Sixty-five inches of snow and about 143 freezing nights make winter the hardest season on Seacoast floors. Here is how to keep salt, sand and condensation from running the house.
From December into March, keeping a Seacoast home clean mostly comes down to one problem: everything outside wants to come in. Boots bring slush, dogs bring ice balls and every trip to the car brings a little more road salt across the threshold.
A good winter routine stops most of it at the door. This guide covers the local numbers, what salt does to common floors and what to do about windows, heat and air in a closed up house.
NOAA normals for Greenland, next to Portsmouth, show 65.0 inches of snow a year and about 68 winter days with at least an inch on the ground. December through March average 14.2, 17.1, 15.8 and 13.9 inches. North Hampton's normals are similar at 62.6 inches. January runs from a high of 32.6 degrees down to a low of 16.3.
The cold lasts well beyond the snow. The Greenland station averages about 143 nights a year at or below freezing, with the first around October 8 and the last around May 4. That is close to seven months in which a home may see ice, frost or condensation on its coldest surfaces.
Most of what a winter brings can be stopped within a few feet of the door. Put a stiff, coarse mat outside to scrape off snow and sand. Inside, use a large absorbent mat long enough for a couple of steps, and add a tray with a rim for boots so meltwater stays put. Keep an old towel nearby for dogs.
Pay attention to whichever door people actually use. In a lot of homes that is a garage or side door, rather than the front one with the nice mat. Wash or shake the mats weekly, because a saturated mat just spreads the grit around.
Road salt and ice melt leave a white film that attracts moisture and dulls finishes. On hardwood it can eat into the finish over time. On tile it clouds the grout, and in carpet it stays stiff and gritty. Clean with a damp cloth and a mild solution, then dry the floor. Skip the strong acids, particularly on natural stone, which they can etch.
Older floors need even more care. Nearly a third of Portsmouth homes date from 1939 or earlier, and many have floors that have been sanded repeatedly over the years. Grit acts like sandpaper on a thin finish, so quick removal matters more than any special product.
When it is 16 degrees outside and 68 inside, single pane and older windows collect water. Wipe sills dry in the morning to keep the paint and wood below from wearing out. Run bath fans during and after showers, and use the kitchen fan when cooking. If water keeps pooling or a musty smell appears, look for a leak or a ventilation issue, because a cleaner cannot fix that and mold or water damage needs a specialist.
Forced air and closed windows mean more floating dust. Change furnace filters on schedule and vacuum registers. The EPA says homes built before 1978 are more likely to have lead-based paint, and that settled lead dust can re-enter the air when a home is vacuumed or swept. In older homes, damp wipe window sills rather than dry dusting them.
Many households find it helps to step up visits from December through March. A bi-weekly Recurring House Clean through those months keeps salt and sand from settling in, and moving to monthly afterward is a reasonable choice for smaller homes. The recurring guide compares schedules.
When spring comes, a One-Time Deep Clean clears what regular visits do not reach, including baseboards, window tracks and blinds. Winter also makes moving day harder, so if you are moving during snow season, schedule a Moving Clean after the last load has gone so that movers' boots do not undo the work.
The questions Portsmouth homeowners ask most often about this topic, answered plainly.
TotalCare Cleaning will service Portsmouth 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.
