Summer and winter lifestyles differ a lot, and autumn is just in-between to mitigate this tremendous shift by getting your house ready for colder months. Some thoughtful cleaning and organizing during the fall season will pay off with undisturbed winter comfort (or even earlier, as many of us will open our houses for guests on Thanksgiving Day). Here are some autumn cleaning hacks from a New York City cleaning service to help you get summer sloppiness out of your head (and house) and tune into winder orderliness.
Give your windows a thorough cleanup
In the cold gloomy months, we naturally want more daylight coming through our windows, so now that the weather allows, devote a warm day to washing your windows. Firstly, take off the screens (if any) and wash the windows and window sills from outside, preferably installing storm windows to prevent heat loss in winter. After that, clean the windows from the inside, paying special attention to dusting window treatments and blinds as you don’t want to seal all the accumulated dust inside for the entire winter. You can easily cope with dust using a wet microfiber cloth. To make your dirty windows shiny again without ugly steaks, make a homemade window cleaner by mixing 2 parts white vinegar and 1 part warm water in a spray bottle.
Winterproof your patio
If you are lucky enough to have your own “garden” in a big city, ensure that you clean and prepare your patio furniture for storage. Tackle any upholstery stains right away as they will become difficult to remove after a long winter. Store furniture in a dry place (a garage, for example) or protect it using tailor-made tarp patio covers. Also, sweep the floors and store all gardening equipment.
Get your fireplace ready for winter duty
Cleaning the fireplace is mandatory, not for the sake of beauty but rather safety. Burning wood leaves your chimney covered with creosote, which can cause a fire if not removed in time. So if you haven’t cleaned your fireplace since the previous winter, you better do so, in the name of all the long, snug, and peaceful winter evenings at your fireplace.
Deep clean your house
The main reason for a good deep cleaning in fall is that we keep our homes closed more during the cold season. It means that if you don’t get rid of hidden dust, allergens, and germs now, they will stay with you throughout the whole winter season, bringing down air quality. Another argument in favor of autumn deep cleaning is that it makes further maintaining your home clean a breeze, which is vital in the period of flu and colds. So here is what NYC cleaning services recommend to include in your autumn deep cleaning list:
- Deep dust your home, including baseboards, tops of the high furniture, and books.
- Disinfect surfaces in the kitchen and bathroom.
- Clean the carpets and upholstery.
- Wash curtains and other textiles.
- Get rid of any mold and soap scum in the bathroom.
- Disinfect remotes, light switches, and door knobs.
- Disinfect the garbage disposal and the trash can.
- Clean your fridge and the dishwasher with a disinfectant.
- Wash the kitchen cabinets and drawers.
Rotate seasonal clothes
Most people divide their wardrobe into two categories: summer and winter. So once summer is gone and winter is on the way, it’s high time to categorize, wash, and store summer clothes/footwear to make room in your wardrobes for warm winter garments. (Here, by categorizing, we mean deciding whether you keep, donate, or recycle it.) Such a routine clothes rotation is boring, but it can save you from clutter-associated autumn blues and make your home easier to clean. Check and store summer bedding as well. Then return from exile your winter-time bedding and refresh it before using.
Give your radiators a fresh start
Often neglected for the whole warm part of the year, radiators suddenly become crucial when cold days arrive. To make them radiate warmth, not foul odors caused by burnt dust, pet hair, and dirt, ensure that you clean all radiators in your home before the “heat” season begins. Prepare two buckets of water (one with soapy water and one with clean), rubber gloves, a vacuum cleaner with a crevice attachment, a brush, a sponge, and a clean rag. Protect the wall behind the radiator and the floor from splashes of dirty water using a protection film or a new large garbage bag. Begin by vacuuming the radiator and then move on to washing it with soapy water. In the end, rinse it with clean water and wipe it dry with an old clean rag. If the task seems daunting as rocket science (or a speleology adventure), take it easy and order deep house cleaning from New York City cleaning services. It will have all surfaces of your home (even including curvy ones such as a radiator) covered with proper washing and disinfecting.
Living in a big city hardly leaves enough time for rubbing and scrubbing. You never need to apologize for using cleaning services in New York City if your life throws you something more fulfilling than cleaning a house.
