Vacuum the mat before you mop the salt

What to do: At winter entrances, extract or vacuum the walk-off mats first, then clean the hard floor beyond them with a neutral or salt-neutralizing cleaner.

How: Lift dry grit with a wet-dry or upright vacuum, working along and across the mat. If the mat is saturated, extract the water before moving on. Then damp-mop the first several metres inside the door, changing solution as soon as it turns cloudy.

Why it matters: A full mat stops trapping grit and starts spreading it. Every footstep then carries salt deeper into the building, where the white film dulls finishes and makes floors slippery.

Common mistake: Mopping the hard floor while the mat is still soaked. Within an hour, the residue is back.