Fall Cleaning To-Do List

Fall Cleaning List

     The kids are back in school, your needed routine is coming back, and you look at the aftermath of summer all over your home, you know you gotta clean this up. But where do you start?

I have built a great list you can use to make sure that your home is ready to be cleaned up after the busy summer, and prepared for winter that will sneak its way up on us!

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. To read my blog written back a few years back on how to clean windows visit here.

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. This can easily be done by us if you don’t have the spare time. Its $30 an hour for our maid service, with a 4 hour minimum.

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. You also could hire us to do a Kitchen Makeover, depending on the size of the kitchen and pantry packages can start at $180.

Dust off the refrigerator condenser coil.

Use your vacuum’s brush attachment and gently vacuum it.

Do the carpets.

Have carpets professionally steam cleaned by us, if needed. Rates start at $30 a room, and we service the highest quality of eco-friendly steam cleaning, NOT shampooing which can lead to mold. We disinfect, kill dust mites, and viruses. For a FREE estimate call us at 484-903-9808.

Evaluate any wooden floors.

Have scratched or dull wood floors professionally scuff-sanded and recoated, or completely refinished. We have a great product from Bona that is a polish that should be applied every 6 months. It’s a complete recoating on your floors that make your floors look brand new!

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. This can be very over whelming, if you are in need of help you can call us for some organization help at $35 an hour.

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.

Drain and store garden hoses.
Check the exterior paint.

Touch up as needed.

Drain the pool, if applicable.

Close it up for the year.