Snow on the ground for about 38 days a year, about 124 nights below freezing and bone dry furnace air. Here is how to keep a Fort Wayne home clean through all of it.
Winter is the season that shapes housekeeping in Fort Wayne. Normal annual snowfall at the airport is 33.6 inches, and the cold lasts a good while. A house stays closed, and everything that comes in, stays in. This guide covers what really helps from December through the March thaw.
January is the coldest month, with a normal average temperature of 25.5 degrees and a normal low of 18.4. Fort Wayne averages about 124 nights a year below freezing and about 40 days when the high stays below freezing. Normal snowfall peaks at 10.8 inches in January, with 7.8 in February and 7.6 in December.
About 11 days a year bring an inch or more of new snow, and about 38 have at least an inch on the ground. That means many weeks of boots, sidewalks and whatever is spread on them. The January dew point of about 20 degrees means very dry air, too, so static and dust are part of the season.
Harsh years do happen. In the winter that included the Blizzard of 1978, Fort Wayne recorded 60.6 inches of snow, 25.3 of them in January, with an average winter temperature of 17.8 degrees.
Road and sidewalk salt is the main threat to floors, since it leaves a white film and can dull finishes over time. A good entry routine will cut most of it.
Dry heated air keeps dust moving. Change furnace filters on schedule, vacuum vent covers and dust with a slightly damp cloth, which holds on to what it picks up. Screens and electronics draw dust through static, so wipe them more often than you would in summer.
Older homes feel this more. About 47 percent of Fort Wayne units were built before 1970, and those houses often have more trim, more vents and gaps in the floor that catch fine dust. Regular soft vacuuming helps more than an occasional hard scrub. A One-Time Deep Clean in late winter or spring gets at what has settled, including vents and ceiling fans.
If you have paint from before 1978, take care with radiators, sills and window frames. The Allen County Department of Health warns about dust from peeling and cracking lead-based paint, and vibrating old windows can make that worse. Wipe, do not dry sweep.
Cooking, showers and even houseplants add moisture, which can condense on cold windows. Wipe sills on cold mornings and run bathroom and kitchen fans long enough to clear the air. If you see recurring dark spots on walls or ceilings, find out why.
The Allen County Department of Health says there are no federal, state or local standards for hazardous mold levels or mold clean-up. Renters in Fort Wayne can call 311 about mold from unaddressed structural or plumbing problems. Cleaners do not remediate mold, so the moisture problem has to be fixed by the right trade.
Clear paths matter for anyone coming to your door. New Haven, for example, plows city streets once 3 inches or more of snow has accumulated and expects residents and businesses to clear their own sidewalks. If you have a cleaning visit booked, make sure the walkway and steps are safe the night before.
Fort Wayne garbage carts may go out no sooner than noon the day before pickup and must be back from the curb by noon the day after. Snowbanks can complicate that, so make room before pickup day. A Recurring House Clean handles indoor regular work, while the snow shovel remains your job.
The questions Fort Wayne homeowners ask most often about this topic, answered plainly.
TotalCare Cleaning will service Fort Wayne and surrounding areas with background-checked cleaners and is insured up to $1 million. Re-clean guarantee: if we missed something, tell us by the end of the next day and we come back to fix it. Beyond Clean. TotalCare.
