How to Keep Your Home
Clean Season After Season

Have you ever wondered why the most famous seasonal cleaning is spring cleaning? We get it. You’ve been cooped up all winter and your house has gotten stuffy and dusty. You need a dose of fresh air. But who says giving your house a winter, summer and fall seasonal cleaning isn’t important, too?

When you clean your home each season, you can make that traditional spring cleaning less work and a cleaner and tidier home more often. Whether you do it yourself or let The Maids lend a hand, cleaning season by season creates a more enjoyable home. Now keep in mind, we’re talking about seasonal cleaning here, not your run-of-the-mill weekly cleaning. Indoors and out, there are plenty of things to clean besides your house season after season. 

Summer Cleaning

Summer cleaning buys you more time for backyard barbeques and lazy afternoons. Summertime is a busy time, so gather up your cleaning supplies and let’s get to work. 

• Summer means open windows and doors, so make sure they’re all clean and working properly. Clean the tracks on sliding doors and lubricate them with a silicone spray. Open all your windows, swinging doors and vacuum any debris. You can scrape out built-up grime with a screwdriver. 
• Declutter your laundry room and check your cleaning supplies inventory. Dust, mop, vacuum and set up a summer cleaning station. Summer activities present challenging stains like ice cream, juice drinks and dirt, so get your pre-treating gear ready for action.  
• Get ready for outdoor fun. Hose down outdoor playsets, scrub the deck and driveway. Clean the grill and wipe down your patio furniture regularly. 
• Disinfect and hose out your garbage cans. Sprinkling baking soda into the bottom of dry trash cans will keep odors at bay and minimize moisture that promotes the growth of odor-causing bacteria.
• Your microwave will be cooking up snacks all summer long. Regularly clean your microwave inside and out with an eco-friendly cleaner. Heat a bowl of water with lemon slices for three minutes and the zesty smell of the lemon will kill offensive odors. 
• You’ll need to give your bathroom a good cleaning at least twice a week because of the increased heat and humidity of summer weather. To prevent mold, run the exhaust fan when bathing and leave the bathroom door open when it’s not in use. If you do spot mold, there are ways to fight it using non-toxic cleaners. 
• You’ll want to admire that tan you’ll be sporting, making summer the perfect time to get your mirrors sparkling clean. White vinegar and water is a great eco-friendly formula for streak-free, shiny mirrors. Clean and dry the windows with a lint-free towel for the perfect finish.

Fall Cleaning

Fall cleaning gets your home ready for winter and the holidays. It’s getting cooler, vacation time is over and the kids are heading back to school. Before you know it, the holiday season will be here. Get your home ready for cooler temps. 

• Swap out your spring and summer wardrobe with your fall and winter clothing. Do a clothing check to see what you can donate or discard.
• Holidays mean entertaining guests, so focus on rooms your guests will frequent. Think bathrooms, dining rooms and living rooms. Give these rooms a good cleaning and tidy up.  
• The fall season means holiday cooking. Organize your cabinets and make sure your bakeware and cookware are ready for duty. Clean your oven, fridge and freezer and put away any countertop appliances you rarely use.
• Vacuum and spot treat your upholstered furniture and shake out any rugs. 
• Clean baseboards and window sills with a vacuum and wipe them down with a damp cloth. Give your drapes a vacuuming while you’re at it.
• Check your dryer’s exhaust hose for built-up lint. A clear dryer exhaust hose helps your dryer perform more efficiently and minimizes the danger of fire from the combustible lint.  
• Clean your patio furniture and summer toys before putting them into storage. Check for damage and repair or replace as needed. 
• Clean out your gutters and check these other fall maintenance tips to prepare your home for winter. 

Winter Cleaning

Winter cleaning keeps your home tidy and comfortable while you’re cooped up. From evenings by the fire to snowy days, holiday parties to kids’ school breaks, winter brings its own housekeeping challenges. Get a jump on cleaning before you batten down the hatches for winter with these cleaning tips for the winter season.

• Winter is a good time to clean your home computer. Vacuum the air vents on your CPU, turn your keyboard upside down and shake out accumulated particles. Wipe down the keyboard and monitor with a damp cloth. 
• As you switch out your regular décor for your holiday decorations, dust everything off during the switch. At the end of the holiday season, take the time to dust and sort your ornaments and décor as you put them away.
• Put down waterproof floor mats at entryways to catch melting snow and rock salt. Use large baking sheets with a raised edge for dirty, wet boots and shoes. 
• Wipe down your lighting fixtures with a damp cloth. Remove globes and bowls and wipe the inside to get rid of dust, bugs and other debris. 
• Give your vacuum a seasonal cleaning and maintenance check to keep it working great all winter long. Clean the canister and filter and remove any threads wrapped around the roller brush. Check the hoses for blockages or dust bunnies.
• If it’s been a while since your chimney has been cleaned, get a professional chimney sweep to clean and inspect your chimney before you use the fireplace. At a minimum, wipe out any soot and residue to reduce smoke and odors. 
• Dirty refrigerator coils make your fridge work harder to keep food cold. Pull your refrigerator away from the wall and use a vacuum attachment to remove dust. Wipe with a damp cloth to remove built-up grime. While you’re back there, go ahead and vacuum the floor and wipe down the walls and baseboards. 
• If you run out of things to clean or come down with a case of cabin fever, use a pre-spring cleaning list to get a jump start on your spring cleaning. 

Spring Cleaning

Spring Cleaning gets enough press, but it is kind of important! Spring is a season for shaking off the winter doldrums and getting active. When the flowers start blooming and the temperature warms up, it’s time to air out the house and do some spring cleaning. 

• Grab your vacuum and other cleaning gear to get rid of all that dust and dirt. Pull out your furniture and vacuum underneath. Vacuum along baseboards and other ledges where dust accumulates. Use microfiber cloths to dust décor, ceiling fans and furniture surfaces. Damp wipe after dusting to remove even more dust and dirt.  
• After a winter of cozy fires, it’s time to clean out debris and ashes from your fireplace. Carefully remove the ashes and put them in a trash bag to prevent ash dust from settling on nearby surfaces. Don’t forget to close the flume while you’re in there. 
• Change the air filter for your HVAC system for cleaner indoor air and better cooling efficiency. Consider upgrading to a HEPA filter to improve indoor air quality even more.
• Clean and vacuum your mattresses. If you haven’t given much thought to cleaning mattresses, you’re not alone. But all that perspiration, dead skin cells and other yucky stuff can create the perfect environment for bacteria to grow. Vacuum and spot treat stains for a better night’s sleep.
• Wash the windows inside and outside and check for broken panes of glass, cracked or missing caulking, torn screens and other maintenance needs.
• Bring your warm-weather clothing out of storage and get your cold-weather gear ready to be stowed until next season. Sort through your winter clothing and donate the things you no longer wear. 
• Set up your patio or deck area and give your outdoor furniture a good cleaning. Inspect the furniture for damage and repair or replace as needed. 

In between seasonal cleanings, why not let The Maids keep your home clean and tidy with one of our popular maid services? You’ll enjoy a cleaner, healthier home more often and have more time to do the things you love.