Autumn cleaning is the new spring cleaning: Here's why you should do a seasonal home refresh and what should be on the list
By Rachael Gavin|
A?utumn brings to mind orangey brown leaves falling from trees, a little chill in the air and the late afternoons getting darker.
But while spring is as heavily associated with flowers blooming as it is with giving the house a thorough clean, autumn doesn't quite have that connection.
And yet doing a big clean twice a year, instead of just in spring, makes so much sense.
Not only does it mean your spring cleaning will be half as hard, because dust and clutter won't have built up as much, it also gives you a chance to prepare all your winter? bedding and heating needs ahead of the cold weather.
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Delah Gomasi, the director of cleaning company MaidForYou, is a fan of the autumn cleaning concept. In fact, he tells 9Honey Living that you can do this kind of clean whenever you like.
"No matter the time of year, it's a good idea to do a big clean whenever you're feeling overwhelmed. You don't need to leave it until spring, if you're feeling like your house is cluttered and all over the place, the best time to start is now," he says.
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Of course all cleaning takes time and if you're going to do a deep clean of the house you might want to set aside a day or weekend for it. That way it's all over and done with in one hit, and you can continue with your regular maintenance cleans the very next week.
"The best way to approach any large clean, whether it's being done in autumn or in spring is to dedicate a whole day for the job. That is to be ready to start cleaning at 8am, take a break during the middle of the day for an hour and restart in the afternoon, to be able to complete in it's entirety before 5pm that same day," Gomasi adds.
But fitting in a whole day to clean with work, family and friends can be hard, so doing an autumn clean in chunks is OK too.
"If that's not feasible for your circumstances or your home is too large, it's best to break up the cleaning over multiple days. But start with the least used parts of your home and finish with the areas that get the most use, like a deep cleaning of your kitchen, bathroom and living room."
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As for what to tackle during your autumn clean?, that is largely up to you and what needs doing.
Before you start cleaning, sit down and make a list of all the rooms and things you want to get done.
For some it might be more decluttering that needs to happen, whereas others might have some mould on their bathroom ceiling that should be dealt with.
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?Of course, given winter is not far off, autumn is a good time to wash your quilt, blankets and warmer clothes so they're ready when the cold comes. You might also want to air out coats and other items that can't be washed, while the air isn't too cool and the sun is still shining.
It's also a good opportunity to check your heaters and see if they need a clean or service. Air conditioners, in particular, could do with at least a filter clean after working hard over summer, especially as they'll be needed again for heat in a few months.
?There might also be some cleaning tasks very specific to your own home. For example, Gomasi is very keen to tackle one particular spot in his place.
"Absolutely the number one cleaning task I'm looking to get done this autumn is cleaning out under my couch. From children's toys, left over chicken nuggets, insects and mould, I'm keen to have the floors under my large sofa spotless," he says.
If you need any more inspiration, Gomasi shares his recommended autumn cleaning checklist below.
Autumn cleaning checklist?:
Extensive removal of leaves from my yard: The reason being is that autumn is the time of the autumnal leaf drop, which means you'll be seeing more leaves than usual. Tackling this in the middle of autumn saves you from doing it when it gets too cold.
Cleaning my drains: As the owner of a cleaning business, I know how dirty drains can get, especially your shower drains. For people who don't clean them regularly they're usually clogged with months of hair mixed with shampoo, soap and other nasties that get rinsed away in the shower. Using Drano goes a long way to ridding your bathroom of smells you couldn't quite put a finger on where they were coming from.
Cleaning your rangehood and filter: If you're like me you're not partial to the odd fried meal a couple of times a week, but you'd be surprised at just how grimy your rangehood and its filter can get due to the level of grease from cooking fried food.
Top of kitchen cabinetry: Like cleaning your rangehood and its filter, the tops of your kitchen cabinetry are usually caked with grease and grime if they're not cleaned regularly. This is a must clean on my autumn cleaning checklist. The reason being leaving caked up oil above your kitchen cabinetry can attract unwanted odours and pests.
Cleaning behind large fixtures and appliances: Whenever we're doing a big clean for clients we like to clean behind large appliances like the dryer, washing machine, fridge, dishwasher (where able to) and behind furniture like couches and beds. Because these areas aren't attended to regularly you'll always find built up dirt, dust and grime which can pose a health hazard, especially for people with respiratory illnesses. Cleaning these areas I find always leads to less allergies and sickness over time.
Shower curtains: Shower curtains are prone to mould and mildew over time. This can cause an unsettling smell in your bathroom, especially in bathrooms that lack adequate ventilation. I've added this to our autumn cleaning checklist, simply because of the difference your bathroom will feel after your shower curtain has been cleaned.
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Skirting Boards: You never know how dusty your home is until you've had an up close look at your skirting boards. They generally don't get much attention with regular cleaning so whenever we're doing a big clean for clients, we pay particular attention to them and you'd be shocked at the amount of dirt and grime that comes off most people's skirting.
Window Sills: Even when cleaning windows, most people neglect to clean their window sills. Because they allow air to travel through your home, you'll find that your window sills are caked in dirt, if they haven't been cleaned in a long time.
