The holidays are over, and the winter season has set in. It’s easy to think of this time of year as a time for hibernation – especially if you’re stuck indoors with cold temperatures and snow. But it doesn’t have to be that way! Here are some cleaning tips for a sparkling home all winter long.
Clean your gutters
Gutters are the long, narrow channels that run along the top of your house to collect rainwater. The water runs down them and into a downspout that sends it away from your home.
Cleaning gutters is a good idea for several reasons. They can be a breeding ground for mould or mildew, which could cause health problems like allergies and asthma attacks if you breathe in spores from them frequently. If you want a sparkling home, consider contacting professional cleaners to take care of your gutters before winter. Also, clogged gutters can lead to roof leaks when they fill up with leaves or other debris. Plus, cleaning out leaves and other gunk before they have time to settle into your gutter system will help keep it looking nice all year long!
Declutter your way to a warmer home
Decluttering is an excellent way to a warmer home. Besides, you can’t have a sparkling home and clutter simultaneously. Here’s why you should declutter before winter:
- If you have a cluttered house, it can make it feel much colder than it is.
- It’s easier to heat an open space than an overly-crowded one.
- When you declutter, energy use will decrease significantly (including electricity and gas).
Clean and organise your pantry
We are all looking forward to home-cooked meals in winter. So, get your sparkling home ready for some serious cooking!
- Make sure your pantry is organised in a way that makes sense. If you currently use a simple shelving system, consider adding labels or some other method of organisation.
- Clean out the shelves and remove any expired items to keep them from becoming breeding grounds for mould or attracting pests like mice and ants.
- Organise the pantry so you can find things quickly when needed, then put it all back together again! You may want multiple bins if there are frequently used items (for example, baking supplies) versus others that aren’t used often (like canned goods).
Your pantry, as well as other storage areas in your home, will require decluttering before winter. Moreover, you should prepare all of your items for storage, especially if you plan to rent a unit for extended periods.
Don’t neglect the ceiling, walls, and carpets
Leaving the ceiling and walls untouched is a big mistake. A dirty ceiling fan can lead to allergies and dust mites, while the wallpaper underneath can start to peel off, revealing dirt and grime from years of neglecting them. If you have kids in your home, you know how much they love to touch everything in sight – including walls! That’s why it’s essential to clean baseboards and get down on your knees and scrub away at any stubborn marks left on your walls.
Besides walls and ceilings, you should also make sure to clean the carpets before winter comes. This part of your home can collect more dust than you’d expect. Make sure to refresh or deep-clean carpets from corner to corner.
Insulate your home properly
The rule of thumb is to insulate your home to a level equivalent to the rate at which heat escapes from the walls. If you don’t have an attic, it’s best to use reflective insulation rather than fiberglass, which can collect moisture and lead to mould or mildew growth.
You should also insulate any cold spots in your home, including around pipes, doors, and windows. Insulating these areas will help prevent heat loss on cold winter nights when most of us are trying desperately not to go outside into our freezing homes!
Bonus points: If you live in a house where some rooms get colder than others because they are further away from the fireplace or furnace blower (or whatever), consider installing pipe nipples made from foam pipe insulation so that each room has equal access to the heat source. That will increase efficiency while maintaining comfort levels throughout different parts of your house.
Put down some area rugs
If wall-to-wall carpets are not your thing, you should consider putting down rugs in your home. For example, if you live with pets, these will be way easier to clean during winter. Area rugs are a great way to use colour, pattern, and texture to bring life into your home. They’re also versatile enough that you can use them for many different purposes they can:
- Define an area or separate rooms from one another.
- Make a room feel larger than it is by breaking up the space visually.
- Hide stains, dirt, or damage on the floor underneath.
- Protect floors from wear and tear (e.g., if you have pets).
It’s easy to keep your home clean this winter!
It’s easy to keep your home clean this winter, especially if you follow these tips:
- Use a vacuum with a HEPA filter. The HEPA filter collects all the particles in the air as you vacuum, so no dirt will stay on your floors when you finish. That is especially important if anyone in your home has allergies or asthma!
- Clean the whole house instead of just the rooms where people spend time (unless those areas are particularly messy).
Conclusion
These tips are easy to implement and will help you create a sparking home for your family all winter long. Whether you live in a house or an apartment, consider decluttering and deep-cleaning your home before the cold winter months arrive.
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