spray onto the rug or carpet. This mixture will help to dissolve the calcium carbonate in the salt. Let the solution sit for 5 minutes then blot it with a clean towel. Once it is completely dry vacuum again to pick up any of the loose pieces of salt.
Make life easier. Hire a professional
Even after taking preventive steps and working to clean areas on your own with these tips it is always a good idea to reach out to a professional rug cleaning service once the harsh weather season is over to have your floors, rug, and carpets cleaned. Also, if you are responsible for a commercial space with a lot of traffic, considering bringing in a professional commercial cleaning service for your floors will help to maintain the appearance of your company.
Good news! The harsh weather season is almost over. Clean up and get ready for spring!
