It is not unusual for property owners to see salt stains on commercial carpets when winter comes around. As soon as the season kicks in, the use of ice melt and rock salt products to melt ice and snow on roads becomes quite familiar. The residue of these products eventually results in stains.
Salt stains are incredibly stubborn and any attempts to wipe them away almost always turn out to be a failure. Such remedial action can even result in extensive damage or end up worsening the stains.
That said, salt stains on commercial carpets have become one of the most stress-inducing things that business owners deal with trying to keep the carpet clean. If you have landed on this page in the hope of finding solutions to this nuisance, you have come to the right place.
Here is everything you need to know about salt stains on commercial carpets including the causes, cleaning tips, and prevention techniques.
The Emergence of Salt Stains
The products used to melt down ice and snow are manufactured using different chemicals, such as sodium chloride, calcium carbonate, and magnesium carbonate. While these chemicals are perceived as ‘acidic,’ they are highly alkaline, i.e., they have very high pH levels.
It so happens that when these products are used to melt snow, all the moisture evaporates, leaving behind a white residual substance. This is where the problem begins.
Preventive Measures for Salt Stains on Commercial Carpets
Prevention is unquestionably better than cure. The best thing you can do to stay free of the worrisome salt stains on commercial carpets is knowing the right preventive techniques and implementing them.
Some essential preventive measures include:
- Keeping the entryways and walkways free of snow with frequent cleaning. This will minimize the amount of moisture that gathers, hence reducing the odds of salt stains.
- Remove any dirt and salt from the carpet through vacuum cleaning. Such dirt is stubborn and gets pushed deeper into carpeting every time someone walks over it. This can lead to permanent damages to the carpet by destroying the fibers.
- Have a dedicated area where employees can take their shoes off or change them before they are on the floor.
- This one might sound useless but can be useful in preventing salt stains on commercial carpets. Spend generously on foot mats. Place a couple of these everywhere you feel there is a need and put up a sign encouraging employees to wipe their feet/shoes before coming in. The mats will prevent damages to the carpet as well as salt stains.
- Get a professional carpet cleaner to apply a protective coating over your commercial carpets after you get them cleaned before winter arrives.
In case your commercial carpet already has salt stains, you are strongly advised to not to use DIY remedies or strong chemicals for cleaning. Hire a professional carpet company for cleaning.
The best you can do to keep yourself free of this worry is to buy good carpets that do not stain as badly or are at least stain-resistant. Talk to the experts at Carpet Connection in Denver to discuss your Commercial Carpeting options!