Do most cleaning and health experts claim that deep cleaning should be done twice a year – in the autumn and spring?
Autumn is the most wonderful time of the year! And it’s also a great time to get your house in tip-top shape for winter. In addition, autumn is the perfect season for cleaning because it has cooler temperatures and less humidity, so you can work outside without getting too hot or sweaty. But how do you know what needs to be done? This checklist will help:
Autumn House Cleaning Checklist:
Vacuum or mop your floors.
Before autumn arrives, you should deep clean the floors of your home with a vacuum or mop. Then, sweep or vacuum your floors once a week after autumn arrives.
For deep cleaning, you can use a heavy vacuum like Shark AZ1002 Apex or Dyson V15 Detect Cordless Vacuum. To make cleaning the floor easier, use a sweeper attachment instead of your vacuum wand. This will help you get into small spaces and corners where dust collects more easily!
After vacuuming and sweeping (or mopping), check under rugs for spills or other hazards that could cause damage if not properly cleaned at this stage of the life cycle. Then wipe down areas where pets may have tracked mud on the furniture leg, etc.
Deep clean the carpets.
It is important to deep clean carpets along with your other household cleaning tasks before or at the beginning of fall. We enjoy its benefits year-round, so now is the best season to focus on ways to protect your carpets.
If you’re going to do a deep clean, it’s best to start by removing all furniture from the room. This will make cleaning the floor easier and remove stains that might otherwise be harder to get out. Once you have removed your furniture, vacuum the carpet and then shampoo it using an appropriate cleaning solution (see below).
If you don’t have a steam cleaner available or want something more convenient than just vacuuming up all of those little fibers on top of your carpet, consider renting one—it’s well worth the investment!
Clean and disinfect your bathroom.
Clean your toilets, sinks, showers, and tubs as fall approaches. Remove rust, grime, and mildew from the bathroom. Use a clean cloth to wipe it down gently with warm water from a spray bottle or cup of bleach (1/4 tsp per gallon). Let it sit for 5 minutes before rinsing off with clear water. Make sure you clean around any pipes or drains that run under your toilet; they can be difficult to reach if they’re behind walls!
Clean your bathroom showerhead, faucet, and all fixtures: mirror, sink countertops, floor tiles/floors (especially near drains). If there’s mold on these surfaces, treat them accordingly by spraying them with mildew sprays like Lysol® Multi-Surface Cleaner Plus Oust Spray Foam Home Care Packets or using vinegar which will help remove tough stains.
Clean the kitchen and appliances.
If you have a kitchen, it’s essential to keep your appliances clean. It’s also a good idea to ensure that the inside of your cabinets, sink, and faucet are free from dirt. You can use a microfiber cloth or paper towel to wipe down countertops and backsplash (where there is a surface that looks like it might be used for food preparation).
Clean the dust from all kinds of surface
The new season is coming, so clean dust from upholstery surfaces, chairs, tables, showpiece rack, stairs, under stairs, and baseboard surfaces. Take a damp cloth and clean the surfaces thoroughly with either vinegar or lemon juice (but not both).
Deep clean your windows.
As the weather turns and you’re ready to get out of bed, it’s time to clean up! Start by cleaning any windows that need it inside and out. Next, use a squeegee or microfiber cloth (or both) to remove any water that has gathered on the surface. Then use paper towels or rags to wipe away streaks left behind by water droplets.
If there are still some marks left on your glass after this step, use an old rag with some rubbing alcohol on it. Rubbing alcohol will help remove them easily without leaving residue behind like other methods might do when used over time.
Wipe down window screens to remove dust and debris.
It would be best if you cleaned the window screens every 3-6 months. Use a damp cloth to wipe the screen, then vacuum if needed. Please do not use a vacuum to clean your screens because it can damage them over time. You shouldn’t use any abrasive cleaner on them either; this includes vinegar or ammonia!
Clean out your medicine cabinet.
It’s a good idea to remove all expired medications from your medicine cabinet and toss those no longer needed.
If you have a family history of allergies, it’s also important to check expiration dates on all items and throw out any that have passed their usefulness date.
You can organize these by family (if applicable). But make sure you don’t leave behind any old makeup products or vitamins and creams that have lost their effectiveness over time—you don’t want to poison someone later accidentally!
Strip, wash and dry your bedding.
Now it’s time to wash your bedding. First, you’ll want to remove the sheets and blankets from the bed and any pillows you’re planning on using tonight (or tomorrow). If you have comforters, they can also be put into a pillowcase before being washed in hot water with bleach.
Make sure that everything is thoroughly rinsed before being dried on high heat for at least 30 minutes or until dry; this will help prevent mildew from forming on your towels or sheets after washing them again later on down the line!
Check fire extinguishers and smoke detectors.
Test the fire extinguisher, including its expiration date. Smoke detector, if applicable.
If you have a battery-operated smoke alarm in your home, you need to know if it is working properly. Test each one individually by pressing the test button on the back of the device for about 30 seconds until you hear an alarm sound.
If there is no audible alarm, but there are red LEDs lit up after testing both units independently, replace all batteries as soon as possible because they’re low or dead.
Change filters in air conditioning units and heaters.
You should change filters in air conditioning units and heaters at least a few times a year. Consider making changes for the new season as well.
Check the manufacturer’s instructions for how often you need to replace them. Replace the correct size filter by checking what size hole it fits in your system (its opening width) before buying a new one.
Get rid of any old materials used during construction or remodeling projects—these can accumulate bacteria over time which may cause illness later on down the road if not cleaned properly!
How to Create an Autumn Cleaning Plan of Attack?
Cleaning is easier when you have a plan of attack! Autumn is a great time of year to clean. It’s not too hot; leaves are on the ground, and you can see your breath in the air. You might even be thinking about getting out of town for some summer vacation—if so, now is the perfect time to start planning your fall cleaning checklist!
Here’s what I recommend doing:
Make a list of everything that needs to be done at home (and outside). Then break down each task into smaller tasks that can be completed one at a time over several days or weeks. For example, “kitchen clean” could become five steps:
- wash down window sills;
- wipe off patio furniture
- dust all surfaces, including cabinets;
- sweep floors/mop floors/vacuum carpets/dust baseboards, etc.
- mop the kitchen floor again because it still looks streaky after vacuuming last week but not sure why because everything else was cleaned perfectly fine. etc.
Conclusion
At the end of the day, cleaning is not rocket science. As long as you have a plan and stick to it, your home will stay clean and free from clutter. You can do this!