How to Keep Your Home Clean During the Holidays

While it might be nice to daydream about spending your winter in some of Tampa's approximately 246 days of full sun they receive every year, it's not always realistic. And when the holidays roll around during the slushy mess we call winter, cleaning becomes priority number one. So how do you keep your house from falling into anarchy during the winter holidays? Here are a few tips to help you do just that.

Keep Your HVAC System in Order

It's easy to take a good HVAC system for granted, but if you're not careful about your maintenance, problems may arise. Dirt and debris can clog the system and lower the quality of the air that is being circulated. Contaminants ranging from dander, dust, bacteria, mold spores, chemicals, and more can get swept into your HVAC system and circulated anywhere from five to seven times per day. What might go wrong? For one thing, constant exposure might cause someone in your family to develop a respiratory issue. As far as maintenance goes, you can start by making sure that all air vents on the walls, floor, and ceiling are not obstructed, and take care to routinely clean off the vents to remove lint, dandruff and dust, spiderwebs, and the like. Also, the air filters in the furnace should be regularly changed, and they can be easily slid in and out. As for more dedicated work, it's important to hire HVAC professionals who will go deeper into the system and clean out the vents. They can also clean off the blower fans and overhaul a very old or dirty furnace to replace it with one that is clean and more energy-efficient.

Make Carpet Cleaning a Priority

Don't forget the very carpets under your feet. About one in five homes have parks within a half-mile. If you're one of them, there's no doubt that your kids are going to be thrilled to go out and play in the snow. But the thing about snow is that it melts. And when it melts onto your clean hardwood floors or into your carpet, you've got a problem. Especially when there's dirt and other nonsense mixed in.

Maybe your home isn't a pristine museum, but there's a reason the boots come off at the door. Make this a house rule, especially when your kids are home for the holidays. In addition, it's a good idea to take proactive measures to protect your carpeting. Doormats and shoe bins are going to be essential tools in your holiday home cleanliness mission.

Diligent vacuuming and carpet cleaning is also a good idea. Any ordinary, commercial vacuum should do the job, and this can remove a lot of the filth from your carpet if you are vacuuming regularly. Once a week may be all you need during the summer, but entryways and high traffic areas need extra love during the winter. And even then, you might be surprised to see how much dirt comes up from a seemingly clean carpet. Carpet can hold up to one pound of dirt in a single square yard, even if it looks clean. Food crumbs, liquid stains, pet hairs, dust, and much more could all be hiding in there. Fortunately, you aren't the only one in the house, either. Enlist your family to help you with daily cleanup like this!

Sanitize All Solid Surfaces

Once the air conditioning is giving off clean air and your carpets are dirt-free, you may move on to solid surfaces, such as countertops, doorknobs, and even computer keyboards. Such surfaces often hold more germs than you want to imagine. And sickness in your home is just as bad -- if not worse, quite frankly -- than dirt on your carpets. While teaching good hygiene is definitely important, make sure everyone knows to do their part in household sanitation, as well.

A running list of surfaces that need to be cleaned daily will be a huge help. That way you don't forget to wipe off stairway handrails, along with kitchen countertops, tabletops, and doorknobs. Do the same for home office equipment that you use every day like computer keyboards and mice, which are often dirtier than you might think. In the kitchen, any utensil used for cooking or eating should be tossed in the dishwasher after use. Surfaces that have been sneezed on or coughed on should be cleaned immediately afterward, as well. Don't catch that holiday cold!

Keeping your home clean during the holidays can seem like a daunting task. From keeping the kitchen mess-free to making sure your carpets are free of slush and salt stains, these tasks are a necessary measure. Whatever you do, remember that you're not alone this holiday season -- you'll have your family to help! Hopefully these tips will have your home sparkling all season long.