Experts’ verdict on whether you really do need to clean more in winter

Winter is well-known for making us feel less motivated to do, well, anything, and that includes cleaning. With spring-cleaning around the corner, it’s easy to put jobs off until the weather is better and we’re not all cooped up inside.

Unfortunately, the colder months aren’t the time for setting aside the vacuum and microfibre cloths because there are viruses, mess and mould to keep on top of before they get out of hand. And the more you do now, the less you’ll have to worry about when the weather warms up.

One of the most important areas of the home to keep on top of in winter is cleaning high-touch surfaces like doorknobs and light switches to prevent the spread of germs.

“Cold and flu germs are also rampant in winter, and do not only spread through our coughing and sneezing but also through us touching surfaces contaminated with these germs,” Rietie Venter, associate professor at the School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Science at Adelaide University, told nine.com.au.

Venter recommends cleaning these surfaces with a cloth dipped in soapy water, while Cherie Polwarth, a professional cleaner and field staff team leader with Maid2Match, prefers a cloth sprayed lightly with multipurpose spray, particularly for light switches.

“You don’t want any extra water on a light switch because you don’t want electrocution, so just very carefully. But when you are cleaning light switches every time you [do a cleaning] service, you’re giving them a wipe over for grime and dirt you can’t really see,” she said.

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However, if someone in the home is sick or immunocompromised, Venter recommended using a store bought disinfectant to clean high-touch surfaces instead.

“Any of those that claim to kill 99.9 per cent of all germs should suffice,” she said.

Cold and flu germs aren’t the only concern in homes during winter, mould is too, which means reducing the level of cleaning you usually do can result in the fungi going unnoticed.

“In winter we keep doors and windows closed to keep in the heat; this also traps moisture. Moulds love warm, moist places… So, these conditions in your home create the ideal place for germs such as moulds to grow,” Venter said.

Delah Gomasi, managing director at house cleaning service MaidForYou, encouraged extra cleaning of the bathroom and walls behind shelves and bedheads.

“We’ve come across homes with extreme cases of mould in these areas of the household. Whilst mould typically thrives in the winter months, the lack of ventilation in households and the condensation created through internal heatings means mould will inevitably grow and most of our clients don’t find them growing behind large pieces of furniture. These areas require immediate attention as it can become a respiratory issue to residents,” he said.

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“Other areas we find need more attention are window sills and window tracks. This is because there are large amounts of condensation created on these fixtures during winter and as such over time they become extremely soiled.”

Another reason to clean more in winter, according to Polwarth, is so you don’t have to do as much cleaning indoors when spring rolls around.

“In spring we all want to get out of the house; I don’t want to be sitting in it cleaning out my kitchen cupboards, giving my pantry that clean-out. So winter is where I would start getting the inside done so that I’m ready to go on the outside for spring,” she said.

To get motivated to clean, Polwarth suggested turning the heater on – if it’s cold enough where you live – putting on some music and starting small.

“Pick two cupboards at a time and say, ‘Right, let’s pull it all out, let’s disinfect it, let’s put everything back neatly’. Then every week or every fortnight [pick another section] because I know your cupboards are shut, but when you’re standing in your kitchen knowing if you opened a cupboard it looks so neat and beautiful, you just feel so much better,” she said.

That doesn’t mean you need to do all your spring-cleaning tasks early. Gomasi recommended leaving things like walls, skirting boards and doors for now, while Polwarth will hold off on cleaning her garage.

“I think we all just want to go quiet and dormant in winter, but the more we do in winter, the less we do in spring when we’re outside enjoying the sun,” she said.