Grand Rapids sees about 77.6 inches of snow a year and about 67 days with snow on the ground. Salt, slush and dry air are what wear on a home, and most of it can be managed at the door.
Winter in Grand Rapids is long enough to need a plan of its own. About 133 days a year have a low at or below freezing, and the salt the city spreads on the roads comes indoors on every pair of boots. The entry takes it first, but it spreads quickly.
This guide covers how to keep that under control, whether you do the work yourself or plan to use a visit from TotalCare Cleaning when the company comes to the area.
The 1991 to 2020 normal snowfall at the airport is 77.6 inches a year, with 22.6 inches in January, 20.8 in December and 17.2 in February. The airport averages about 67 days with at least an inch of snow on the ground and about 23 days with an inch or more of new snow. About 50 days a year stay at or below freezing all day.
The National Weather Service says lake effect snow is common across the Great Lakes region in late fall and winter, when cold air crosses the open, unfrozen lake water. So this is rarely a matter of one big storm and a long thaw. A household can expect regular small snowfalls, and the wet boots that come with them.
Grand Rapids salts its 19 major first-attention routes, applies calcium chloride to bridges, hills and curves when conditions warrant, and plows side streets after 3 or more inches of snow. That leaves a white crust on boots, which dries on hardwood, tile and entry rugs. Left there, it can dull a floor finish.
To remove it, sweep or vacuum first so grit does not scratch. Then damp mop with plain water or a mild floor cleaner, and go over it once more with clean water if a film remains. Do not flood wood. Wipe up melted slush as soon as you see it, because it is much easier to deal with when wet.
A good system has four parts: a rough mat outside, an absorbent mat inside, a tray for boots and somewhere to sit. Washable mats make sense, because a mat full of salt is just another source of it. Put a second tray at the garage door, if that is the door your family actually uses.
Hang wet coats where they can drip onto a tray or a tile floor rather than a rug. Dry gloves and hats on a rack, not on a radiator cover or finished wood. Dogs should get a towel at the door, since salt is hard on paws as well as floors.
Grand Rapids ordinance gives residents 24 hours after it stops snowing to clear their sidewalks. Keeping them clear is required, and it also means less slush at the door. Use only as much de-icer as you need, as anything left over ends up on the floor.
Boots that come in from a clear walk are far easier to manage than boots coming through slush. If you rent, your lease or landlord will say who clears the walk, so check before the first snow rather than after.
Mean dew points at the airport fall to about 19 degrees in January and February, compared with about 61 in July. Once heated, that air is very dry, and static helps dust stick to screens and furniture. Use a damp cloth so that it does not get pushed back into the air. Change furnace filters on schedule, and vacuum vents.
Many Grand Rapids homes are old. About 37.5 percent were built before 1940, and radiators or old vents can collect plenty of dust. A One-Time Deep Clean wipes fans and vents in place and hand washes baseboards, and this is a good job for the end of winter.
A Recurring House Clean on a bi-weekly schedule tends to suit most households from December through March. Households with several pets or lots of foot traffic may want weekly. If you normally go monthly, consider changing just for these months.
When a home changes hands in winter, a One-Time Moving Clean adds the inside of the oven, refrigerator and cabinets, and salt on the floors should be mentioned beforehand. Check the seasonal guide for what to do when the snow finally ends.
The questions Grand Rapids homeowners ask most often about this topic, answered plainly.
TotalCare Cleaning will service Grand Rapids 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.
