Slick and snowy roads mean one thing: Salt.
Salt, which helps to prevent snow and ice from bonding to the street, might keep drivers safe, but it can do damage to cars, clothing and homes.
Here’s how to keep your things salt-free.
Car
A clean car is key to preventing rust and other damage from salt. DMV.org recommends washing your car as often as possible and opting for an undercarriage cleaning. Following the wash, wax and seal the car and dry thoroughly. Make sure to dry the edges of the doors, underneath the handles, all hinges, plus the hood and trunk edges.
Clothing
It’s best to treat your clothing before the salt-spiked snow has a chance to dry. Begin by presoaking the garment in a mixture of powder detergent (add one-third cup to a couple of gallons of warm water). Soak the items for 30 minutes to 1 hour, then wash in the warmest water recommended on the care label. “Powder detergents have ingredients called builders that are useful in softening water and can help ‘pull’ small particles out of the fibers, thus keeping them suspended so they don’t redeposit back onto the clothes,” according to the Clorox website.
Carpet
To begin, vacuum as much of the salt residue as possible. Mix a small amount of carpet shampoo with warm to cool water in a bucket and apply the mixture to the carpeting using a soft cloth or sponge. Allow the mixture to set to dissolve the salts. Blot the area with a clean cloth to remove. Rinse with clean, cool water. And blot immediately to remove. Repeat the rinsing process until all of the shampoo is removed. It will take several rinses to thoroughly rinse the carpeting.
If the salts remain, but were partially removed, repeat the above process.
If the salt was not removed at all, combine one part water with one part vinegar in the bucket. Apply the mixture to the area and allow it to set for at least 15 minutes. Rinse with clean water using the blotting method explained previously. After all the excess water has been blotted away, allow the carpeting to dry completely. (Source: HowToCleanStuff.net)
