The weather forecast says that we’ll have blizzard conditions this winter. So, get ready New Yorkers for some snow this year! Leaving the blizzard aside, I’m concerned about the life after the blizzard conditions where all roads are closed and people trying to melt the snow using salt. It is the best option to get out of the house and be able to walk down the street. However, the salty snow leaves pretty unsightly stains on your shoes which, eventually, will get into your house on your hardwood flooring. I’m just saying this because last year my hardwood flooring had some real ugly salt stains on it which wouldn’t go away using the usual wood floor cleaner. After wiping the floors the stains were pretty much visible. But this is not the only problem – the calcium chloride crystals found in salt can really damage a hardwood floor finish and no one wants to change the parquet every year. So, prevention is the key!

But, in case you’ve overlooked that, it’s best to take care of those salt stains right away.

How to remove salt stains from hardwood flooring

One of the best ways to deal with salt stains is to prevent them from happening in the first place.

Make sure anyone entering your home knocks excessive snow and salt off their shoes or boots. It’s a good idea to place some rugs to the entrance of your home and place a second rug inside the doorway. The rugs will help remove smaller particles of the rock salt and sand from people’s boots. If you can help it, don’t be afraid to ask people to remove their boots before walking throughout the home. Or, you can place a waterproof mat where guests and family members can leave their shoes.

You Need:

  • 2 cups of vinegar
  • 1 gallon of water
  • vacuum cleaner

How-To:

  • The fist thing is to vacuum well the floor while is dry to remove any salt crystals and dirt. If the floor is still wet, mop it quickly, let it dry, and then vacuum it.
  • Now mix the vinegar with water in the mop bucket and pour some of this solution in a spray bottle.
  • Start mopping the hardwood floors and spray some of the vinegar solution over stubborn salt stains, let it act for 5 minutes or so, and then mop the flooring again.
  • Now, take a microfiber cloth or a dry towel and mop the floor again.

Important! After using vinegar to remove salt stains from hardwood flooring it’s important to use a dry towel to wipe the area dry. It’s not advisable to expose hardwood flooring to excessive moisture.