For boards and property managers, winter in the Big Apple means doing double duty to keep buildings safe and surrounding sidewalks and parking lots clear. For New York City residents it means rock salt tracked throughout the house, dust filled apartment air and blankets, gloves and scarves all about. Make your time inside more enjoyable this winter season with these clean tips:
Do The Basics: Dusting, wiping down surfaces, vacuuming, and mopping. Likely, every room of your home will need these tasks completed. Keeping a running list of each task will help ensure that no surface is missed.
Winterize Your Entry Way: Place waterproof floor mats at the door for wiping off mud and snow, along with an absorbent mat to soak up moisture. In addition to catching melting snow, mats tend to remind family and friends to remove their foot wear when entering the house.
Beware The Salt: Even though rock salt is the least expensive, many NYC building managers thankfully do not use it because it is the most toxic and can damage concrete, stone, bricks, and is harmful to pets. Calcium chloride is what they typically use instead. But rock salt is used on the city managed roads and sidewalks. It is a combination of the two, tracked inside the home that wreak havoc on floors and carpets. And are a potential risk to bare feet and pet paws.
Hit The Floors: Winter can be extremely rough on floors. Snow, rain, slush and ice melt brought in on shoes and tracked throughout the house can ruin a carpet, pose serious health risks and cause unwanted damage to finished floors. To maintain a healthy indoor environment vacuum salt from hardwood floors and carpets. Clean floors with a vinegar/water mixture to remove salt residue. Steam clean steam rugs and carpets to remove buildup of bacteria and allergens.
Clean the Windows: If you have a fireplace or burn candles, your windows likely sport a thin film of soot on the inside, which can block precious sun. Give all your windows a good wipe down. I use vinegar mixed with water, and it works great.
Winter Wear: Ski jackets, ski pants, gloves, and other winter wear can get dirty and dusty while stored during the year. Follow washing instructions carefully. Jackets in light colors tend to get muddy on the slopes, so wash them periodically to keep colors fresh, and fabrics clean.
Vacuum Upholstery: Along with vacuuming the floor, remember to vacuum the sofa, chairs, ottoman... Anywhere your family sits. Start by lifting cushions off sofas and chairs. Use a small handheld vacuum or the brush and crevice tools of a larger vacuum to clean under the seat cushions and the surrounding nooks that cover the frame. Then vacuum the cushions. Fluff and rotate cushions after they are vacuumed to help keep fillings evenly distributed and to ensure even wear.
Wash The Bedding: Nothing feels better in the winter than a warm, cozy bed. But winter bedding often needs a bit more special care than lighter weight summer sheets and bedding to keep it soft and snuggly. Always read the care labels. Wash colored bedding in a mild detergent. Whites should be washed separately, also with a mild detergent, and followed with an oxygenated bleach. Avoid chlorine bleaches, which leave a residue that is hard to clean and can cause discoloration over time.
Chimney Sweep: Always have a professional chimney sweep clean your chimneys before your first fire of the season. If you use a wood stove, have it professionally checked at the beginning of each winter.
Clean The Heat: Your heating system runs more often in the winter, so there is more debris in the air. Change filters frequently, and/or schedule an Air Duct Cleaning.
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For more CLEAN TIPS read:
Clean Tips For Staying Cool This Summer
Keeping Hardwood Floors Clean In The City That Never Sleeps
5 Cleaning Tips for New Yorkers in a Hurry
Managing Dust Bunnies In Your Manhattan Home or Office
Clean Tips For Sparkling Windows
CleanTip: Count Down To Thanksgiving
A Clean Fridge Is A Healthy Fridge
