Winter Cleaning? Don’t Forget These Tips

Spring is the time that people have designated as the time of year to do a major cleaning of the house. Good enough; I agree it needs to be done, at least annually. But often people don’t think about those chores that should be done more in the winter, or, preparing for winter-time. Hey, I never said I was conventional.

Deep cleaning is really important this time of year for a few reasons. The first is for health. If you live in a region with changing seasons, and winter time gets cold, it is very likely that your home will be closed up all winter long. The second reason deep cleaning is important is because with the upcoming holidays, you’re either going to be hosting, or at least going to have more people over than usual. And last but not least, for most people the Christmas season brings more stuff into the house. Best to clean now, and possibly even get rid of some things, to prepare for these additions.

Following is the short list of what not to neglect during your winter-time deep cleaning.

Don’t forget:

1. To clean your baseboards. We vacuum, we steam clean our carpets, vigorously sweep and mop, scrub tiles…but often neglect the baseboards. It is easy enough. First vacuum the area with your attachment, or rather the hose, then use a mild solution to wipe them down. Here’s a simple instruction checklist.

2. Dust your ceiling fans and take apart freestanding fans and clean them. Dirty fans make for less than fresh air. Why would you want to blow dust around? Turn the ceiling fan off, stand on a chair or small ladder, and wipe the blades down with whatever solution is appropriate for the material the fan is made of. Don’t forget the wipe the top of the blade, and not just the edges. Taking apart a freestanding fan is easy enough. Unscrew the cage around the fan, clean it, and clean the blades. Reassemble and resume use. Even if you don’t use them in the winter, it’s good to clean them after the Autumn before you store them away for Spring.

3. Clean the air vents. Same idea. Unscrew them from the wall if you can, remove them, clean them well and put them back on. Have you ever cleaned your vents? If not, look at them. Makes a big difference. Remember you will have a sealed house for the winter and the heat on almost constantly.

4. Vacuum your upholstery. If you have pets, maybe this is something you do more often, but for those of us who don’t, we sometimes neglect this. Take the cushions off after you vacuum those, and clean underneath.

5. Sanitize the trash cans. Scrub them and rinse them inside and out. Doing this outside with the hose works well, while you’re still able to go outside to do it!

Naturally the list goes on and on. I use this time of year to get try to get rid of everything that needs to be gotten rid of too, as that tax reciept from my thrift-store donation comes in handy. Also, when you’re cleaning for winter, just remember… you’re reducing your chances of getting colds, and cabin fever is easier to tolerate in a clean cabin.