With the recent cold temps, tracking salt into your home is inevitable. Salt can be extremely damaging to carpet if left untreated, so we’d like to help. Here are a few tips to help with those pesky salt stains.
Always Sweep
Sweeping inside the home goes without saying, but sweeping outside can be just as important. Once the salt has done its job and removed the ice from your porch or walkway, get rid of it. The salt sitting outside your home isn’t doing any good once ice has been removed, so go ahead and sweep it away to avoid that salt making it’s way into your home.
Defend With Mats
Welcome mats are not only for design purposes, but they can also prevent salt and watery salt residue from making its way to your carpeting. Welcome mats and throw rugs can easily be removed and washed after enduring through salty conditions. Another recommendation is having some type of boot tray where people typically enter your home to avoid liquid from melting snow. Salt can rest within the snow outside your home and the combination of melted snow and liquified salt can create havoc on your carpets.
The Proper Cleaning Mixture
Avoid laundry and dishwasher detergent of any kind.
Instead, mix a quarter cup of liquid dishwashing soap with one cup of warm water, which will dissolve the salt better than cold water. With a white cloth, blot the stains with the solution, while gently working it in. Once you’ve gotten out the stains, be sure to rinse with warm water to prevent more stains from resurfacing.
The unfortunate reality is that salt residue will make its way to your carpet. Fortunately, that’s not a death sentence for your carpeting. By utilizing the proper cleaning techniques we discussed with a bit of urgency, your carpet will be clean and safe.
