Many homeowners have spring cleaning sessions to deep clean and restore their homes to order and balance, but did you know that it’s just as important to do this in preparation for the colder months?
The winter wonderland magic of fresh snowfall quickly wears out when snow turns into a slushy mess outdoors, forcing you to bolt the windows close and stay warm and toasty under the covers.
The question is, is your home perfectly clean and cozy as you prepare to spend more time bundled up indoors? With the windows and doors shut to trap the heat in, you’re breathing in recycled air that only gets even dirtier as dust and allergens stay trapped with you. That’s no way to live through winter, so get the living space you deserve. Try these winter cleaning hacks to spruce up your home, and shield yourself from sub-zero temps:
Winter Cleaning Hacks for Winterizing Your Home
1. Protect the flooring
Snowy days mean tracking slush, ice, salt, and a lot of dirt indoors and onto hardwood floors and carpets. Over time, these can stain and ruin your home’s flooring, which won’t just look bad, but even affect structural integrity.
To keep your floors safe from slush and salt, try keeping your living space boot-free. A shoe-free zone prevents you from tracking dirt and snow indoors. Make it a habit to take off shoes and boots at the door and store them in a boot tray to catch moisture, salt, and dirt. Not only does this prevent tracking dirt indoors and keeps the rest of your house clean, but it also prevents moisture damage to doors and entryways.
For carpeted floors, try winter cleaning hacks like steam cleaning. This prevents stains caused by salt, mud, and slush from settling in the carpet fibres and ruining your flooring. Steam clean, fresh stains right away, or consider professional cleaning for heavily soiled areas in high-traffic areas.
2. Declutter and organize winter gear
There’s no better winter cleaning hack than keeping a tidy space. Winter means heavy gear and a lot more clothing, blankets, and other items that are likely to be left lying around and cluttering up common areas.
Start decluttering with seasonal storage, and designate baskets or organization trays for storing accessories like hats, gloves, and scarves close to the entryway. Proper storage also reduces the amount of dust settling on furniture and surfaces, which goes a long way in keeping your home cleaner for longer, especially as we shed dry skin and loose fibres from knitted clothing.
3. Breathe clean, fresh air
Even your warmest, heaviest blankets won’t be enough to shield you against sub-zero temps and heavy snow. That’s why winter means keeping doors and windows tightly shut to keep heat in for longer and maintain a comfortable atmosphere. The downside? Without fresh air circulating indoors, you’re likely to breathe dirty, recycled air, which impacts your health and well-being, especially as you prepare to spend more time at home to escape the cold.
Don’t skip out on this crucial winter cleaning hack: book an HVAC maintenance service well ahead of the cold to repair issues early on and avoid losing heat when the temperatures start to freeze.
Replace HVAC filters every three months to keep the air you breathe clean and healthy and improve indoor ventilation. HVAC filters pull dust particles out of the air and help prevent floors and furniture from gathering dust.
4. Deep clean the kitchen
What does the kitchen have to do with winter? A lot! These appliances harbour dirt and grime but barely get the deep cleaning they need between busy days and long hours of use. You will want to change that this upcoming winter season, though, as strong odours stay trapped indoors and energy bills skyrocket with increased heating and climate control needs.
Winter cleaning hacks for kitchens include organizing and dusting out drawers, cabinets, and the pantry, then removing grime from backsplashes and hood vents to eliminate strong cooking odours. It’s also an excellent time to degrease the oven and remove burnt food using its self-cleaning function.
Ensure the area behind the fridge, particularly the wall, floor, and the refrigerator coils. Dirty coils reduce the fridge’s energy efficiency and further increase energy costs — a monthly expense already on the rise with the heater turned on.
5. Fix clogged drains
Another less common winter cleaning hack is flushing out sink drains. While clogged pipes pose waste disposal and plumbing problems year-round, the risk of an emergency increases in the winter as lines are likely to freeze and break without sufficient winterizing. Call your plumber if you see familiar signs of clogged drains, such as pooling or standing water in the sink to unclog the pipes, and ask them about winterizing to prevent frozen or burst pipes.
6. Empty the dryer vents
With sweaters and coats, your winter laundry load just got a whole lot heavier. That means a lot more lint in dryer vents, which pose a significant fire hazard, mainly because the winter months are dry. Make sure to clean the dryer exhaust hose and clean the tray after every use to prevent lint from accumulating.
7. Clean the windows
Chances are, you’re keeping the windows shut during the cold months to stay warm and toasty indoors. But with little to no fresh air streaming in, you’ll want to keep a clear view of the outdoors at least and let light in.
Scrub both the interior and exterior of your home’s windows to remove grime that blocks sunlight and cast a gloomy shadow during the dark, cold months. Also, swap out dust- and allergy-ridden spring or summer window treatments with thermal curtains or shades to keep your home cozy and improve energy efficiency.
8. Clean the chimney
This winter cleaning hack isn’t just to pave the way for Santa to drop off this year’s presents. A clean chimney helps improve circulation by keeping the air in your home clean and smoke-free. Don’t climb up the chimney if you can’t do it safely — leave it to professional cleaners to cover all the surfaces and clear the area of dust and debris.
For more pro winter cleaning tips to keep your home spotless, call Maid4Condos at 647-822-0601, or contact us here.
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