6 Ways to Deep Clean Your Home This Winter

Now that winter is here, you may wish to escape the elements and relax and entertain indoors with family and friends—especially if you live in a cold climate. So you’ll want to make sure your residence is clean and comfortable. These simple tips will help you freshen up areas of your home that might require extra cleaning.

Scrub windows

A good place to start is by scouring your home’s windows and screens. There are fewer hours of sunlight in winter, so you don’t want dirty windows to block any natural light from coming through. Window screens collect dust and debris that can also obstruct light. Start by vacuuming your screens with your vacuum’s brush attachment. You can leave the screens in to simplify this process. Spritz the insides of your windowpanes with a solution of one part vinegar and two parts water, and wipe them with a sponge or microfiber cloth. Use the same process for the outsides of your windows, but spray the windows with a hose first. You can use an extender pole with a scrubber or squeegee attachment to wash and dry high windows.

Open up

Before cleaning the rest of your home’s interior, open a window or two, even if it’s just for a few minutes, to let in some fresh air. Depending on where you live, your windows might be closed for the better part of the season. Indoor air can contain common allergens and pollutants that can negatively impact your health. Opening your windows can also rid your home of unpleasant pet, trash, and bathroom odors.

Start at the top

While you spend more time at home this season, dust can quickly build up. Use a microfiber cloth to clean your home from top to bottom. Wipe the tops of door and window frames, ceiling fans, curtain rods, picture frames, and your fridge. Dust tables and flat surfaces. Use a brush attachment on your vacuum to clean your HVAC vents as dust can easily collect there. Extra dirty vent covers can be washed in the sink with soapy water and left to air dry. Vacuum your sofas and fabric-covered chairs with your vacuum’s upholstery attachment. Sweep, mop, or vacuum your floors, making sure to focus on the corners of rooms, underneath furniture, and other places that might get missed during regular cleanings.

Launder bedding and drapes

If your winter sheets and comforters have been packed away, freshen them up by cleaning machine-washable items in your home’s washing machine; special care or larger items that might not fit in your machine can be taken to a dry cleaner. Consider laundering your drapes and curtains, too, as they tend to get dusty.

Disinfect germy surfaces

Before you spend more time inside your home, you’ll want to rid it of germs. Start by taking your trash cans outside and hosing them off. Follow up by wiping them down with a solution of of one part vinegar and one part water. You’ll also want to sanitize the remotes for your TV, cable boxes, and other media players. Remove the batteries, and then turn the remotes over so the buttons are facing down. Wipe the exteriors with a cotton cloth moistened with rubbing alcohol. You can use a toothpick to dislodge any particles stuck between the buttons before replacing the batteries. You can use this same solution to disinfect doorknobs and light switches. Remember that light switches are electrical, so don’t spray them directly with a solution or oversaturate your cleaning cloth.

Ready your foyer

Your entryway is the first area of your home guests will see. However, it’s also the place where the elements are likely to be tracked in, so you will want to give it a thorough cleaning by wiping the walls and floors with soap and water to remove built-up dirt. You can prevent winter mud or snow from getting into your home by putting a welcome mat and a boot tray down—look for seasonal ones to dress up your home’s decor.