Winter Cleaning Tips For Home
Table of Contents
- Why Does Winter Cleaning Matter?
- Winter Cleaning Checklist for Your Home
- Tips for Managing Snow in Your Home
- Contact Merry Maids
Winter is coming, and with it, a host of seasonal challenges. As temperatures drop and we spend more time indoors, it's crucial to prioritize a thorough home cleaning. Not only does a clean home look and feel better, but it also helps to protect your family's health.
Why Does Winter Cleaning Matter?
Tired of getting sick during the holidays? A clean home can help! According to Hopkins Medicine, colds and other illnesses are more common during cooler months. Cold weather drives us indoors, creating a breeding ground for germs. Let's keep your family healthy this winter.
Here's why illness increases during winter:
- Germ Growth. Warm, dry indoor air creates ideal conditions for germs to thrive.
- Increased Indoor Exposure. As we spend more time indoors, we're exposed to more germs and allergens.
- Weakened Immune Systems. Cold weather can weaken our immune systems, making us more susceptible to illness.
So, how can you help prevent these winter illnesses? Answer: winter home cleaning. Winter cleaning can help reduce the spread of germs, improve indoor air quality, and create a healthier living environment.
Winter Cleaning Checklist for Your Home
Aren't sure where to start cleaning your home for winter? You're in the right place!
Check out our seven recommendations:
Disinfect High-Touch Surfaces
Germs can spread quickly during the winter months. Sanitize high-touch surfaces like doorknobs, light switches, remote controls, and countertops. We recommend using all-natural home disinfectants and sanitizing wipes.
Or, you can create your own disinfectant. Here's what you'd need:
- 1.25 cups of distilled water
- 1/4 cup of white vinegar
- 1/4 vodka or rubbing alcohol
- 15 drops of essential oils
We recommend checking out Homesteading Family for tips on making a DIY disinfectant.
Deep Clean the Kitchen and Bathrooms
The kitchen and bathrooms are high-traffic areas where germs thrive. Cleaning your kitchen and bathrooms helps prevent bacteria and mold buildup.
- Deep Cleaning Kitchen Tips. Scrub your countertops, cabinets, backsplash, and appliances. Pay special attention to the refrigerator, oven, and microwave, where grime tends to accumulate.
- Deep Cleaning Bathroom Tips. Tackle soap scum, mold, and hard water stains on tiles, fixtures, and mirrors. Replace shower liners and disinfect toilet handles and faucets to ensure a sparkling, germ-free space. Be sure to visit our blog to learn how to deep clean your shower.
Pro Tip: Use eco-friendly cleaning products to reduce harsh chemical exposure for your family and pets.
Dust All Surfaces
Dust accumulates faster during the winter due to closed windows and running heaters.
Dust all furniture, shelves, baseboards, and even ceiling fans (they’re often forgotten but collect plenty of particles). Use a microfiber cloth for efficient dust capture and follow up with polish for wooden surfaces to enhance their shine.
Pro Tip: Dampen a microfiber cloth with water or vinegar to trap dust effectively without scattering it into the air.
Clean Upholstered Furniture
Couches, chairs, and ottomans get heavy use during winter. We recommend, cleaning your upholstered furniture.
Vacuum cushions, crevices, and fabric surfaces to remove dirt and debris. Dealing with stains or odors? Consider using a fabric-safe cleaner or scheduling a professional upholstery cleaning.
Pro Tip: Sprinkle baking soda over cushions, let sit for 15 minutes, and vacuum thoroughly. For stains, blot with a mixture of mild dish soap and water.
Clean Hardwood Floors
Winter weather can be harsh on hardwood floors, with tracked-in dirt and moisture causing damage.
Clean your hardwood floors by sweeping or vacuuming to remove debris. Then mop with a cleaner designed for wood. Add a wood polish or wax layer of protection to keep your floors shining all season long.
Pro Tip: Use a damp (not wet) mop and a gentle hardwood floor cleaner. Avoid vinegar on sealed floors, as it can strip the finish.
Vacuum the House
Vacuuming is key for maintaining a fresh home during winter. Focus on carpets, rugs, and even hardwood or tile floors. Make sure to vacuum under furniture, cushions, and hard-to-reach areas. A clean floor looks great and improves indoor air quality by removing allergens and dust.
Pro Tip: Focus on hard-to-reach areas and under furniture. Use the crevice tool on your vacuum for edges and baseboards, and run over your curtains with the upholstery attachment.
Get Your Carpets Professionally Cleaned
Carpets can trap dirt, dust, and allergens, especially when windows are closed in winter.
Professional carpet cleaning removes deep-seated grime and refreshes fibers, leaving your home healthier. Consider scheduling your professional carpet cleaning before your holiday guests arrive. Or, you can rent professional carpeting cleaning equipment and give it a shot!
Pro Tip: For spot cleaning, mix baking soda and vinegar into a paste to scrub out stains. Sprinkle baking soda over the entire carpet before vacuuming to neutralize odors.
Tips for Managing Snow in Your Home
Winter means snow in many parts of the country. While powdery white dustings can be lovely — at first, anyhow — they can also lead to slush and dirty water pooling in your entryway and soiling the floors in your house. Snow is one thing, but nobody wants to deal with the accompanying mess.
Wondering what can be done to keep your home feeling warm and cozy, rather than looking like someone dripped dirty water throughout the house?
Check out the following winter cleaning tips to help keep snow and slush in check:
Defend Floors and Carpets with Doormats
The less mess you bring into the house in the first place, the less you have to clean later on. Discarding snow and slush before you hit the hardwood or your new area rug can save you a lot of stress. To really make the most of this winter cleaning tip, double up on your doormats. That’s right: Keep one outside your door to stomp off snow, slush or salt before you set foot in the house. Then, place another doormat immediately inside your doorway for a final wipe down before you remove your shoes.Bring on the Boot Trays
A boot tray is one small addition to your mudroom or foyer that can make a huge difference in the amount of slush that gets tracked across your hardwood floors or carpets. You can easily purchase boot trays online or in many stores. They come in a variety of materials ranging from simple plastic to copper stamped with decorative designs.You can also find plenty of boot tray DIY ideas, most of which are pretty simple. For example, you could glue river rocks, colorful pebbles or leftover wine corks to a baking sheet or wooden tray. Alternatively, you could line the bottom of a roasting pan with rustic slices of wood from the craft store.
Say “No” to Shoes in the House
When it comes to winter cleaning tips, one of the best you can abide by is making it a rule that shoes come off before any person leaves the mudroom or entryway. Think about it: If those dirty soles are limited in where they can tread, you greatly reduce the amount of mud, salt and slushy water that gets tracked through your house.
Make this rule easier to follow by placing a boot tray in your mudroom or foyer. Additionally, you may also want to consider keeping a small laundry basket near your boot tray, so that your family can discard wet socks as they enter. Ramp up the “welcome home” factor by having a fresh pair of warm socks or slipper socks waiting for each family member when they return from school or work. That way, all the feet that trod through your house will not only be clean, but cozy, too.
Keep Entryways Clean
Remember, the preventative measures listed above won’t do squat if you’re not maintaining clean floors in your mudrooms or entryways.
The grime from slush and salt residue can build up over time. This residue will cling to the bottoms of even the cleanest slipper socks or house shoes, meaning it will get tracked through your common areas. Take care to keep your foyer or mudroom neat and tidy, and you may be able to go longer between deep cleaning carpet and area rugs.
These winter cleaning tips don’t take a lot of effort, but they can spare you some major cleaning headaches in the long run.
Looking for more ideas on how to keep your home clean this winter? Learn how to make your mudroom an organizational masterpiece, then take a look at these tips for establishing an orderly garage.
Need a Professional Hand with Winter Cleaning? Call Merry Maids!
If you're looking for a more efficient and effective way to clean your home, consider hiring a professional cleaning service like Merry Maids. With over 40 years of experience, we offer a wide range of cleaning services to meet your needs.
With our worry-free guarantee, you can trust that you'll receive the highest quality cleaning services. If you're not completely satisfied, let us know within 24 hours, and we'll return to make it right at no additional charge.
Contact your local Merry Maids today to request your free estimate. By taking the time to your home, you can create a healthier, more comfortable, and inviting space for you and your family.
