Get your home prepared for the upcoming holiday season and beyond with this helpful Fall Cleaning Checklist for inside and outside the house. This list may seem overwhelming, so complete similar tasks together, or go room-by-room.
For the sake of simplicity, this list will assume that daily cleaning tasks like mopping or vacuuming floors, wiping counters and washing dishes gets done daily, so those items will not be included. Instead, we are including items that are not cleaned so frequently and that you may be overlooking.
If you plan on hiring a professional to deep clean your home, or clean your carpets, make sure you schedule them as early as possible. Cleaners cannot always fit you into their schedule on a last minute basis and are very in-demand leading up to the holiday season.
Kitchen Fall Cleaning Checklist
- Clean the oven, then test it.
- Empty the pantry and dispose or donate any unwanted items. Clean the shelves with a Non-scratch scrub sponge like our non-scratch Monster Scrub Sponge or Non-Scratch Cleaning Pad.
- Clean or change-out any over the oven range hood filters. Greasy dirty filters cannot do their job properly and let cooking smells linger in the kitchen and home, so be sure to either clean them or change if your filter is disposable.
- Clean out the refrigerator and freezer disposing of any expired foods. Remove and wash shelving. If your kitchen sink is not large enough, fill a bathtub with warm water and add a few drops of dish soap. Use a non-scratch scrub sponge to clean all shelving. Dry with a microfiber cloth and return shelving and food to the fridge.
- Vacuum refrigerator’s condenser coils. Doing this will help allow your refrigerator to work efficiently and could extend the life of your appliance.
- Clean garbage cans using an outside hose and scrub sponge.
- Deep clean the dishwasher.
- Degrease and clean cabinet doors and backsplashes. Use a flexible microfiber dusting wand to dust the top of cabinets and walls.
- Use an eraser sponge to remove any dark scuff marks, dirt and grime from walls, doors or baseboards. Save your back and use our Eraser Sponge and Extension Handle Kit.
- Make sure you’re stocked up with extra cleaning supplies for cleaning up from any holiday gatherings and meals.
Bathroom Fall Cleaning Checklist
- Clean out cabinets and dispose of expired products and worn out towels
- Wash the shower curtain and shower curtain liner. Both items can be washed in a washing machine!
- Use the Dual Melamine Eraser Sponge & Scouring Pad to remove stubborn mold and mildew from shower tile grout.
- Deep clean the toilet by removing hard water stains or tough stains in general. After cleaning your toilet bowl, full a bucket of clean water and pour it in quickly to drain all water from the bowl. Use an eraser sponge and scrub to remove any stains. Dispose of sponge in trash and flush the toilet.
- After cleaning, evaluate your toilet seat. It might be time for a new one, especially before guests arrive.
- Stock up on toiletries for guests. Put out seasonal towels.
Living Room Fall Cleaning Checklist
- Decide whether to deep clean fabric couches and chairs. You can try spot treating by mixing together this upholstery cleaner into a spray bottle and using a sponge or microfiber cloth to scrub at spots until lifted. You can also use a carpet cleaner and upholstery cleaning attachments to clean or, if you do not own a machine, rent one. You can also arrange to have your furniture professionally cleaned as well.
- Decide if you are going to shampoo the carpet yourself or get it professionally cleaned. If done by a professional, see if the same company can clean upholstery furniture and curtains as well.
- Dust and clean lamp shades and shelving
- Dust and vacuum curtain rods and curtains. Or get curtains them professionally cleaned
- Clean any hanging fans and lighting fixtures using a microfiber duster attached to a pole
- Use an eraser sponge to remove any dark scuff marks, dirt and grime from walls, doors or baseboards. Save your back and use our Eraser Sponge and Extension Handle Kit.
- Sweep out fireplace and have the chimney cleaned by a professional.
- Sanitize and dust remotes, TV, and other electronics
- Swap out summer seasonal décor with fall and holiday décor
- Wash windows and dust window sills
Entryway Fall Cleaning Checklist
- Swap out summer outwear with fall and winter
- Swap out seasonal décor
- Use an eraser sponge to remove any dark scuff marks, dirt and grime from walls, light switches, or baseboards.
- Clean any hanging lighting fixtures using a microfiber duster attached to a pole
- Sanitize doorknobs and light switches
- Wash windows
Throughout the House Fall Cleaning Checklist
- Use an eraser sponge to remove any dark scuff marks, dirt and grime from walls, light switches, or baseboards.
- Clean any hanging lighting fixtures using a microfiber duster attached to a pole
- Sanitize doorknobs and light switches
- Vacuum air vents
- Dust curtain rods
- Change furnace filter
- Store fans and take out and test space heaters
- Test all smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors. Replace batteries if battery-operated.
- Wash windows and sills.
Bedroom Fall Cleaning Checklist
- Declutter and organize closets. Donate, sell or through out any items no longer wanted or needed.
- Swap out warm weather clothes for cold weather clothing.
- Flip and freshen mattress. Sprinkle mattress with baking soda and let sit for 15 minutes. Vacuum off using an upholstery cleaning attachment.
- Dust light fixtures and blinds, or curtains.
- Clean and sanitize light switches and door knobs
Outdoors Fall Cleaning Checklist
- Clean the gutters
- Rake leaves and remove dead flowers from flower beds. Cover shrubs that need extra protection from frost.
- Replace screens with storm windows
- Calk cracks in siding or windows
- Wash windows
- Put away summer lawn chairs, pool toys and planters
- Clean and cover grill
- Drain and store outside hoses.
- Pressure wash driveway and walkways, or hire an outside company
- Check snowblower machine and shovels. Stock up on de-icing salt for walkways and drive ways.
Caution: Before using an eraser sponge to clean your floor, walls or other surface areas, test it on an inconspicuous area of the surface you intend to clean and check for dulling or damage to the surface. Make sure the area is completely dry before deciding to apply it to the entire surface.