Winter’s cloak has fallen over much of the country, but many of us still have time to get our home in order before the big freeze. Set yourself up for indoor comfort at winter’s outset, and the endless hours you spend housebound will look, feel and smell a whole lot better this season.
The finest housecleaning results, deep or otherwise, I’ve ever experienced are my own. That’s because I’m obsessive about things being truly clean. So I’m going to share tried and true tips from my arsenal.
Keep in mind that because cold weather is already upon us you don’t want to handle cleaning projects that demand long dry times (steaming huge carpeted areas, for example) or that need a lot of ventilation (tackling mold with bleach, which, incidentally, isn’t always necessary). It’s also wise, for your health and the environment, to use natural cleaning products. My go-tos are rubbing alcohol, baking soda and vinegar.
Here’s your step-by-step plan ahead of winter’s cold grip:
Declutter
First things first: Get rid of items you don’t need so you can step into the season with clarity and more easily attack the tasks below. This efficient sweep of your home should take a fraction of the time required to declutter a la Marie Kondo. You’re not looking to empty shelves and assess everything for its joy quotient, just to dispose of obvious unwanted bulk and put things in their right place.
Service your HVAC system (if you didn’t in the fall)
HVAC maintenance is something pros should handle. The ideal time for them to ensure your system is in shape is during the fall, so schedule it stat if you haven’t already. Rule of thumb is yearly service, but I skip years, sometimes even two, and it’s never been a problem. That said sure, do it every year if you don’t mind a stranger traipsing through your home every season (with booties, which the service tech removes when outside and puts back on when inside — I wasn’t joking about being obsessive). It’s worth checking whether your energy provider offers rebates for HVAC servicing (mine does).
Organize linen and clothing closets (and dressers)
Even if you live near the equator, winter is colder than the other seasons. That means you need to move through your rotation of bedding and clothes. Store your lightweight sheets and summer wear so it stays free from dust and other nasties. Suitcases work well, as do plastic and cedar storage containers. Zipper-equipped fabric and plastic casings from bedding are great too.
Deep-ish clean the oven
Winter is peak baking time for many, so it’s healthier and more pleasant when the oven is clean. But winter’s not ideal for running an oven’s self-clean function because it’s too cold to air out fumes through open windows. Instead, spray the oven’s interior with vinegar and let it sit for a bit, then wipe it down with a sponge. You might need to do this several times. Rubbing alcohol works best on the glass face. If your oven is in bad shape, with lots of black burned food at its base, you’ll have to scrub with a damp sponge and baking soda first. Careful use of a razor blade works too.
Clean the windows
The sun’s lower angle makes windows look a lot dirtier come fall, with a haze that lasts through winter. Given you’re stuck indoors a lot this time of year, looking through clear windows softens that seasonal restriction. Vinegar is a natural go-to for window and mirror cleaning. A microfiber squeegee or a squeegee you can cover with a microfiber sleeve (or even cotton fabric) works best. If all you have is paper towels, then spray and wipe. It’ll take a lot longer and be more frustrating though. Window cleaning is best done in early morning or late afternoon, when the sun is lowest so it hits the pane, allowing you to see streaks or areas you missed.
Handle hard-to-reach spots
If possible, move big appliances — fridge, oven, washer, dryer — away from walls so you can clean the spaces they occupied. Clean the appliances’ sides as well. An oven wedged between counters often accumulates goop on its sides from drips (clean the adjacent counter sides too). As a finishing touch, wipe down the front of your cabinets and drawers with a vinegar-water combo. It’s a lot nicer to look at clean cabinet and drawer faces during long stretches inside.
Handle what’s outside your house too
Fall leaves might have clogged your gutters, downspouts and outlets. Clear them. Clean gutters keep water from sitting then potentially freezing on your roof, which can cause damage. If your patio furniture is still outside and doesn’t live there all year long, clean it and then store it somewhere safe like a shed or the garage to prolong its life. It’s probably too cold now to hose anything down, so do your best with rags.
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