8 easy cleaning habits that will instantly boost your mood – even when struggling with seasonal affective disorder

Despite all the festivities it is easy to feel low on energy throughout the winter months. The first thing this typically affects is our chores. After all, who really wants to clean up when they barely have the energy to change out of their pajamas?

While it might seem daunting, professional cleaners promise that starting on the simplest of cleaning tasks can help boost your mood, especially if you are struggling with seasonal affective disorder. Your space has a big impact on how you feel, after all.

So, to keep your space sparkling and spotless, I spoke to professional cleaners for their cleaning tips for cleaning habits to beat winter blues – from dusting to disinfecting.

8 cleaning habits to beat winter blues

1. Disinfect high touch areas

As colder weather means a higher chance of illness and spending much more time indoors, it's important to disinfect high-touch areas each day. Plus, focusing on target hygiene keeps you healthy without having to break your back deep cleaning your home.

Logan Taylor, cleaning expert at the Dazzle Cleaning Company says, 'I suggest making it a daily habit to disinfect high-touch surfaces in your home, such as doorknobs, light switches, and countertops. The winter months tend to bring more germs and illnesses, so staying on top of disinfection can help prevent the spread of viruses and bacteria.'

To do so, Taylor recommends using the Lysol Disinfectant Wipes available at Amazon. If you need to know how to clean when someone is ill, our dedicated guide details methods to ensure your home is sanitized.

Ken Doty, COO of The Maids also recommends cleaning your trashcan, before disinfecting with a product such as MICROBAN Disinfectant Spray available at Amazon, which keeps killing 99.9% of bacteria for up to 24 hours.

2. Declutter the pantry and fridge

As sporadically decluttering a pantry is a time-consuming activity, cleaning expert Doty, recommends making it part of your daily routine. This will not only keep your space sanitary, it will mean you always have fresh food ready for whipping up Christmas party recipes when entertaining guests.

'Go through your pantry and remove any expired items, set aside anything you're not going to use and donate it to those who will,' says Doty. 'Then, eliminate any expired items in your fridge, and wash the shelves by cleaning with vinegar and cleaning with baking soda. We recommend using the Great Value Distilled White Vinegar available at Walmart and the ARM & HAMMER Pure Baking Soda available at Walmart to make an effective and affordable homemade cleaning spray.

Afterwards, you can utilize our pantry organization ideas to streamline your storage and maximise your space.

3. Dust

If you're wondering how often you should dust your bedroom, Noah Cardenas, founder of Simply Immaculate, recommends making dusting everywhere a regular habit.

He says, 'In the winter, when windows are closed, dust and allergens tend to gather more quickly. The physical sluggishness that sometimes accompanies the winter blues can therefore be lessened by regularly dusting shelves and furniture with a microfiber cloth (such as the bestselling HOMEXCEL Microfiber Cleaning Cloth available at Amazon) or duster. This improves the quality of the air.'

4. Vacuum

Making the most of your best vacuum will also help to reduce allergens around the home, helping you to feel fitter, and therefore beating winter blues associated with feeling under the weather. Not to mention it can instantly make a home look a little more put together without much effort.

'Regular vacuuming with a Shark Navigator (available at Amazon) or Dyson V11 (also available at Amazon) will help lessen the accumulation of dust, debris, and allergens that can lead to low energy levels and the feeling of stagnation in indoor spaces,' says Cardenas. Don't forget to vacuum your rugs and carpets too – if you're not sure how often you should vacuum carpet, aim to do so at least weekly.

Every so often, Doty also recommends vacuuming under your furniture to get rid of any dust that may have been building up since summer. 'Be thorough by getting the underside of the furniture itself, and the flooring that the furniture sits over,' he says.

If you're not sure where to start with vacuuming, our expert-led guide on how to choose a vacuum cleaner details everything you need to consider before taking the plunge on a purchase.

5. Declutter high traffic areas

Cleaning expert Cardenas warns that 'anxiety and tension can be exacerbated by cluttered environments. Keeping important spaces like living rooms and kitchens clean on a daily basis helps foster a sense of calm and control, both of which are crucial for preserving mental health over the winter.'

Instead, follow the golden rules for a clutter free living room, and use our small living room decluttering checklist if you're not sure where to start – it applies to larger spaces too.

For the kitchen, taking time to learn how to declutter countertops and the rules for a clutter-free kitchen can set you on the right path, beating winter blues by cutting out clutter.

6. Add plants and keep them clean

According to research, having plants in your home is scientifically proven to combat SAD, bringing a room to life and improving air quality, particularly if you go for one of the best air cleaning indoor plants.

Cleaning expert Cardenas says 'Adding indoor plants can improve mood by bringing a little bit of nature inside.' He also advises that you keep them clean each day. But how do you clean houseplant leaves?

'Using a moist towel, regularly wipe the leaves to allow them to abosrb as much light as possible,' he says.

Cardenas also recommends maintaining your plant health by using the Miracle-Gro Indoor Plant Food available at Amazon, which instantly feeds all indoor houseplants. Depending on the type of plant you choose it is, of course, vital you remember to water them too.

7. Sweep and mop high-traffic areas

If you have the energy or motivation, cleaning expert Taylor recommends sweeping and mopping high-traffic areas whenever you spot dirt building up, and not a moment later. Working quickly makes the task easier, saving you from scrubbing tough build-up away later down the line.

He says, 'During the winter, we tend to spend more time indoors, which means high-traffic areas like hallways and entryways can quickly become dirty and cluttered. I recommend making it a daily habit to sweep or vacuum these areas and mop them at least once a week. This not only keeps your home clean but also helps reduce the amount of dirt and allergens that can trigger seasonal allergies.'

Doing so will also prevent having to clean when feeling overwhelmed, as your space won't have time to become a troublesome or tiresome task.

Taylor recommends using an all-purpose cleaner such as the Pine-Sol All Purpose Cleaner available at Amazon, or the Method Squirt + Mop Hardwood Floor Cleaner also available at Amazon to make mopping a breeze.

8. Clean windows

Cleaning expert Cardenas explains, 'By boosting your mood and energy, maintaining clean windows lets more natural light into your house, which helps lessen the effects of SAD. Optimizing natural light can be achieved by routinely dusting window frames and cleaning the glass with a streak-free cleaner such as Windex Glass Window Cleaner available at Walmart.'

You can also make homemade vinegar glass cleaner to rival shop-bought alternatives, and all you need is white vinegar, such as the Great Value Distilled White Vinegar available at Walmart, distilled water (available at Amazon), and a spray bottle, such as the Equate 8 oz Plastic Spray bottle, available at Walmart.

'Even maximizing artificial light is important as well,' says professional cleaner Gazzo. 'This means dusting and wiping any light fixtures you have, and replacing any broken bulbs.'

To clean them, Gazzo suggests mixing one tablespoon of white vinegar with one drop of Dawn Ultra Dish Soap Dishwashing Liquid, available at Walmart.

Then, dampen a microfiber cloth with the solution, take the light bulbs out the their sockets, wipe them, and wait 30 minutes. Afterward, put the bulbs back in, but make sure they are completely dry before doing so. You must clean your lightbulbs for a nice-smelling kitchen, as musty odors, grease, and grime will cling to them. It's one of the things people with nice-smelling kitchens always do.

Struggling with Seasonal Affective Disorder? These home scenting secrets to combat SAD can instantly life your mood when a lack of sunshine is making you feel low.