6 Winter Cleaning Tasks That Matter

November 29, 2023

Winter cleaning is essential to ensure your home stays clean and healthy during the colder months. But it’s more than that; friends and family will visit during the holidays, and you’ll most likely spend more time at home indoors. You and your family deserve a warm, cozy, and clean winter environment. Completing these six winter cleaning tasks can create a cleaner, healthier, and more organized home for the winter season.

Should You Clean Your Windows in the Winter?

Yes, but first, do not try to clean the outside windows when it’s below freezing. However, cleaning windows during the winter months has many benefits.

• Improved visibility: You want to see all the snow at Christmas, right?
• Prevent damage: Salt, sand, and other debris used on roads and sidewalks during winter can accumulate on windows. Over time, this buildup can cause scratches or damage to the glass. Regular cleaning can help remove these abrasive substances and prevent potential damage.
• Enhanced energy efficiency: Clean windows allow more sunlight to enter your home, which can help naturally heat your space during the winter months.

And by the way, did you know you can use Bar Keepers Friend to clean your windows? Here’s how: Wait, What? You Can Clean Windows with Bar Keepers Friend!?

Clean Your Screens

Winter is a great time to wash your screens, TVs, and monitors. If you’re in a climate where winter is cold and snowy, you’ll probably be inside and use your computer more; besides, remember when you sneezed on your screen? Best to keep your monitor clean. With all the holiday movies, you want to ensure your television(s) are clean and pristine; you don’t want to watch Jimmy Stewart running down Main Street behind a haze of dust, do you?

While you’re at it, you might as well take it another step and clean your computer. Turn off and unplug your computer before cleaning. Begin with the keyboard using canned air, then clean the screen with a 50/50 water and vinegar solution. Always use a computer-safe cleaner.

Next, turn off and detach your mouse, then wash the mouse and pad with a mixture of isopropyl alcohol and water.

If you’d like to learn more about deep cleaning your computer, check out this post from Wired magazine: How to Clean Your Computer Inside and Out.

Clean Behind the Washer and Dryer

When was the last time you looked behind your washer and dryer? That one missing sock might even be there. The backside of your washer and dryer accumulates lint, dirt, and dust. It’s the ideal breeding ground for mold and poses a fire hazard. Be prepared with MORE Spray & Foam to tackle dried detergent clumps mixed with dust and lint. Yuk! While you’re at it, take the opportunity to clean your outside dryer vent, a common cause of home fires. Spruce — How to Clean an Outside Dryer Vent

Clean Your Heating Vents

Your heating system works hard during the winter months. Keeping the vents clean ensures that the warm air can circulate freely.

“If there’s one area of your home you shouldn’t skip during a deep clean, it’s your air vents. When your air vents fill up with dust and debris, those particles are released throughout your home. Ensuring proper maintenance of these vents will not only improve your indoor air quality, but it will also keep your HVAC system running properly.” — Martha Stewart — How to Clean Your Air Vents, an Essential Chore for Preventing Dust in Your Home.

Clean Your Fireplace 

It’s best to hire a professional to clean your chimney—soot and creosote buildup can cause excess smoke and sometimes chimney fires.

For the firebox, grates, and tools, BKF is excellent. Believe me, I use it on my fireplace. “Need to remove soot and stains from your glass fireplace door or insert? BKF has a few products you can use to clean your fireplace. For light soiling, our Soft Cleanser may be sufficient, but for tougher cleaning tasks, use BKF Cleanser – our original scouring powder.” — How to Clean a Fireplace with Bar Keepers Friend

Pro Tip: BKF Cleanser is also safe for brass, steel, and copper.

Empty the Fridge and Wipe it Down

Pull up a chair, line the floor with newsprint or paper towels, and toss out expired items from your fridge. Do you really need that jar of Ranch Dressing that expired in August? Use MORE Spray & Foam for an easy and effective clean, and remember to pull out the fridge to clean behind and under it. You can even vacuum the coils for optimal performance.

These six winter cleaning tips will make your home more attractive, safer, and healthier for you and your family this winter.

Let us know what is on your winter cleaning must-do list. If you have a specific cleaning tip or question, Contact Us, and we’ll do our best to answer your question.

About the Author

Randy Clark is a speaker, coach, and author. He publishes a weekly blog at Randy Clark Leadership.com. Randy is passionate about social media, leadership development, and flower gardening. He’s a beer geek and on weekends (after COVID-19) he can be found fronting the Rock & Roll band Under the Radar. He’s the proud father of two educators; he has four amazing grandchildren and a wife who dedicates her time to helping others. Randy is the author of the Amazon bestseller The New Manager’s Workbook: A crash course in effective management.