How to Prep Your Shuswap Lake Property or Cabin for Winter
Whether your place sits on Shuswap Lake, Mara Lake, or up a quiet road outside Sicamous, a proper winter close-up saves you from musty smells, pests, and surprise damage come spring. Here's the routine we recommend to cabin owners across the Shuswap.
Start with a true deep clean
Dirt, crumbs, and grease left behind all winter are an open invitation to mice and insects. Before lock-up, give the kitchen and bathrooms a proper deep clean: inside the oven and fridge, behind appliances, cupboard shelves, and under sinks.
Don't forget the spots that get skipped in summer — baseboards, window tracks, and the tops of cabinets where dust and cooking residue settle.
Empty anything that attracts pests
- Remove all food, including canned goods that can freeze and split
- Take out garbage, recycling, and compost
- Wash and store bedding, towels, and cushions in sealed bins
- Vacuum mattresses and upholstered furniture before covering them
Manage moisture before it manages you
Shuswap winters are damp. Leave interior doors and cupboard doors open so air can circulate, and consider moisture absorbers in bathrooms and closets. A clean, dry interior is far less likely to develop mould over the closed months.
The final walkthrough
Once everything is clean and dry, do one slow lap of the property: check window locks, look for gaps where mice could enter, and make sure gutters and downspouts are clear. A cabin that's left clean is a cabin that's easy to open again in May.
Ready for a spotless home?
Short on time before the snow flies? Elysian Cleaning Services offers pre-winter deep cleans for cabins and lake properties across Blind Bay, Sorrento, Salmon Arm, and Sicamous — so you can lock the door with confidence.
