Canadian winters can take a toll on your floors. Rock salt, snow and mud are hard on floors. They can scratch, stain and crack your flooring. We are sharing 5 easy tips to help prevent damage to your floors during the winters. Fight sign of wear and tear with these floor maintenance tips:
1. Stay on Top of Spills
This goes for anytime of the year, but especially in the winter when we are trekking in water and snow from outside. Also, this is the time of year for large gatherings. So sure to be diligent about wiping and cleaning up spills immediately. Even the smallest spill can leave long-term damage. It’s best to always have a cloth tucked nearby for quick, easy cleanups.
2. Prevent Damage from Rock Salt
Rock salt is great for preventing people and even vehicles from slipping on ice. However, it’s harsh on our floors. Rough rock salt can not only scratch the surface of the floor, but the salt itself can leave stains. To avoid rock salt from being trekked throughout your home, place durable mats inside as well as outside of the front door and use area rugs in high-traffic areas.
3. Practice Routine Cleaning
Following a regular cleaning schedule all year round will keep your floors in fantastic shape before winter even arrives. Keep up with your regular sweeping, dusting, and mopping to prevent dust and salt from building up before and during the winter months.
4. Get The Family On Board
Having a “leave your shoes at the door” policy will benefit your floors all year round. Especially in the winter when we are bound to have wet, snow-covered footwear. Teach your family to wipe their feet, take off their shoes, remove wet or dirty covered outerwear before entering the home. Clean any wet messes up asap. Taking the time to establish ground rules with your family will result in good habits, preserve the longevity of your floors, prevent slips and falls and reduce the time you spend cleaning up.
Put out shoe racks and storage bins to stay organized and keep the messes off your floors. Using a shoe rack or storage bin will help prevent the winter elements from being tracked throughout your home and can help hide the mess of snow pants, toques and mittens. Have a front entrance closet? Even better. You can discretely tuck away shoe racks and bins.
5. Train your Pets
Stop your pets at the door and wipe off their feet to remove water, dirt and snow. Pets aren’t aware of when they are tracking in mud, snow or debris, so you will have to train them. Aim to train them to stop at the door, wait for their paws to be cleaned and then proceed into the house. Always reward patience and good behaviour with a treat or praise. We suggest keeping a towel and jar of treats at the door so you are always prepared.
