Fall is an ideal time to tackle your fall home cleaning and maintenance checklist—before you spend the winter indoors with all the dust and dander that’s built up over the summer. When you’re ready to clean out the cobwebs, use this fall home cleaning and maintenance list to get you and your home ready for winter. If you don’t have time (and some years it seems winter comes mighty early in Wisconsin!), contact a cleaning company that can check off all the boxes on your interior and exterior fall home cleaning and maintenance checklist.
Wash your windows.
Tackle this fall cleaning task on a grey day. Yes, grey. Surprisingly, it’s best to wash your windows when the sun isn’t out and dries out your cleaner before you have the chance to wipe it across your window.
Declutter.
Before you’re stuck with all that stuff you acquired this summer, make a concerted effort to clean out your closets, attic, and basement. If you want a tax deduction (dependent on where you live), donate those extra items to a charity before December 31.
Deep clean your kitchen and bathrooms.
Now is the time to vacuum behind your refrigerator and wash the floor under your appliances. Take the same attitude in your bathroom: wash your floor (especially behind your toilet!) and give your bathroom the deep clean that’ll get you through the winter when you’re stuck inside. (Or, if you’re grossed out, hire the pros to clean it out!)
Clean your curtains and blinds.
Fall is an ideal time to dust off your curtain rods and clean your window treatments that have been collecting dust. Start by taking down your rods and dusting or wiping them down (depending on the material). Wash curtains that are washable to keep them looking new, and dust any hanging blinds.
Dust your ceiling fans.
Ceiling fans collect tons of dust during the summer, even when they are running 24-7. To keep them—and your air clean—give them a good dusting. Don’t forget to wash down any light covers and dust above the blades for a full clean. A good fall ceiling fan clean gets you ready for winter, when they are used to circulate air.
Check your windows for draftiness.
Before the cold wind blows through your house, test your windows for draftiness. A simple way to test for draftiness is to hold a flame in front of the window. If the flame flickers, it’s time to replace that window.
Add insulation to your attic.
With an estimated 35 percent of energy loss occurring through your home’s roof, an extra layer of insulation in your attic is the key to an energy efficient home this winter. Have your attic checked to see if your insulation is sufficient, and add more now before the snow flies.
Have your chimney inspected.
As the temperatures drop, visions of evening fires in your fireplace or stove start to pop up—but not evening home fires. Contact chimney professionals to schedule an inspection so you can prevent carbon monoxide build up or a fire.
Power wash your house.
Don’t be the ugly house on the block covered in mold and mildew. Hire a professional to clean your house before it’s too cold to run that pressure washer.
Have your furnace checked now before it has to work hard.
Hire an HVAC technician to do annual maintenance and make sure it’s in top shape. Don’t forget to also change your furnace filter so it doesn’t become clogged when you turn it on. Once the furnace is on, make sure you change your furnace filter every month during the winter.
Test your smoke detectors.
Keep your family safe. Test your smoke detectors and practice evacuating your home. Change any detectors with low batteries.
