How to Save Your Hardwood Floors from New England Winter Salt (And the "Haze" That Won't Go Away)

Living in New England means two things: snow and salt. While rock salt keeps our driveways safe, it is the number one enemy of your hardwood and tile floors.

If you have noticed a cloudy white "haze" on your floors that just smears around when you mop, you aren't crazy—and your floor isn't dirty. It’s a chemical reaction.

Why Your Normal Mop Isn't Working Rock salt (calcium chloride) has a high pH level, which means it is alkaline. Most general floor cleaners are also alkaline or neutral. When you mix the two, the salt doesn't dissolve; it just spreads out, leaving that stubborn white film.

Furthermore, those salt crystals act like sandpaper. Every time you walk across them with boots, you are micro-scratching the finish of your wood floors.

The Solution: Neutralize It. To get the haze off, you need to lower the pH balance. You don't need expensive chemicals; you need simple chemistry.

The DIY Haze Remover Recipe:

• 1/2 cup of White Vinegar

• 1 Gallon of Warm Water

• Pro Tip: Damp mop only. Never soak hardwood floors.

The acid in the vinegar neutralizes the alkaline salt, dissolving the haze instantly. Once the salt is gone, you can go back to your regular pleasant-smelling cleaner for a final shine.

Don't Want to Mess with Vinegar Buckets? We get it. Winter is messy enough. At Alpha Boston Clean, our Winter Deep Clean service includes a specialized pH-neutral floor treatment designed to strip salt residue without damaging your finish.