Ottawa winters look beautiful outside, but salt, slush, and grit make life hard inside offices and clinics. Entryways can get slick, floors can scratch, carpets can stain, and the air can feel dusty. A clean, safe building during January and February requires a plan that fits our city’s weather. Here is how our team at Unique Cleaning Company handles winter mess so your staff and visitors stay safe and comfortable.
Start at the Door: Stop Salt Before It Spreads
The best way to control winter debris is to prevent it from entering. Use mats that start outside, continue in the vestibule, and finish in the lobby. Aim for 10 to 15 feet of coverage so that shoes make many contact points before reaching finished floors. Replace or launder mats often during storms, and use a scraper mat at the first zone to catch grit.
Set a simple routine for the first hour after opening. Shake or vacuum mats, mop wet trails with a neutral cleaner, and dry with towels in high-traffic areas. During heavy snow, repeat this routine midday. The goal is to keep water lines and salt rings from spreading toward elevators and meeting rooms.
Neutralize Salt, Do Not Just Mop It Around
Calcium chloride and other deicers leave a white haze and sticky film. Plain water will not remove that residue. Use a neutralizing cleaner made for deicer films, then follow with a clean water rinse. For resilient floors, use a low-moisture method with a microfiber mop to reduce the risk of slip. For tile, brush grout lines and use a wet vac to pull up the slurry instead of pushing it into corners.
Carpets need special care after storms. Start with a dry pass using a vacuum with a HEPA filter to remove grit that scratches fibers. Treat salt lines with a mild rinse approved for carpet, followed by a water extraction in stained areas. Place air movers to speed up drying times, so walkways are ready before the next wave of traffic.
Keep People Upright: Real Slip Prevention
Winter entries turn slick without attention. Place caution signs near doors during storms. Wipe puddles quickly and rotate saturated mats out of service. In polished areas, use a cleaner that leaves no film. For large lobbies, an auto scrubber with the right pad controls water better than a mop.
Stairwells also need focus. Grit collects on treads and noses, then travels onto office floors. Vacuum stairs with a brush tool, wipe handrails with a disinfectant, and clean landings during the day if traffic is heavy. Elevators collect water at the threshold, so keep a towel kit and flat mop nearby for quick touch-ups.
Protect Indoor Air During Salt Season
Fine winter dust does not just sit on floors. It moves into vents and lands on desks, keyboards, and shelves. Use HEPA vacuums on carpets and hard floors, and dust from high to low with microfiber so particles do not resettle. Clean return grilles and replace or wash intake filters on schedule. In medical and dental settings, extra attention to air pathways supports patient comfort. For hospitals and clinics requiring clinical-level detail, our team guides you through scheduling and product choices related to medical office cleaning in Ottawa.
Keep Restrooms and Break Rooms Healthy
Cold and flu season often peaks when sidewalks are slushy. Restrooms and kitchens require regular disinfection of fixtures, faucets, and door handles. Use products with clearly defined dwell times and wipe in one direction using color-coded cloths. Restock soap, towels, and sanitizer before shifts start so people do not skip hand hygiene.
Break rooms collect crumbs and spills that mix with salt dust. Clean tables, appliance handles, and counters every visit. Empty the trash before it overflows and wipe down the lids and edges that hands touch often.
Plan Staffing and Timing Around Storms
During active snowfall, many buildings benefit from a quick midday visit to refresh mats, wipe down entries, and spot-mop paths. After hours, teams then perform deeper work once traffic slows.
Communication keeps everything smooth. Share weather alerts and event calendars. If your lobby hosts seasonal drives or clinic flu shot days, plan extra touch-ups around those times.
Match Methods to Your Space
Every building has a winter pain point. Corporate offices fight salt tracks from the parking garage. Clinics see constant movement between waiting rooms and exam rooms. Retail spaces experience high foot traffic during sales events. Walk your space with us and point out problem zones. We will set a sequence that targets the exact surfaces that cause trouble.
For healthcare settings, many practice managers ask about training, logs, and product lists. Our team can align winter routines with the standards needed for medical office cleaning in Ottawa. When your building needs steady attention beyond entries and restrooms, our crews provide reliable coverage through janitorial services in Ottawa, including day support during storm cycles.
What You Should See From a Reliable Partner
Look for on-time arrivals, clean uniforms, and supervisors who verify results. Request checklists that outline daily, weekly, and monthly tasks related to winter conditions. You should receive photo updates of the entry mats, floors, and stairs after storms, allowing you to review progress without leaving your desk.
Ottawa winters will continue to bring salt and slush to your doors, but your building doesn’t have to show it. With the right mats, neutralizers, HEPA filtration, steady touch-ups, and flexible schedules, your space can look and feel ready every day. If you want steady support across the season, our team can set up janitorial services in Ottawa for your building and keep the work flowing while your staff focuses on clients and patients. Unique Cleaning Company is ready to help you keep floors safer, air cleaner, and entrances welcoming all winter across Ottawa.