Essential Cleaning Tips for the Fall Season
Everyone knows about spring cleaning, but what about fall cleaning? While most people think the best time to do a deep cleaning is in the spring, the truth is that your house could really use one before winter hits as well.
Why’s that? For starters, it’s important that you make sure your home is ready for winter. And secondly, with the seasons shifting now is the time to cleanse your house of all the dust and dirt that built up over the summer. Otherwise, you’ll be holed up with all that junk for months until you do your spring cleaning.
Start with Decluttering
Before all major clean-up jobs, you need to get organized first. That means putting all your summer stuff away into storage, and maybe even getting rid of some junk you don’t need.
This can also be a great opportunity to earn some extra money. Do you have old jewelry, coins, paper money, toys, silverware, etc.? You might be surprised to learn that there are collectors out there willing to pay top dollar for your unwanted items.
When you sell your old silver or gold coins to a reputable antique or gold buyer they will do a free evaluation and give you a price based on current market values. You could even sell jewelry or old silverware that you don’t want anymore.
Inside Your Home
It’s recommended that when you do a deep cleaning that you start from the top and work your way down. This checklist has more details about what you could clean, but here are the basics.
- Dust everything from top to bottom, including window coverings
- Wash ceiling-mounted fixtures and then your walls
- Vacuum and/or wash all fabrics including couches and cushions
- Vacuum and/or wash the carpets
- Check all windows and make sure they are properly sealed, also wash them if dirty
- Change the furnace filter
- Test carbon dioxide and smoke detectors
Outside Your Home
Here’s where the winter prep truly happens. Your home will be battered and beaten by cold, wet, and debris, so you need to make sure it’s ready.
- Check the outside of all your windows and doors and ensure that the caulking and weather stripping are in good shape; repair if necessary
- Clear out your eavestroughs, gutters, and downspouts of any debris
- Drain and store your garden hose
- Store patio furniture and clean if required
- Do a circle check of your home, including the roof, to make sure that everything looks okay
Take a look at this site for lawn tips if you are the type of person who really cares about having a nice looking garden and lawn. Though not necessarily essential, there is some good advice here like remembering to clear your yard of any items that could get in the way of snow plowing.
Don’t Wait Too Long
The weather is so unpredictable that the snow will come before you know it. Don’t get caught unprepared – start your fall cleaning now, that way you’ll be ready for when winter comes.
