Fall Cleaning Checklist
It is that time of year again, the leaves are changing, the weather is cooler and the dust from summer is still hiding under the couch. Yep, Fall Cleaning. I can’t say this is something I enjoy, but I do love the feeling it gives me when I am done. I have put together a 4 week long checklist to help you get your house fall/winter ready. No need to kill yourself by completing it all in a couple days, instead let the checklist help you schedule when to do get things and in one month, your house will feel sparkly and clean! Be sure to print off the checklist below to help you get your home Fall and Winer ready.
Week 1
This is when you will want to call to schedule any professionals for carpet cleaning, pool repairs/service and air/furnace maintenance. If you are handy, feel free to do it yourself!
Kitchen
Clean top and under your refrigerator, remembering to wash vents
Clean inside of fridge and freezer. Discard any old or expired foods and condiments. An easy disinfecting spray to use is, 1/2 Cup Vinegar, 1 Cup Water, 3-5 Drops of Lemon Essential Oil mixed in a spray bottle. I also LOVE The Honest Company’s Multi-surface Cleaner
Clean out the pantry and restock with winter food necessities
Clean stovetop and inside of oven
Clean drains and garbage disposal
For Drain- Dump 1/2 Cup Baking Soda down drain, pour a mixture of 1 Cup Vinegar and 1 Cup Hot Water down drain and quickly seal drain with plug. Wait 10 minutes for bubbling to quit and pour kettle of boiling water down drain to clean.
For Garbage Disposal- Put a couple cups of ice cubes in bowl and sprinkle liberally with coarse salt. Dump ice into disposal, do not fill above plug line. Insert plug. While hold plug in place to prevent it from popping out, run garbage disposal without water. Run until you hear no more chopping. Add 1/2 Cup baking soda and 1 Cup Vinegar. When bubbling stops, turn on disposal and run COLD water. Finally cut one lemon in half and drop one half in disposal, seeds and rind included. Run Disposal. This will deodorize and disinfect garbage disposal.
Clean coffee pot. Brew 2 cups of vinegar 2 times through, then brew 4 cups water 3 times, changing out new water for each brew. Clean outside of pot with baking soda and vinegar mixture, wiping clean with warm rag.
Dust top of kitchen cabinets and wash cabinet fronts. I am a HUGE fan of the Norwex EnviroCloth for cleaning any surface!
Mop floor
Laundry Room
Vacuum lint trap
Run hot water and vinegar cycle through washing machine
Week 2
Livingroom
Wash and dust light fixtures and ceiling fans
Dust blinds
Spot clean furniture, vacuum under cushions and under couch
Touch up paint throughout house
Shampoo or spot clean carpets. For tough carpet stains, mix up a solution of 1/4 Cup Vinegar, 3/4 Cup Water, a few drops of liquid dish soap. Soak a colorless towel or rag (do not use colored rag, because the color can transfer to carpet) wring out extra liquid and place over stain. With an iron on med-high, iron over the stain with wet cloth still in place. Lift cloth to see that the stain has transferred to towel!
Replace filters
Wash interior windows. I do not bother with any special cleaning solution and only use a wet Norwex EnviroCloth and dry Norwex Window Cloth. You will be left with NO streaks. Zero, Zip, it’s magic! If you do not know a Norwex rep, I can hook you up with mine! She’s amazing ;)
Vacuum or wash curtains
Week 3
Bedrooms
Rotate summer to winter clothes. Donate any summer clothes that do not fit or didn’t wear all summer
Wash all summer bedding and store, replace with winter bedding
Clean and flip mattress. Vacuum bed, then create a solution of 3 Tablespoons Baking Soda, 8 oz Hydrogen Peroxide, 1 Drop Liquid Dish Soap in a spray bottle. Using immediately, spray onto bed and allow to sit and dry. Once completely dry, vacuum again.
Bathrooms
Clean shower, including washing shower curtains on hot cycle.
Clean cabinet under sink
Discard any old or expired shampoos, soaps, toiletries, and medications
Scrub floors
Office
Backup phone and computer
Organize office supplies
Dust shelves and computer, remembering to blow out keyboard
Shred and dispose of old forms and documents
Week 4
Outside
Wash doors and windows, checking weather striping. Replace if needed
Clean gutters
Clean, cover and store patio furniture
Remove leaves and debris
Trim and remove dead tree limbs
Store children’s summer outdoor toys
Here is a list of my GO TO Cleaning Supplies!
Honest Company Multi- Surface Cleaner
Honest Company Bathroom Cleaner