How to Get Rid of Salt Stains on Your Flooring

Winter comes with many inconveniences, but one that’s often overlooked is floor damage. Salt and other ice-melt products are used almost everywhere – on streets, sidewalks and porches. They basically prevent ice buildup so that walking and driving will be safer.

Residue of rock salt and other de-icing products can get into your home once you go inside or park your car in the garage. It’s usually hard to notice or track such residue. But once salt comes into contact with your flooring, it can cause lasting damage to your floor.

That said, you should remove salt stains as soon as you notice them or make it part of your cleaning routine during winter. Here are some cleaning tips that you can follow.

Cleaning Wood Floors

For hardwood floors, it’s best to clean the salt residue as soon as possible. You can use a solution of vinegar and water to get this done. But before anything else, make sure that the floor is completely dry. You can also try to vacuum as much of the salt as you can. Then, lightly spritz the vinegar and water mixture over the areas on your floor with salt stains. Let the solution sit for approximately five minutes, and then mop it dry. Wipe the floor once more, and this time with a microfiber cloth to remove any last bits of salt.

Cleaning Carpets

Vinegar and water can also help save your carpet from salt stains, although it requires a different process. First, you have to loosen any debris or salt from your carpet. You can use a soft carpet brush for this. Then, vacuum the area, and make sure it’s dry. Mix the vinegar and water in a bucket. Dip a sponge into this bucket, and wring it out. Lightly apply this cleaning solution to the salt-affected areas of your carpet.

Be careful not to scrub your carpet as this can damage the carpet fibers. Simply dab the sponge, and let the solution sit for 10 to 15 minutes. Then, use a dry sponge or microfiber cloth to blot up the solution until the carpet is dry. Using another clean sponge, gently apply water to the areas where you were removing salt stains. Then, blot once more with a clean microfiber cloth until your carpet is completely dry.

Preventing Salt Stains

It usually helps a lot to have flooring that can withstand so much abuse. To learn the best options for your home, our staff at Handyman Connection® of Mason will listen to your needs and offer an appropriate type of flooring.

Aside from getting the right floor for your home, it’s also important to observe certain habits during winter. For instance, take off your winter shoes before going into the main interior spaces, or place a mat outside your door and another one inside for wiping shoes. These can help reduce the amount of salt residue that gets into your home.

At Handyman Connection of Mason, we make sure that every job is done right the first time. Every craftsman on our team has several years of home improvement experience so you can rest assured that your project will be carried out to a high standard. Call us at (513) 733-3777, or fill out our contact form to request an estimate.