How to Keep the Mud Room Clean
The mud room is the one-stop location for dirty jackets, muddy boots and dripping wet umbrellas after a day spent outdoors battered and bruised by the weather. Even though the mud room is designed for dirt and grime, maintaining a neat, clean and tidy room will keep the room and your belongings in good repair for as long as possible.
Keep the Floor Clean
Carpet is not the ideal flooring for a mud room. What happens when you decide to turn the mud room into a den, game room or into a spare bedroom in years to come? Mud-caked carpet will make the whole room look dingy and dirty, which is why it is best to change out the flooring in the mud room. Tile and linoleum are easier to maintain and keep clean and are versatile enough to be transformed into another room altogether if you ever decide to do away with the mud room.
Wash Muddy Shoes and Boots
Wash muddy shoes and boots when they are still wet, as doing so will make it easier to remove dirt and grime and help footwear last even longer. Use a soft bristled brush, a clean rag and some mild detergent to gently lift dirt and grime from muddy shoes and boots. Leave them outside on a rack to dry completely after each wash and then bring them indoors to store in a clean mud room.
Put Coats and Jackets Straight into the Wash
It is tempting to remove dirty coats and jackets and leave them lying on the floor in the mud room while you head off upstairs to slip into some dry, clean clothes. But if you hope to keep on top of taking care of dirty coats and jackets, they should be put straight into the wash, rather than left lying around in the mud room. Collect all dirty coats and jackets and take care of them as the need arises. When coats and jackets are dry, hang back up in the mud room.
There is no reason why the mud room has to turn into a pit of dirt, grime and mud. Small changes can gradually transform a mud room into a clean environment that can be used to store clean shoes and coats in an orderly fashion. But it should be organised in such a way that the room can serve a multi-purpose function should the need arise.
