The weather is getting colder and the days are getting shorter. While spring and summer are great for all your outdoor activities, winter calls for you to stay at home, warm and cuddled up with a blanket and a book. Statistics show that people spend time in their houses during the winter months more than any other, and this would make sense. Our homes are the protective barriers against the harshness of the winter weather. Now that winter is at its start, it would be a great idea to begin getting your place ready for the colder season given that you will most likely be spending the majority of your time at home. Some things that can be done to make your home more comfortable during the winter months are cleaning, de-cluttering, and the removal of the junk. 

Cleaning regularly is a very good habit for your household; however, sometimes certain things get neglected during daily clean-up processes. A winter clean-up provides the ideal opportunity to take care of the neglected areas. This time to clean the house also makes way for you to get rid of any unused items and junk that you have not made use of in the year. Tackling one room at a time will give you the ability to focus on specific spaces and get the most done. 

Let’s look at these 8 brilliant tips for cleaning:

1. Shake up the rugs

Rugs tend to collect the most dirt and dust over time. A good start for cleaning your rugs is to place them over the line or a fence and beat it with a broom to remove all the dust that can be removed. You could vacuum the rug; however, we do not recommend that for a proper clean. After you have dusted the rug properly, place it on a flat surface and hose it down. Add a scoop of washing powder to a bucket of water and use this to scrub down your rug. Rinse the rug and place it over the line, fence, or wall to dry in the sun. The sun will assist in killing all germs and will dry up the rug perfectly. 

 

2. Shine up the countertops

Your countertops are high-traffic areas and collect tons of dirt and dust. This place should be given constant attention. All stains and marks should be removed. Most tops such as marble can be cleaned with bleach. Remove all objects on the surface and wipe the surface down. For stains, soak a paper towel with bleach and place it over the stain. Place a cup over the towel and leave it overnight. Polish the areas with a microfiber cloth the next day. 

 

3. Take out the winter bedding

Now that the days and nights are gradually getting cooler, you will need to bring out the warmer blankets and duvets. All thick, fleecy bedding should be put in the wash for at least an hour with washing powder and fabric conditioner. The bedding should then be dried out thoroughly before being used. 

 

4. Get the dust out of the vases and jars

Dust automatically settles into any nook and cranny that it possibly can and vases all around the house are no exceptions. Cleaning the inside of your vases can seem pretty daunting especially when the vases have narrow necks. A cool tip for cleaning is to fill the vase with one-third water and add a handful of gravel to it. Stir and shake the vase so the dust and dirt on the inside come off. Strain the vase and leave it to dry. 

 

5. Let the light through

You can find that excessive dust covering light fixtures can affect how the light hits the surfaces of your space. Remove light fixtures and soak them in warm water and 3 drops of washing liquid. Leave the fixtures to soak for a few hours. Rinse the fixtures and place them outside to dry. While your light fixtures are drying use a damp cloth to wipe the area where the light fixes onto. Once your fixtures are dried fit them back on. Check if your fixtures need new globe fittings as well.  

 

6. Check the windows

Windows are the entryway for dust and dirt. Use a damp cloth and some washing liquid to wipe down window frames and all woodwork. You can wash the glass of your window and use newspaper to shine the glass after it has dried from being washed. If you see the need for winterized plastic or weather stripping then you should add them where you need them. 

 

7. Declutter, declutter, declutter! 

Look at all of the old books, clothing, boxes, shoes, and anything else that you are done making use of, and remove them from your room. You can give these things away to charity and someone else can make good use of them this winter. Decluttering will get rid of so much dust, you will be shocked to know that your room was collecting that in the first place. Clutter is known to be the bane of relaxation and you’ll start to notice clutter more when you are spending more time indoors. So, it will be a great idea to go through each room and declutter. 

 

8. Disinfect the garbage containers

While we usually clean out our garbage containers, we don’t properly wash them. Garbage contains a lot of bacteria build-up, and when deep cleaning any space, you will not want to neglect your garbage containers. Wash the containers with washing liquid and leave them out in the sun to dry, thereafter, sanitize the garbage container and put in a new garbage bag. This will make your indoor environment more pleasant. 

Taking the time to clean out your space for the winter months can prove to be extremely beneficial. It will not only make your house feel good, but it will also make you feel good. A clean space is always a pleasurable space to spend time and now that winter is going to be making you stay home more than go out, you would want to have a comfortable and inviting home to spend your time in. These tips and tricks to clean your home do not take long and are quite simple to implement.