Tips For Keeping A Clean House In Winter

The one thing about winter that is truly different to summer is that for months on end, you will most likely shut yourself inside your house to avoid the cold weather. Its common practice for humans to turn into hermit crabs during winter months, however with this practice comes some health hazards. The term “Spring Cleaning” comes from the need to clean the house after people have spent the entire of winter indoors, only leaving to go to work, or get supplies. Spring cleaning eliminates all that has been built up in the home through winter, from germs and sicknesses to mold, mildew, dust and other things that can only be eliminated with real life sunshine.

Spring cleaning is a thing, but the cleaning we should be performing yearly is the Autumn Cleaning. This process is of course known as preventative maintenance. Summer brings its fair share of dirt into the home. From leaving windows open for months on end, it invites tons of dust into your home to settle, and other things like trips to the beach fill your carpets with sand. So fall cleaning is where you prepare for winter by removing all the particles of summer fun that are leftover in your home.

So, where do you start?

The simplest way to begin your pre-winter cleaning binge is by setting a plan in place to action. Work out when you want to achieve your cleaning goals by, and make it happen. Some jobs can be quite time-consuming, but your health will thank you when winter comes.

Here is a checklist of things you should tend to before winter arrives.

Disinfect Garbage Bins

If you are expecting a cold winter where you live, you don’t really want to be out in the cold washing a garbage bin with a hose. The thought of getting wet in winter is enough to set a plan to clean and disinfect all your bins, including wastepaper baskets, kitchen and bathroom bins, and wheelie bins. Get these done before winter begins, and it will eliminate any germs left over from summer.

Once you’ve finished washing and disinfecting them, let the sun dry them out, as this will eliminate any other germs that may still be active.

Disinfect Toilet Brush Holders

As you did with your bins, do the same with toilet brushes and holders. These tend to be one of the items we don’t clean, because we use them TO clean. Disinfect them and leave them in the sun to dry. If they have been well-used, it might be time to replace them.

Turn Furniture over and Vacuum underneath

The underside of furniture is often neglected when it comes to cleaning. Spiders love dark places and will create a happy home under the base of lounges, chairs, tables and cabinets. Vacuum and clean underneath to ensure they don’t get hungry enough in winter to cause problems.
   
Clean the Tops of Doors, windows and art pieces.

A great time to get rid of the dust you don’t normally see is right before winter. Dust can cause allergies to go crazy in winter and eliminating as much as possible before winter begins is the best thing you can do for your health, especially if you have allergy sufferers in the house. Everywhere and everything should be included in this plan. From books to computers, behind TVs and on top of paintings.

Clean behind and under the fridge.

Rodents love these spaces because food can often be left sitting underneath a fridge unnoticed for months. Move the fridge out from its space and thoroughly clean under and behind it.

Clean Windows

Dirty windows can cut out much needed sunlight during winter, so clean your windows thoroughly.

Clean Ceiling Fan Blades

They most likely won’t get used much in winter, so clean them properly before they sit dormant for the next few months.

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