How to Clean Your House in Winter
Inside is a different story. When we close up our homes the indoor air pollution can become serious due to dust from your ducts and heating system as well as a lack of ventilation and build-up of chemicals and gases.
Cleaning in the winter is important, so you need to take the right steps to ensure your house is clean and tidy. With these tips, you’ll have a strategy for how to clean your house in winter.
In the end, you’ll have to roll up your sleeves and do the work. We can, at least, give you a strategy for winter house cleaning!
Clean and Maintain the Furnace
During the winter months, you will be running your furnace almost continuously. This means you need to have a clean, efficient, and effective system. Unfortunately, most of us never think about the cleanliness of our furnace and duct system. If not cleaned, dust, pet dander, mold spores, and other allergens can rest in the ducts and be pushed outward when you run the heat.As part of your winter cleaning, you need to have the air ducts cleaned before the season. Uncleaned ducts can be one of the causes of winter dust and dirt, and controlling this will ensure you have fresh, healthy air from November through March.
Wash All Your Winter Clothes Before Wearing
Before the winter, do you simply go to the basement, find the box marked “winter clothes,” and toss all the wool socks, heavy jackets, and cozy sweaters into your closet? Instead of wearing them right away, run your clothes through the wash first. This will help remove all the dust and allergens that may have accumulated over the year. Yes, your clothes may have been sealed away, but washing them will also remove any loose fibers, which can become part of the dust in your home.Reduce Clutter
Dust mites loves clutter, so anything you can do to reduce dust will be beneficial. Reduce home decorations, books on shelves, and all the small knick-knacks you keep on coffee and end tables. By reducing clutter, you’ll make it much easier to clean away dust and grime, which is essential for improving your winter home air quality issues.Clean the Windows
Grimy, dirty windows block light and make your home look unpleasant. The winter is already gloomy enough, so clean the windows before the weather turns cold. Start by scrubbing both the inside and outside of the windows with an all-natural washing solution. You can skip the often-expensive cleaners and go with a mixture of water, a small amount of vinegar, and essential oil.Reduce Dust with Regular Cleaning
It’s one of the essential principles for keeping your home clean in the winter: clean at least once a week. Don’t forget the basics, which includes dusting with a damp cloth, mopping hardwood floors, and vacuuming the carpets.To make sure you stay on task, use a weekly calendar to schedule your cleaning activities. You don’t have to do it all in one day; it’s better to schedule regular cleaning; for example, schedule vacuuming for every Tuesday, mopping the floor for every Wednesday, dusting on Thursday, and so on. With a written schedule, you’ll stay accountable to your winter cleaning responsibilities.
Use a High-Quality Air Purifier
Because your home is sealed away from the cold in the winter, there is little chance for indoor pollutants to escape. In the spring, for example, dust and animal dander can flow out the open windows while fresh air is breezed inside.In winter, the air in your home stays put, which can be bad for overall indoor air quality. This means you need an air purifier with high efficiency air filters and a strong motor to ensure you have fewer allergens floating in your air.
Maintain Proper Humidity Levels
If your heat is running, chances are you won’t have an issue with high humidity that can lead to mold and mildew growth. You should measure the relative humidity in your main living areas and basement. The ideal humidity will be between 30% to 50%.If your levels are higher than 50% then you should consider a dehumidifier otherwise you may encounter mold issues or a musty smell, especially in a basement from so much moisture. If you have mold on your walls try to clean with water and baking soda. If that doesn’t work then try bleach and water.
If the levels fall below 30% then a humidifier can help to raise the humidity levels.
Winterize Your Entryways
Before the slush, dirt, and salt can invade your home, make efforts to keep it outside where it belongs. Having mats at the exterior of the entryway will allow people to clean their boots before walking inside. Have a mat on the inside to collect water, dirt, and grime, and make sure there is space for people to place their shoes and boots after they enter.To make shoe removal easier, have a chair by the entryway so people can sit as they remove their shoes. You should also have a boot scraper near the entrance so people can clean the bottom of their footwear.
If you have pets that spend time outdoors, keep a rag or towel by the entryway so you can clean them off before the roam inside.
Spend a Full Afternoon Cleaning After the Holidays
The lead up to the holidays is a thrill, but the post-holiday letdown can be sad. Don’t sit and mope, instead spend a full afternoon (or morning, whichever you prefer) cleaning the house so you can move on from the holidays, both mentally and physically.There is likely a lot of clutter from the holidays, as well as trash and recycling that needs to be disposed. By dedicating an afternoon to post-holiday cleaning, you’ll make sure it’s all done quickly, leaving no task left to chance! You’ll then be ready for the spring, which is coming sooner than you think…
Get a Head Start on Spring Cleaning
It’s going to come eventually! Budding flowers, green grass, and warm weather. Spring!When the warm weather comes around, do you want to spend a day cleaning, or would you rather get outside and cure your cabin fever?
Get a head start on all your spring cleaning chores by February or early March; by the time April comes around, you can go out and enjoy the weather!
What can you do early? There are lot of tasks to include in your spring cleaning, but you may want to get a jump start on cleaning the basement, packing away winter items (assuming you’re not using them any more), or cleaning the air vents. If the weather is decent, you could clean the gutters, put away winter equipment like snowblowers and shovels, and start cleaning yard debris left from winter winds.
