The ultimate fall cleaning checklist

Spring isn’t the only time to give your home a deep clean. With the weather getting cooler, now is an ideal time for homeowners to tackle seasonal household maintenance. Here’s a full fall cleaning checklist complete with tasks and chores designed to get you organized and make the house sparkle.

Photo Credit: Pixel-Shot

When’s the last time you cleaned the inside of your dishwasher or gave your washing machine a scrub? Servicing your home’s hardworking appliances is an important part of routine maintenance and will keep them in top shape for years to come. Take some time to polish your stovetop, wipe down the inside of your microwave, clean your refrigerator, and descale your coffee machine.

Windows accumulate dirt, dust and water spots over the summer months and cleaning windows from the inside and the outside is an important part of your fall cleaning checklist. For a streak-free shine, apply a commercial cleaning solution or high-quality liquid detergent to your windows with a spray bottle or a sponge, then use a lint-free towel to wipe the glass in a Z-shaped pattern. And don’t neglect your window coverings. Use this time to dust and scrub your blinds and take care of your curtains.

Out with the summery t-shirts and in with the chunky knit sweaters. With autumn in full swing, you’ll want to organize your closet so that your practical winter wear is readily available. Pack the swimwear, sandals, and shorts away and store your clothes in waterproof, air-tight containers to make room for jeans, jackets, and other cold-weather apparel. This seasonal swap-over is also a good opportunity to purge any unwanted items and drop them off at your local clothing donation centre.

Preparing your backyard for the change in seasons is a crucial part of household upkeep. On your outdoor to-do list: power-wash the driveway, clean out rain gutters, drain your garden hose and fountains, close the pool, shut off the outdoor water supply, and rake up those pesky leaves. You’ll also want to clean and store away garden ornaments and tools and ensure any large items like the air conditioner unit and barbecue are protected with weatherproof covers before the snow starts to fly.

We spend a great deal of time staring at our electronics but rarely give them the sanitizing they deserve. Dust your TV screens and computer monitors with a microfibre cleaning cloth and disinfect high-touch personal devices like phones, laptops, tablets, and handheld gaming systems with anti-bacterial wipes.

Whether you’re working with wall-to-wall carpet or decorative area rugs, durable textiles will start to show their age over time. With that in mind, you’ll want to include carpet cleaning as part of your seasonal fall cleaning. Depending on the amount of foot traffic in your home, you may want to call in the professionals if your carpet needs a serious steam clean. If you’re doing it yourself, try spot-treating tricky stains by dabbing the area with a mixture of white vinegar, dish detergent, and water.

Washing baseboards is a tedious chore that’s easy to overlook. Move furniture away from your walls to give easy access to the perimeter of each room. Wipe the baseboards with a microfibre cloth to remove excess dust, then scrub them thoroughly with a cloth dampened with soapy water or a homemade cleaning solution.