In southern Maine, March through May brings road salt, sand, and mud into every entryway. On hardwood floors like the ones in many South Portland and Portland homes, that grit acts like sandpaper, and salt residue leaves a white film that dulls the finish.
Start at the door. A rough outdoor mat and an absorbent indoor mat catch most of the mess before it reaches the floor. A boot tray and a no-shoes habit take care of most of the rest.
Clean more often, not harder. Dry grit does the damage, so a quick sweep or vacuum of entry areas every day or two matters more than one big scrub. For salt film, a damp mop with a wood-safe cleaner works better than a soaking wet one.
Mud season is also a good time to move to more frequent recurring cleaning, weekly instead of biweekly, then back again once the ground dries out. When spring arrives, a deep clean resets the whole house after winter.