Once the heating goes on and the windows stay shut, a house behaves differently. Moisture from cooking, showers and drying clothes has nowhere to go, dust collects on radiators that have been cold all summer, and every wet day brings mud through the front door. Knowing how to prepare your home for winter mostly means dealing with those three things before they start.
This guide covers the preparation: heating, condensation, entrances and a few outside jobs. Winter cleaning room by room has its own post, and if the house needs more than a weekend’s work, a one-off deep clean before winter clears the backlog in one go.
Condensation, damp and mould
Condensation is the first winter problem most homes notice: water running down the inside of the windows in the morning and pooling on the sills. Left alone, it soaks into frames, sealant and the corners of curtains, and that is where black mould spots appear.
A few habits keep it under control:
- Wipe the windows and sills dry each morning with a cloth or a window vacuum, and wring the cloth out down the sink rather than leaving it on a radiator.
- Clean any mould spots on frames and sealant as soon as you see them, before they spread.
- Pull curtains and blinds a little away from the glass so air can reach it.
- Dry washing outdoors when you can, or in one room with the door shut and a window open.
GOV.UK guidance on damp and mould in the home suggests ventilating while cooking and after a bath or shower, using extractor fans in kitchens and bathrooms and closing internal doors while you cook or shower. It also notes that heating a home irregularly can lead to more condensation and damp. If you rent and mould keeps coming back, report it to your landlord: repeated damp can point to a problem with the building, not with how the home is cleaned.
Radiators, vents and fireplaces
Radiators gather a summer’s worth of dust, and the first time they heat up you can smell it. Clean them before the first cold spell:
- Turn the radiator off and let it cool.
- Run a vacuum brush or a long, thin duster down between the fins.
- Lay an old towel underneath and wipe the top, front and the wall behind.
While you are at it, wipe the grilles on extractor fans and air vents, and clean the filter in a tumble dryer or cooker hood if it has one. A fan clogged with fluff moves less air, which brings you back to condensation.
If you have an open fire or a wood burner, clear old ash and clean the hearth only when everything is completely cold. Chimney sweeping is a job for a sweep, so book one before the season if the chimney is in use.
Entrances and floors
Winter dirt arrives on boots, wheels and paws. Stop it at the door:
- Put a large, absorbent mat inside each entrance and a coarse one outside.
- Set up a place for wet shoes and boots near the door, with a tray underneath.
- Hang coats where they can dry without dripping onto a carpet.
- Wipe up wet footprints on wooden and laminate floors quickly; standing water marks them.
If carpets are already looking tired before the wet months, professional carpet cleaning before the season is easier to plan than after a winter of mud.
Outside jobs worth doing first
Some of the most useful preparation happens outside:
- Clear leaves from gutters and downpipes, if you can do it safely from the ground or with someone holding the ladder.
- Clear leaves and debris from outside drains and gullies.
- Bring in or cover garden furniture, cushions and barbecues.
- Sweep paths and steps, which turn slippery once leaves get wet.
Before the heating goes on
A short list for the weekend you switch the heating on:
- Dust and wipe every radiator, with the heating off.
- Clean extractor fans, vents and filters.
- Put entrance mats and a boot tray in place.
- Check window sills and sealant for old mould and clean it off.
- Wash or vacuum curtains, which have collected dust all summer.
For the cleaning itself, work through our winter cleaning checklist, which goes room by room.
Getting help before winter
If you would rather start the season with the whole house done, call 01483 773531 and tell us what you would like covered. A deep clean can take care of the build-up in kitchens, bathrooms and behind furniture, so the routine jobs above are all that is left. For anything else, use our contact page.