5 cleaning projects for a snowy day

There’s so much promise in a snow day: You might curl up with a good book, bake a batch of cookies, indulge in a movie marathon, or get out the Yahtzee. But with time, restlessness sets in — and since we’ve all seen “The Shining,” we know what comes next.

Something that is annoying but deeply true is that industriousness is the enemy of cabin fever, making the hours, days, weekends that we’re stuck inside due to inclement weather a perfect time to tackle a seasonal or deep cleaning task. Do you need some ideas? Well, we’ve got some!

Some projects should be avoided in winter: Shampooing the rugs or furniture when it’s cold, damp and the entire household is stuck inside is a recipe for misery (long drying times, you see). Jobs that call for chemical cleaning agents that contain bleach or ammonia and require ventilation are also a bad idea when it’s too cold for open windows.

These five tasks, however, are ones you can tackle in about an hour, maybe two. Put on a great playlist or fire up your favorite podcast to make the job go by faster.

Clean out the refrigerator

Estimated time: 30 to 45 minutes.

Supplies you’ll need: all-purpose cleaner, microfiber cloths, a non-scratch scrub sponge, an eraser sponge, trash bags, a cooler (optional).

Start by taking everything out of the refrigerator, including that old box of baking soda. Toss out obviously old, expired and unused foods as you go and place highly perishable items, like milk or yogurt, in a cooler or in the freezer for temporary keeping.

Then, remove the drawers and shelves from the unit and clean them with all-purpose cleaning spray and a microfiber cloth or a non-scratch scrub sponge; an eraser sponge may be useful for removing stains from food spills. Rinse and dry them, and set them aside while you clean the interior of the fridge, working from the top of the unit down to the bottom.

Finally, return the shelves and drawers to the unit, and begin putting food back. As you return items, do a second pass and throw away any food that is expired or that you simply do not use.

Vacuum mattresses, upholstered furniture and window treatments

Estimated time: 30 to 60 minutes.

Supplies you’ll need: a vacuum with a soft brush and upholstery and crevice attachments.

If you’re not up to facing the three-week-old lasagna carcass in your fridge, try this low-effort deep cleaning job: Grab your vacuum and its attachments — in this case, the soft brush or upholstery attachment and the crevice attachment — and show your mattresses, upholstered furniture and fabric window treatments some love. Work from top to bottom, vacuuming straight, overlapping lines; use the crevice tool to get into tight spaces where crumbs like to lurk to eliminate dust, dander, hair, dust mites and other soils, leaving household fabrics looking and smelling fresher.

Purge and clean the medicine cabinet

Estimated time: 30 minutes.

Supplies you’ll need: Trash bags, all-purpose cleaner, microfiber cloths, a non-scratch scrub sponge, an eraser sponge.

Cleaning out the medicine cabinet is an easy task with a big payoff, making it a perfect chore to squeeze in between episodes of your favorite binge-watch.

Just like with the refrigerator, start by taking everything out, throwing out expired or unused items as you work. Then, use a microfiber cloth and/or a non-scratch scrub sponge and all-purpose cleaner to wipe the interior of the medicine cabinet.

Do a second pass as you return items to their storage space, properly disposing of anything that is expired, empty or will not be used. Then, make note of any pain points — items that don’t really belong in the cabinet in the first place, things that you can’t access easily — and find organizing solutions that fit your needs.

Deep clean the grout

Estimated time: 30 to 45 minutes, plus drying time.

Supplies you’ll need: a scrub brush and oxygen bleach; or a handheld steam cleaner; or a liquid grout cleaner like X-14.

When crazy-making restlessness takes hold, a deep cleaning job that gets the heart pumping and the blood flowing is exactly what’s called for — and cleaning the grout will have you working up a sweat. There are three good methods for deep cleaning grout: with slow-acting but gentle oxygen bleach, with a handheld steam cleaner like the Bissell Steam Shot, or with a liquid grout cleaner like X-14. Each method has its pros and cons, but they all work. (Note: X-14 and other commercial liquid grout cleaners do require ventilation.) Just remember that significant drying time is needed to reveal those bright white grout lines, so the payoff won’t be immediate.

Clean up your home office

Estimated time: 45 to 90 minutes.

Supplies you’ll need: trash bags, a shredder, microfiber cloths, disinfecting cleaner, cord ties or wraps.

Could your home office or workspace use some TLC? (And could you use a break from your family?) Use the downtime of a snow day to set yourself up for success by organizing and cleaning your desk.

First thing’s first — throw out or recycle any trash that’s cluttering up the space. Then, gather all your paperwork and files, and organize or shred them. After clearing off the hard surfaces, dust and disinfect them, paying particular attention to high-touch items like keyboards and telephone handsets. Have the cords taken over? Identify and implement cord management solutions, such as a cable management box, cable clips, or cable sleeves.