Seasonal Cleaning: How to Tackle Allergens and Keep Your Home Fresh in Every Season

The amount of dust in the air and pollen count can vary depending on the season. This can make keeping an allergen-free home challenging. This post will examine the things you have to do to keep the air in your home clean and safe no matter what time of year it is or what kind of home or building you own.

Spring

With warmer weather comes a spike in pollen count, dust mites, and other suspended particles in the air. It’s the traditional time to go through the home, get rid of junk, and clean things up.

Follow a systematic approach when you clean. Begin by decluttering your living space to reduce the number of places where dust and dirt can hide, and get rid of things you don’t need. Then proceed to other areas.

Change Bedding – Wash and change sheets and linens regularly. Make sure to include pillow covers and duvets. Do this at least once a week or more, depending on your sensitivity, to keep allergen count as low as possible. Using dust-mite and allergen-proof covers can make this chore more efficient.

Clean Floors – Rugs and carpets catch everything that we track into the house. Sweep hard floors regularly and make sure to use vacuum cleaners with HEPA-filters on your carpets and rugs.

Wash Windows – Clean windows repel dust and help to keep it in the air where it can circulate out of your home. Dirty windows tend to collect dust, and they make the room look terrible. Wash and wipe windows thoroughly, including the frames, ledges, blinds, curtains, and any window treatment that is present.

Maintain HVAC – Change your HVAC filters in the spring. Use at least a MERV 13 rated filter if your system is designed for it – or a MERV 8 filter otherwise. Make sure to check on your filter occasionally to be on the lookout for sudden dirt buildup, which may indicate your filter needs more frequent changing.

Summer

Heat and humidity can foster the growth of many microorganisms. Summer is a great time for dust mites, so continue to dust, change and wash your bedding regularly, and add the following to your home maintenance routine.

Dehumidify – A dehumidifier will help reduce the amount of moisture in the air. Less moisture means less condensation and less mold and mildew. It also helps to prevent excessive swelling of doors, hardwood flooring, and wooden furnishings.

Bathroom Cleaning – Condensation forming on porcelain and tile surfaces can give mold and mildew a chance to grow, so pay attention to bathrooms. Any place where water can collect in the dark is in danger of mold and mildew.

Patio, Porch, & Entryway Cleaning – Areas that are adjacent to the living space or where traffic comes into the home need special attention. Sweep and clean these areas frequently to keep the dirt and dust outside.

Maintain HVAC – Clean the furnace fans and air vents, and replace the air filter (or filters). Wipe down ceiling fans and air conditioners.

Fall

Summer is over, and the days are getting shorter and nights are growing cooler. Fallen leaf debris and cool, moist conditions can lead to mold blooms in the air. Closed windows limit air circulation, which can make it harder for things to dry, so it is good to go through a cleaning phase before the weather turns cold.

A fall cleaning routine includes all of your current efforts. Now is not the time to delay dusting or changing your bedding, as these are primary ways of reducing dust mite proliferation. Continue doing these chores and add the following to your routine.

Furniture Cleaning – Vacuum your appliances, computers, entertainment gear, and electronics with a HEPA-vacuum cleaner. Remove what dust and lint you can from under them, around the air vents, and other areas you can reach. Clean upholstered furniture with a vacuum cleaner or a steam cleaner for deeper cleaning.

Chimney Cleaning – If you operate a fireplace, then now is the time to get the chimney cleaned to remove any soot and creosote buildup.

Maintain HVAC – Get your air ducts professionally cleaned before it gets cold. This will help reduce allergen count when you start your furnace. While you’re doing this, you can check for breaks in the insulation surrounding the vents.

Winter

Occupants have little choice in cold climates but to breathe air that has been artificially heated and circulated. This is when all that work you did earlier in the year pays off.

Continue dusting and changing bedding to minimize dust mite habitations. Make sure blankets you may have had in storage are dust free and in good shape.

Pay attention to the following to make sure all of your bases are covered.

Humidify – Dry air can make some respiratory problems worse and wreak havoc on wood furniture and other features. A humidifier will put back some of that moisture in the air and stabilize the atmosphere of your home.

Vacuum – Now is the time when your HEPA-filter is needed the most. Make sure to change it when winter rolls around, and vacuum frequently.

Clean Pet Areas – Reduce pet dander by keeping pet areas clean. This is important throughout the year but especially important once you’ve got the windows closed and air circulation is limited.

Maintain HVAC – Replace air filters at the start of winter. Continue replacing them on schedule or sooner to keep them working at top efficiency during cold seasons when you depend on your furnace.

Reducing Allergens All Year Round

The quality of the air in your home can make a huge difference in your overall health and the health of your family. By following a basic cleaning routine with emphasis on the subjects we’ve discussed above, you can eliminate many sources of allergens from the air. By following the cleaning routine discussed here, you can help keep your family healthy throughout the year no matter what condition the air is outside your home.