I can’t imagine a better place for winter than the Conejo Valley.  A little bit of rain, and a lot of 70 degree temps!  However, it is still cold & flu season, so it’s a great time to avoid germs by doing some winter cleaning.  We were talking about this here at the Hollywood Storage Center of Thousand Oaks with The Clean Team™, so I thought I’d pass along my top five tips.

+ Check your rain gutters and clear them of leaves, twigs, and debris.  It’s important to keep gutters clean so they won’t clog and drive water under the house eaves… and into your walls.  That’s a recipe for unhealthy mold and yuck!

+ Dust the heating vents and even unused fans around the house.  This will help make sure the air in your home is nice and clean.  Oh, and don’t forget to replace the furnace filter while you’re at it!  Air filters for furnaces are rated by level of efficiency.  The higher the rating, the better the filter is at removing dirt, mold spores, and pet dander.

+ Clean your mattresses to get rid of the sweat, mildew, dirt, oils, trace chemicals, and even pollen that collects in there when we don’t even realize it.  Start by vacuuming the top and then sprinkling it well with baking soda.  Rub it in with a stiff-bristled brush, let it sit for 10 minutes, and then vacuum it up.  Next, flip the mattress and do the same on the other side.  When you’re done, I suggest getting washable mattress covers.  It makes cleaning much easier and prevents icky substances from absorbing into the mattress in the first place!

+ Wash the blankets that everyone likes to throw on the couch and take a vacuum to the couch itself (a HEPA-filter one, if possible).  Remember to vacuum underneath the couch, where lots of dust typically collects.

+ Wipe your cell phone with an antibacterial wipe that has alcohol and benzethonium chloride — a combo that works super-well against nasty stuff like staph and salmonella. And wipe down those TV remotes too.

Oh, and don’t forget: Keeping your home free of clutter keeps everything cleaner and is healthy for your state of mind too! So, if you need some breathing room to rotate belongings or hold onto items that you don’t use every day, come by and take a look at one of our clean, affordable storage units. We’ll help you pick the best space for your needs, and beat all storage deals everyday. Have a happy, healthy year!

This was a guest post from Dion, a member of The Clean Team™ here at Hollywood Storage Center. Dion an expert on “all things storage” and he prides himself on learning the best home cleaning tips. Thanks, Dion! Readers: Post your own favorite seasonal cleaning ideas below, or on Facebook!