The harsh weather of winter makes floor care a challenge, whether you have hardwood, tile or carpeted floors. Sand and salt used outside on icy pavements gets stuck in the treads of boots, often being tracked inside your home. Wet hats, mittens, and scarves are often tossed on the floor in an effort to quickly get inside to the hot chocolate. Here are a couple of quick tips to make sure your floors are kept clean this winter, by organizing your entryway.
Prevention and A Place for Everything
Use an extra floor mat or huge bath towel just inside the door when you know many feet will be walking in from outside, snowy chores. This will encourage hasty feet to wipe off as they enter the room. Change the mat or towel as it gets saturated, or put a small fan on the floor to help blow-dry the mat before it becomes too wet.
Position a sturdy chair near the door, next to the floor mat, so people are encouraged to sit down and remove their footgear right away. Use a boot tray or inexpensive low-profile plastic storage box and place it near the inside doorway, or just inside the hall closet where coats are normally stored. It will also help keep boots matched together, and prevent them from getting misplaced.
Set a laundry basket near the entrance door for the wet outerwear, and empty it once everyone is inside. Even little children can have fun “tossing” wet mittens inside the laundry basket, instead of letting them melt all over the floor. It’s easy to take the entire basket to the laundry room and wash everything in one quick batch.
Quick Cleanup When Necessary
Microfiber comes to the rescue again for hardwood and tile floors that get water spots on them. Use a clean microfiber towel and gently blot up any puddles; another clean one can gently buff off any salt residue that might be left on the floor.
Sand, salt and snow on a carpet can drip through the fibers, causing long-lasting damage if not cared for quickly. If you see a puddle left on the carpet, grab a white cleaning towel and gently blot up the puddle, being careful not to rub the sand or salt into the carpet fibers.
Of course, having a deep cleaning of your entryway floors can make them look new again, or spot-cleaning just those areas that are looking dingy. ServiceMaster helps homeowners save money by getting carpets clean that might have been replaced, so schedule a carpet cleaning today!