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The Ultimate Fall Cleaning Checklist: How to Keep Your Home Clean This Season

Spring cleaning may get all the glory, but nothing can stop you from starting afresh and sprucing up your home for the fall season. It’s a perfect time to clear the dust, reorganize, prepare your home for colder weather and break out the all-essential pumpkins and fuzzy blankets.

Deep Clean Indoors

With the changing seasons come different needs for your family and your home. You must store yard work equipment, improve your home’s heating and air quality, and update your closet so trusty sweaters and rain boots are within reach. 

Dust, Dust, Dust

You likely dust your home more frequently than four times a year. However, this fall, you can go beyond a quick sweep of your bookshelves and window sills and take the time to clean all nooks and crannies. You can dust the tops of fans and reverse their rotation to improve air circulation and keep you warmer as the temperature drops. You can move furniture to pick up neglected dust bunnies and clean out your cupboards full of stagnant spice bottles and canned goods. 

Air quality also depends on updated HVAC filters and clear vents. If your home has a fireplace and chimney, it’s time to scrub them clean and stock up on dry wood. 

Scrub and Polish

As fall approaches, it’s also an excellent time to deep clean your floors and furniture. You might have your carpets shampooed or invest in washable rugs to give you both cleanliness and comfort. You can scrub the baseboards, vacuum couches, and polish wood tables and chairs until surfaces shine and you feel safe following the five-second rule. 

It’s also an opportunity to give your kitchen and bathroom extra attention. You can remove shower liners, scrub tile grout, and clean showerheads. You might degrease your kitchen, finally checking “clean the oven” and “clear out the fridge” off your to-do list. During a deep clean, consider throwing out unused or expired personal care items and foods that are taking up space and losing their quality. 

Donate and Sell

Clearing your closets, you can take a page out of the spring cleaning guide. You may pull out the warmer clothes from storage and take stock of items you’ve outgrown or rarely use. You can give away unwanted toys or sell furniture if you’ve found more desirable replacements. Almost nothing prepares you for a fresh start and a new season like clearing out the clutter.

Go Outdoors

Cleaning your home isn’t just in bathrooms, kitchens, and closets. Your home’s exterior and yards need essential fall updates beyond improving curb appeal.

Clear Gutters

For many people, with autumn comes rain. Clearing out your gutters and water spouts will guarantee proper drainage and increase the longevity of your home’s hardware and beauty. You can prevent unnecessary flooding and all of the handyperson and gardener nightmares that come with it when you remove those falling leaves from gutters and lawns.

Yard Work 

We all know raking leaves in front yards is a classic way to get into the fall spirit with family while sprucing up the home. However, there’s more that goes into prepping outdoor spaces for fall and winter than jumping into a leaf pile. 

Many plants go dormant in the latter half of the year. Keeping them alive requires pruning and covering. Maintaining healthy soil through efficient irrigation systems will help prevent root rot and mold during rainy or snowy weather. 

Winterizing Equipment and Outdoor Features

Powerwashing your home’s exterior and windows may be part of your fall cleaning to-do list. As you do so, check for cracks near windows so you can cover them with caulk or weather stripping. Depending on your location, you might also need to install storm windows. 

You must store patio furniture that can’t withstand fall weather, drain or carefully maintain unheated water features, and winterize outdoor spouts to prevent any costly repairs in the future. Yard work equipment like lawnmowers often requires proper storage in colder months, especially if you don’t need to use them consistently. 

Conclusion

Fall cleaning can be a fun time to replace themed decor and enjoy a revamped space. It’s also an opportunity to invest in easy-to-clean home goods like washable rugs and complete essential updates like replacing batteries in smoke detectors and having your home’s foundation inspected. A deep clean can help your household enjoy the cozy season. 

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