Fall Cleaning Checklist
I painted my bedroom this past week, put on the clean fall linens, washed and ironed the curtains, and love the new look. But to paint the walls, I needed to move my bed a few feet away from the wall. And there they were… months worth of dust bunnies. I like to think I’m a tidy person—bordering on neat freak; I preordered Martha Stewart’s Homekeeping Handbook when it first came out—but I realize now why I appreciate Spring and Fall cleaning checklists. Who remembers when the last time was that you pulled the bed or sofa out from the wall and vacuumed under them? Cleaned the light bulbs? Wiped down the walls? Or vacuumed the refrigerator coils (nerdy? no; that simple task helps keep it running efficiently). Much as I’d like to see these things done weekly, life gets busy. This RealSimple checklist makes Fall cleaning a breeze. Check, check, check, done—take care of your house!
Inside Your House
✅ Wash all windows.
Use glass cleaner, or one squirt of dishwashing liquid in a spray bottle filled with water, and wipe down with a microfiber cloth. Pick a cloudy day so you can better see any streaks.
✅ Vacuum dusty canvas, cotton, and treated fabric blinds.
Use a low setting with a brush attachment. Vinyl shades can be wiped down with a dampened microfiber cloth if they need a little more attention.
✅ Moderately dirty window treatments need a two-step approach.
Start by dusting or vacuuming the valance and frame, then vacuum from top to bottom using the upholstery attachment for drapes, and the brush attachment for blinds. Or submerge blinds or shades in a few inches of cool water and two teaspoons of dishwashing liquid (check labels first to make sure this is safe). Take out the metal weights first; they can rust.
✅ If your window coverings are very dirty, check labels for cleaning instructions.
Some cotton, polyester, rayon, and wool drapes can be machine washed on delicate. Always send lace, linen, satin, and silk drapes and shades to a professional cleaner.
✅ Clean the walls.
Dust, wash, rinse, and dry painted or wood-paneled walls.
✅ Clean ceiling-mounted light fixtures.
✅ Vacuum and spot-clean upholstered furniture and cushions.
Deep-clean if necessary.
✅ Wipe down the kitchen cupboards.
Empty them, wash them down, replace liners (if you use them), declutter, and reorganize.
✅ Dust off the refrigerator condenser coil.
Use your vacuum’s brush attachment and gently vacuum it.
✅ Do the carpets.
Have carpets professionally cleaned if needed.
✅ Evaluate any wooden floors.
Have scratched or dull wood floors professionally scuff-sanded and recoated, or completely refinished.
✅ Spruce up your computer.
Dust the CPU, clean and wipe down the keyboard, and dust off the monitor with a microfiber cloth.
✅ Straighten the closets.
Declutter and reorganize. Now’s a good time to donate household goods and gently-used clothing, especially warm coats, to those in need.
✅ Test smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.
Or install them, if you haven’t yet.
✅ Replace the furnace filter.
If you haven’t changed your furnace filter within the past three months, do so now.
✅ Sweep the chimneys.
Have the wood-burning fireplace and stove flues and chimneys professionally inspected and swept.
✅ Declutter and clean out the attic.
Outside Your House
✅ Check weather stripping and caulking around doors and windows.
Repair or replace as needed.
✅ Check and clean the gutters.
Do the downspouts, too.
✅ Clean the patio furniture.
Then store away, if needed.
✅ Drain and store garden hoses.
✅ Check the exterior paint.
Touch up as needed.
✅ Drain the pool, if applicable.
Close it up for the year.
… and switch up the Fall/Winter bedding and pillows! I’m a Sagittarius; I’m forever switching things up. What are your favorite Fall cleaning tips? Comment below and share!
(republished from Nov. 2019… and still checking these off every year!)