I love wintertime—the cozy sweaters, holiday parties, endless lattes and watching football on Sundays with Nick. But every year, I dread the snowy, sludgy, drudgy muck it brings into the house. Aside from placing plastic bags over my shoes, I’m doing all I can to defend against wintertime grime taking over my house.
If you live in a warmer climate that isn’t graced (or cursed, depending on your point of view!) with a beautiful blanket of snow every year, you’ve probably never felt the devastation of brushing your brand new purse across a salt-covered car. But you can still apply these tips to dealing with rain and mud year-round.
Here are six of my favorite tips and tricks to keep Kleen during the winter!
1. Create a sludge station at the door. A boot tray filled with rocks will help absorb the water from melted snow. Place a plastic sheet beneath the tray to protect against water stains on wooden floors.
2. Remove salt stains from clothing with a simple water/vinegar solution. Mix one tablespoon of vinegar with about one quart of water. Dip a cloth in the mixture and scrub until clean.
3. Did you know that most car mats are machine washable? This was my big Winter Discovery of 2011. Tossing your car mats in the washer a few times throughout the season works wonders on improving your car’s cleanliness. Lay flat to dry; place a heavy book on top to keep it from curling up, if necessary.
4. Bring a change of shoes with you. Keep a pair of outside boots that can be switched out and put into a bag when getting in the car. This will help reduce the mess on your shoes and keep those mats nice and Kleen!
5. Run a terrycloth-style mop over floors with warm water and vinegar regularly to remove salt crystals and residue
6. If you have outdoor pets, keep a towel by the door to give them a quick wipe down before letting them loose in the house. We use baby wipes to clean our Labrador’s paws after he’s been out in the snow! (Although I can’t say it’s Pickle’s favorite part of the day.)
Do you have any go-to techniques for keeping Kleen in the winter? Share them in the comments!
-Tina