Here is a step-by-step guide for autumn cleaning that will help you prepare your home for the coming winter.
Plan your autumn cleaning
- Make a checklist: Write down the most important tasks you want to get done. Divide the cleaning into different areas: indoors, outdoors, and storage. This depends a lot on how you live. A house requires more time and care than an apartment. And you don't have to do everything on the list below, take the points that are relevant and feel free to divide up the work. Doing everything at once becomes too heavy.
If there are several of you in the family, it is a good idea to help each other and be responsible for your own points.
- Prioritize: Decide which areas need the most attention, e.g., places you haven't cleaned during the summer or places that require extra work before winter.
Clean out and organize storage
- Seasonal change in the wardrobe. Pack away summer clothes and bring out autumn and winter clothes. Be sure to store the clothes in a way that protects them against moisture and pests.
- Do not put away dirty and damaged clothes. Wash and repair before you put them away. It takes a little time but is something that both you and the environment/climate benefit from.
- Clean out the storage rooms: Go through the storage room and organize it for the winter. Make sure to have space for and bring out any winter items such as snow shovels, snow pushers, snow brooms, or winter tires.
- Clean ventilation grilles: Clean air intakes and ventilation grilles, especially if you are preparing to use the heating system more.
- Clean lamps and light sources. Dusty lamps give less light, which is not optimal when the days get shorter.
Check the heating system
- Clean radiators: Vacuum the radiators and make sure they are free of dust for better heat distribution.
- Service heat pump or boiler: If you have a heat pump or boiler, it is good to do a check and maintenance before winter begins. Service you can do yourself is described in the instruction manual. Other service must be done by a professional.
- Do you heat with wood? Then make sure that the chimney sweep has visited according to the interval that applies to your home. Empty the ash, clean the fireplace glass and blacken cast iron.
- If you haven't solved the issue of the firewood, it's high time to do so.
Take care of outdoor areas
-Clean gutters. Be sure to remove leaves and dirt from the gutters so that rainwater can run off properly.
- Protect outdoor furniture: Clean and cover outdoor furniture or store it indoors to protect it from winter weather. It is a good idea to soap-wash the outdoor furniture. Spills and dirt from the summer easily set in and become a breeding ground for mold and pests during the winter. Pots and garden tools also benefit from a soap-wash before winter.
- Raking and gardening: Rake leaves off the lawn and clean flower beds. If you have a garden, be sure to cut back perennials and prepare the plants for winter. Do not leave anything that mice and other pests can feast on during the winter. The less food the pests have, the less they are attracted to your home.
- Soap-wash the decking to reduce the risk of mold and algae taking hold during the winter. Clean surfaces are not as easily attacked by pests.
Clean windows and window frames
- Window washing: The windows often get dirty during the summer. Wash them both inside and out to let in more light during the darker months. Window cleaner from Västerbottenssåpa makes that work quick and easy.
Dust and clean thoroughly
- Dust ceilings, walls and lamps: Dust can collect everywhere during the summer. Use a duster or microfiber cloth to dust high surfaces. Ventilate and vacuum after you have dusted.
- Wash rugs. If you have rugs that do not fit in the washing machine, be sure to wash them outdoors with soap and a water hose now before winter comes.
Do a thorough floor cleaning
- Vacuum and mop the floors: Give all floors a proper vacuuming and wet mopping.
- Clean under furniture: Autumn cleaning is a good opportunity to vacuum under sofas, beds and other large furniture. If you do a thorough cleaning now in the autumn, you will be fine all the way to the big Christmas cleaning.
- Fridge and freezer: Take the opportunity to defrost the freezer if necessary and clean both the fridge and freezer inside. Be sure to use unscented soap for this and everything else where you store or handle food.
- Clean kitchen fan and oven: The fan and oven can get dirty during the year. Clean the filter and the inside of the oven thoroughly.
- Go through the pantry: Check for old or expired food items and remove them. Wipe down the shelves and reorganize the food.
Care for furniture and textiles
- Vacuum upholstered furniture: Use the upholstery nozzle on the vacuum cleaner to clean sofas, armchairs, and other upholstered furniture.
- Wash curtains and textiles: Wash curtains, pillows, and blankets to freshen up the home before autumn.
Check doors and windows
- Seal windows and doors: Check the seals around windows and doors to ensure they are tight before winter. This also helps reduce heat loss.
- Put up window padding if necessary, applies to old houses. If you have older windows, consider putting up window padding for extra insulation.
Finally, decorate for autumn
- When the cleaning is done, you can add some autumn atmosphere by decorating with tea lights, pillows in autumn colors, and perhaps some pumpkins or leaf decorations.
With this step-by-step guide, autumn cleaning becomes easier and you get a fresh and warm home for the coming cold months.
1. What are the most important points for autumn cleaning?
Answer: Checking the heating system and clearing out to avoid pests are what many consider the most important.
2. Why do my outdoor furniture get moldy during the winter?
Answer: It is moisture and a breeding ground for mold that causes this. Soap-wash your garden furniture in the autumn and store it dry to avoid mold. If you have moisture in your storage room, clean cushions and store them in a sealed plastic bag to avoid mold.
3. What can I do to prepare my heating system?
Answer: Check it and make sure it is serviced, dusted and cleaned.
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