After every big storm on the Sunshine Coast we get the same calls. The bench tops feel sticky, the floors are gritty even after sweeping, the windows have a haze that does not come off with normal cleaner. The cause is the same in most homes, and treating it properly is straightforward once you know what you are dealing with.

What is actually on your surfaces

Storm residue is a mix of three things. Fine salt from the ocean spray that the wind has carried inland. Organic matter from the rainforest canopy that gets shredded and atomised in heavy weather. Trace pollutants from the roads and roofs that the water has washed into the air.

The salt is what makes it sticky. The organic matter is what makes the surfaces feel gritty. The pollutants are what hazes the windows.

The cleaning order that works

Vacuum first. Do not damp-mop first. The grit on the floor will get pushed into the timber or tile grout if you wet it before you remove the dry material.

Wipe surfaces with a damp microfibre, not a dry one. Salt residue smears when dry-wiped. Use a fresh cloth for each room because the salt collects in the cloth and you will spread it otherwise.

Use a vinegar-water solution for windows and glass. The salt and the pollutant haze respond to vinegar better than they do to standard glass cleaner. About 50/50 vinegar to water, with a few drops of dish soap.

What to do about timber floors

Salt sitting on timber floors will eventually pull moisture out of the timber and cause finish degradation. Get the salt off within 48 hours of the storm if you can. Damp microfibre with a tiny amount of pH-neutral floor cleaner is the right approach for sealed timber.

For oiled timber floors, plain water on a tightly wrung microfibre is safer than any cleaner. You can re-oil if you need to. You cannot easily reverse damage from the wrong cleaner.

What to do about screens and louvres

Salt-laden grit collects on flyscreens and louvres and is hard to get off once it dries on. We use a soft brush followed by a hose-down from inside the house outward. The brush is the part that matters — it lifts the grit before the water carries it. Skip the brush and you will spread the mess.

When to call us

If the storm has hit your house and the grit is in carpets, upholstery, or HVAC vents, the cleaning is more involved than the surface treatment we have described. We have done enough of these now that we know what works and what does not. The 24-to-48 hour window after a storm is the right time to address it. Leave it longer and the salt gets harder to remove.