When the cold and snowy weather arrives we often dismiss our cleaning duties...am I right?
Despite spending more time on average in your home than the remainder of the year, we tend to spend that time curled in a ball near the heater, watching Netflix, and liking pictures of faraway beaches on our smartphones from bed. We also use the excuse of "Spring Cleaning" to wait another few months to take any action in cleaning our messy homes/offices.
But did you know this could be costing you?
There are many hidden dangers to these winter months that will cause permanent damage to your living or work areas if not cleaned in a timely fashion.
Think of your home or office as your car for a moment. It's well known that every 3-4k miles an oil change should take place to keep all moving parts in the engine running smoothly and ensure the longevity of the engine for years to come. Some oil change shops are convenient and fast, where you pull up, pay, and pull out, done. Well, this is nice and all but those mechanics are not watching out for other elements in your vehicle that IF CAUGHT can save you hundreds if not thousands in repairs later on.
One good example of a big expensive "Watch-out" in your home is SALT AND OIL from winter snow/ice storms coming into your home from your feet and paws (from our furry family members). The oil and grime from street traffic gets trapped in snow (there's more science behind this but take our word that this actually happens) as well as ice. Add a very corrosive material (SALT) into the mix that is also found when contractors and municipalities clear the streets and you have a nasty home-destroying concoction being spread throughout your home!
The salt can easily eat away at your hardwood flooring, leaving marks and dryness in wood flooring which can be very hard to repair if left long enough. It can even rust any metallic surfaces or objects it comes in contact with.
The key to preventing this damage is with consistent cleaning of all floors throughout the home without ever allowing these elements to hang around long enough to really do it's damage. We also highly recommend a large welcome mat with bristles and a container to store shoes prior to walking around the home. Also, your pets will love you even more if you clean their paws after a walk during the winter-time, because salt is also believed to be harmful to their paws. "Sidewalk-safe" products still contain CaCl, magnesium, and salt, all of which are corrosive, so please remember these are hardly better than 100% salt (and will damage flagstone and other decorate hardscaping)!
As with a great mechanic or doctor, just a little preventative maintenance to the things that matter the most, will save you tenfold in the long run!
*Disclosure: The owners of Bluebird Cleaning also run a Commercial Snow/Ice Management company. We know a thing or two about de-icing chemicals and the damage it can cause to in and around your home.... it's happened to us too!
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