This article provides readers with 7 simple and effective cleaning hacks to help keep winter mess away. It covers topics such as organizing, decluttering, and creating a cleaning schedule.
The hacks are designed to help readers save time and energy while keeping their home clean and tidy.
Getting around in the snowy, slushy winter weather isn’t just hard on our vehicles.
If you have to walk even short distances, you have to be quick on your feet, whether you are avoiding stepping in a deep, slushy puddle, slipping and sliding on unexpected ice, or contending with sky-high snow banks.
Through it all, your trusty winter boots (we hope you’re going for form over fashion in the deep of winter!) are there to help you motor on through winter’s worst.
It doesn’t end there, though. Once you get home, those slushy boots and shoes are major mess-makers.
All that snow and slush on your boots are carried into your home and, as it melts, creates messy, dirty puddles.
There are also traces of salt and sand from sidewalks and streets that harden into a dirty crust.
That mess you drag in gets tracked into your home, which can be a real pain to contend with day after day.
To help make life easier, here are 7 professional house-cleaning tips for managing those winter messes.
7 Simple Cleaning Hacks to Keep Winter Mess Away
1. Keep the mess outside
Make sure you have a high-quality doormat outside your door that helps remove a good chunk of the mess off your boots before you step inside.
Ideally, you want a mat with stiff bristles that have some scraping action. As you wipe your feet, the bristles collect the mess and keep it outside.
Things like sand and rock salt will get loosened from the treads on your boots, so you need to avoid bringing that grit indoors.
If you live in an apartment, you might not be allowed to have a mat outside your unit door, so be sure to place it in your entryway.
2. Keep the mess contained
Next, you need a heavy-duty boot tray for your boots/footwear.
These trays have a lip that ensures the snow, salt, and sand left on your boots stay in the tray as the snow and slush melt.
Be sure to vacuum the boot tray once a week when it is dry to collect all that grit, so you help keep the buildup to a minimum.
3. Use carpet runners
If you have a tight entryway, it becomes harder to avoid stepping onto the floors in your living area when you get home.
The best way to manage this issue is to lay rubber-backed runners across your floors to protect them from the mess.
This is a must if you have kids or a dog, as the more people are coming in at once, the more likely it is that someone will have to step into the living area.
Everyone can take off their boots one by one, place them in the tray, and then get out of the way!
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4. Wipe your dog’s paws
If you have a dog, its paws get pretty dirty and wet out in the snow. Ideally, you have them wear booties, as this both protects and keeps their paws clean.
Remember, all that salt and sandy mess on the sidewalks and pathways is very irritating to their tender paws, so it’s worth investing in some protective paw-wear.
If you don’t have booties, keep some dog-friendly wipes at the door so you can clean any irritants and dirt, while also helping control the mess they carry into your home.
5. Wet outerwear
Wet boots aren’t the only culprits for messes in the winter. Your outerwear can get wet and drip as snow melts.
If you have kids and they’re out playing in the snow, well, we don’t have to tell you what a mess that makes.
Have a place in your entry to hang wet snow pants and jackets. You don’t want to hang them in the closet until they dry.
Hooks are perfect; just be sure there’s space between them to let the air circulate.
Also, avoid hanging wet clothes on top of each other, as they will acquire that funky winter smell.
For smaller dryer-friendly things like wet hats, mitts, and scarves, toss them in the dryer with a scented dryer sheet to keep them smelling fresh and dry.
This keeps them ready to wear for the next winter activity.
Related Article: How To Have A Tidy House With Kids
6. Invest in a wet mop
Wet mops are a winter mess cleaner’s best friend. They are easy to store in your hall closet and can be pulled out to make short work of those melty messes.
It’s a good practice to get into as you remove the wetness and all that saltiness that leads to staining, hard-to-remove crust.
Salt is very bad for hardwood and laminate floors and can also get into carpets.
For hardwood, be careful to sop up the water, and then use a broom to collect any stray gritty materials, as the grit can lead to scratches and wear down the finish.
7. Shovel the snow
If you live in a house, be sure to clear away snow as much as possible. It’s not just a slipping hazard, but also increases the messes you track into the house.
If you are having trouble keeping up with the winter mess, call in the professionals at Nordland Cleaning Service.
Our house-cleaning services in Northern Virginia can help keep your home clean no matter what winter throws at you.
You can call us at (240) 603-0727 or contact us online.
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