10 Cleaning Tasks to Before Fall, According to Pros

Spring cleaning gets all the glory, but autumn cleaning should be just as popular. It sets the tone for the new school year and a cozy winter indoors, according to cleaning expert Katie Dills.

She suggests setting aside time to put away summer decor and toys, assess items like outdoor furniture and screens for repair or replacement, and clear the gutters to help prevent house-damaging ice dams and ensure you’re ready for colder weather.

Here are 10 cleaning tasks to do now ahead of fall.

Organize Closets

As you put summer season clothes away and pull out your favorite sweaters, consider what items should be donated or recycled, Dills suggests. This will give you more space and maybe some spending money.

The same applies to sporting goods and kids’ toys, even books, she adds. If you can’t or don’t use it, don’t store it—find it a new home.

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Clean Carpets and Upholstery

Summer brings lots of outdoor activities and the sand, dirt, and sweat that comes back inside on your carpet and upholstery. You can clean carpets and upholstered furniture yourself or hire a company to refresh everything for fall and winter.

Deep Clean Your Refrigerator and Pantry

With kids back in school and outdoor gatherings a sweet memory, it’s a good time to deep clean your refrigerator and clean out your pantry. Dills suggests thoroughly wiping down the shelves and checking expiration dates on condiments, canned products, and packaged goods.

Clean and Store Outdoor Furniture

Unless you live in a temperate zone so you can use your plastic and upholstered patio furniture year-round, it should be cleaned and stored for the winter. If you don’t have indoor storage for the outdoor items, protect them with weatherproof tarps.

For outdoor furniture used throughout the winter, it still deserves a thorough cleaning to remove bird droppings, dust, dirt, and food spills. Pick a dry, sunny day to clean and store your outdoor furniture. If you don’t have indoor storage for the outdoor items, protect them with weatherproof tarps.

Clean Mattress, Pillows, and Freshen Winter Bedding

During the hot temperatures of summer, mattresses and pillows absorb lots of body sweat. Remove dust mites, dirt, and stains from a mattress by vacuuming and steam cleaning. Pick a dry, breezy day to wash and clean pillows.

Gather winter bedding from the linen closet and freshen it by airing it outside or washing it. Be sure to wash all summer-weight bedding before storing it away for the winter.

Clean Gutters

In addition to looking messy, gutters filled with leaves and pine straw cause clogs and ice jams that cause moisture and mildew problems on soffits, resulting in rotting wood and roof leaks. Depending on how many trees surround your home, you may need to clean the gutters out several times as leaves continue to fall.

Clean and Reverse Ceiling Fans

The ceiling fans in your home have probably been running all summer and are covered with dust. Turn them off, clean the blades and housing, and reverse the rotation of the blades (flip the small switch) so that heated air will be redirected in a downward flow to keep you warmer during chilly days.

Change HVAC Filters

Now is the time to get rid of all of the pollen and dust collected over the summer in the filters of your HVAC system. Don’t forget to change or clean the filters in air purifiers, humidifiers, kitchen vent hoods, and your vacuum cleaner.

Clean Garage

If the garage is filled with pool toys and bicycles, and your car is left outside in the elements, it’s time to clean out the garage. You will be glad you did when you don’t have to scrape snow and ice from the windshield.

Start by emptying the garage and giving it a good cleaning. Sort items to be stored, sold, donated, or recycled. Get rid of cardboard boxes that attract mice and insects and organize what’s left in clear, labeled plastic storage bins. Add wall storage when possible to give plenty of room to park your vehicle.

Clean Outside Windows

Autumn weather is the perfect time to clean outside windows. It’s not freezing and it’s not so hot that the cleaning solution evaporates too quickly. Be sure to wash windows after you take down summer screens and before you install storm windows for the clearest winter views.