Springtime in Ohio can be misleading. We could have snowstorms on baseball opening day or it could be a hundred degrees in the bleachers on the corner of Carnegie and Ontario. You never can tell. But if there’s one thing we know for sure, it’s that the freeze and thaw cycle this time of year makes a muddy mess of your floors nastier than a 10^th inning rain delay in Game 7 of the World Series. Don’t let Ohio’s patented winter mix of slushy half-melted snow, salt, and ice break your floor’s cleanliness winning streak. Keep reading to learn how to prepare your floors for spring and keep those muddy shoeprints outside.

1. Set up a Mudroom

You don’t need much more than a cozy front door nook to put together a comfortable mudroom. Keep a chair or bench near each of the main entrances of your home. This gives your guests a convenient place to kick off their shoes and keeps the worst of the mud, dust, and dirt contained to a smaller area, which saves you time and elbow grease when it’s time to mop.

2. Wear House Shoes

Set aside a clean pair of shoes, slippers, or sandals to wear inside the house. Depending on the type of flooring you have, wearing shoes in the house can be more comfortable than walking in stocking or bare feet. Shoes are recommended on hard surfaces like tile, concrete, and hardwood, or when you’ll be working on your feet–in the kitchen, garage, laundry room, or basement, for example. Consider keeping a few extra pairs of slippers or flip-flops on hand for guests who might want them.

3. Stock up on Supplies

You were going to do a bunch of spring cleaning anyway, right? Springtime is perfect for checking your supply inventory and stocking up on a few cleaning necessities. We recommend keeping at least the following on-hand to clean up any mess:

• Vacuum cleaner
• Swiffer w/ wet and dry cloths
• Soft-bristled broom
• Dustpan
• Mop bucket
• Microfiber mop
• Floor, tile, or carpet cleaner
• Rags

4. Know Your Floors…and how to clean them

Your spring-cleaning routine might vary from room to room depending on the type(s) of flooring in your home. Regardless of what kind of floors you have, always check beforehand about what types of cleaners are safe to use and whether or not your flooring can withstand the beater bar on your vacuum cleaner, which can leave behind scratches and scrapes.

Rugs and carpet may be freshened up with dry baking soda and a vacuum cleaner while tile, hardwood, laminate, vinyl, concrete, and other flooring materials should be swept clean before being mopped with the appropriate cleaning solution.

Check out our blog posts for more information about:

• How to Maintain and Clean Your Tile Floors
• Maintaining Your Vinyl Floors
• Maintaining Your Laminate Floors
• Maintaining Your Hardwood Floors

5. Call or Visit Dan’s Wholesale Carpet & Flooring

Our friendly staff has you covered from your basement, to the subfloor, all the way to the shingles on the roof. Get everyday wholesale pricing on the top brands in flooring, countertops, cabinetry, shingles, and more. Dan’s Wholesale Carpet & Flooring is happy to serve our friends here in northeast Ohio with four convenient retail locations and in-home shopping available by appointment.