Winters can be brutal in the Midwest. Don't let old man winter be the demise of your hardwood floors. Specifically, the salt that we use to break up tough ice can really damage floors. Read on to see what you can do in order to keep your floors safe this winter.

Salt can leave some serious damage on any hardwood floor if you don't take any particular care. The first line of protection is asking everyone that enters your home to take off their boots and shoes. Tracking salt throughout a house can get out of control very quickly. Stop the problem at its source. Very heavy rugs and mats at your doorways will ensure that the salt doesn't have an opportunity to ruin your precious hardwood floors. Waterproof mats work best as the snow melting off of boots and shoes is going to become a nuisance. We find that even having a bin out of sight works great as well. You can periodically dump the melted snow that has salt in it. This is your first line of defense, so use it!

The next best thing you can do it vacuum your floors. Yes, we know it sounds a bit strange, but vacuuming your floors can help make sure that some of the larger salt particles don't stay on your floors too long. The rough edges of salt can scratch up hardwood floors fairly easily. Vacuum those salt particles often in order to ensure your floors stay scratch free. While we're at it, sand can do some wicked damage too. If you live in an area where sand can get tracked throughout your home, it's going to be worth it to invest in a heavy duty mat for your front door and a great vacuum.

We will cover what to do with salt stains in a future article, so stay tuned for that if you'd like to know what to do. Subscribe to our monthly newsletter if you'd like tips like these delivered right to your inbox as well as special member only discount codes.