The Easy Fall Cleaning Checklist: 25 Things to Clean Before Winter

In a few weeks, the windows close, the heat comes on and everyone's inside a lot more. Whatever dust, grease and dog hair summer left behind, you'll be living with it until spring.

So fall is the time to catch up on the jobs that matter for the cold months, like ceiling fans, range hoods, the dryer vent and the stuff under the couch. Here are 25 of them.

No, you don't have to do them all in one day. That would make the word easy somewhat fraudulent. There's a 5-day plan and a 1-hour version at the end.

Before You Clean: Declutter for 15 Minutes

Cleaning around clutter takes twice as long. Set a timer for 15 minutes and round up:

• Summer gear that's still lying around
• Stray shoes
• Papers
• Empty boxes
• Clothes and toys
• Anything that's headed upstairs or downstairs
• Anything that has apparently decided the dining table is permanent housing

For the bigger seasonal sort, see my Fall Organizing Tips. When it's time for a real purge, see my Decluttering Guide.

1. Dust From the Top Down

Start high and work down, so the dust falls onto surfaces you haven't cleaned yet. Gravity has already developed a cleaning system. We may as well cooperate.

Hit the tops of door frames, window trim, high shelves, bookcases, the fridge and kitchen cabinets, and any tall furniture. Use a microfiber cloth or the vacuum's dusting brush. Microfiber grabs dust instead of flinging it around like a feather duster does.

On a step stool or ladder: Keep three points of contact (two feet and a hand, or two hands and a foot), and don't stand on the top step. Ever.

2. Clean Ceiling Fans

Turn the fan off, and wait for it to stop completely. Preferably clean it then, not while it's moving.

The pillowcase trick: Slide an old pillowcase over each blade and pull it back toward you. The dust stays inside the pillowcase instead of raining onto your bed. For high ceilings, a long-reach duster like the OXO Good Grips Long Reach Dusting System keeps you off the ladder.

Skip this step and the first time you turn the fan on this winter, it will sprinkle a summer's worth of dust over the room. That's not air circulation. That's delivery.

Flip the switch: Most fans have a small direction switch on the motor housing. In winter, set the blades to turn clockwise (looking up) on low. That pulls cool air up and pushes the warm air near the ceiling back down into the room. In summer, switch back to counterclockwise.

3. Clean Light Fixtures and Lamps

Turn off the lights and let the bulbs cool. Dust the lampshades with a lint roller or the vacuum's soft brush, and wipe the bases. Take down glass fixture covers, empty out the bug graveyard, and wash them in warm, soapy water. Dry them completely before putting them back. Wipe the switch plates, and replace any burned-out bulbs while you're up there.

You'll be surprised how much brighter the room gets. The room wasn't gloomy. The lamp was wearing a sweater made of dust. More tips: Cleaning Light Fixtures.

4. Vacuum Upholstered Furniture

Take off the cushions if they come off. Vacuum the seats, the crevices and both sides of the cushions with the upholstery attachment. There may be money. There will definitely be crumbs.

Before you use anything wet, check the cleaning code on the tag under the cushion:

• W: Water-based cleaners are OK.
• S: Solvent only. No water.
• W/S: Either one.
• X: Vacuum only.

5. Vacuum Under the Furniture

Move what you can move safely, and vacuum under the sofas, chairs, beds and side tables. Furniture sliders make this a one-person job.

If moving something requires three adults, a lifting belt and a signed waiver, leave it. Use a crevice tool or a flat microfiber duster instead.

6. Clean Baseboards

Vacuum them first with the brush attachment. Then wipe with a damp microfiber cloth and a drop of dish soap. Start where they get grubbiest: the entryway, the kitchen, the bathrooms and the hallways.

A dryer sheet wiped over clean baseboards helps repel dust for weeks. And no, you don't need a toothbrush for every inch. This is a house. Not evidence processing.

7. Clean Interior Windows and Glass Doors

Clean the inside glass, the sills and the frames. Vacuum the tracks with a crevice tool, then wipe them out. A quick spray of 1 part white vinegar to 1 part water, wiped off with a microfiber cloth, leaves glass streak-free. Clean windows on a cloudy day, because sun dries the cleaner into streaks before you can wipe it off.

If the outside windows are on the second floor, hire someone. Some battles are not worth reenlisting for.

8. Vacuum Window Treatments

9. Clean Doors, Handles and Switch Plates

10. Give the Entryway a Real Cleaning

11. Clean the Kitchen Cabinets

Wipe the cabinet doors, drawer fronts and handles, especially the ones near the stove, the sink and the trash. Use warm water with a few drops of dish soap. For sticky grease, add a little baking soda to a damp cloth. Then dry the cabinets so no water sits on the wood.

Grease has an impressive ability to travel. It may not cook. But apparently it gets around. More: Easy Kitchen Cleaning Tips.

12. Clean the Range Hood

13. Deep-Clean the Oven—If It Needs It

Look inside. You will know.

For a non-toxic clean, spread a paste of baking soda and water inside the oven, avoiding the heating elements. Let it sit overnight, then wipe it out and spritz with vinegar to lift the residue.

If you have a self-cleaning oven, don't use commercial oven cleaner on the interior. It can damage the enamel. If you run the self-clean cycle, do it at least two weeks before you need the oven for a holiday. Open a window, and move any pet birds to another room, because the fumes are dangerous to them.

14. Clean the Refrigerator

15. Clean the Dishwasher

Pull out the filter (usually at the bottom, under the lower rack), rinse it, and scrub it with an old toothbrush. Pick any food or broken glass out of the drain area, and wipe the door gasket.

Then run an empty hot cycle with a dishwasher cleaner, or with a cup of white vinegar on the top rack, if your manual allows it. Check the manual first. Your appliance has a manual. It outranks social media.

16. Clean the Washing Machine

Wipe out the detergent dispensers, and clean the rubber door gasket, including inside the folds, where mildew loves to hide. Clean the drain pump filter if your machine has one. Then run the cleaning cycle (or the hottest, longest cycle) with a washing machine cleaner.

Leave the door open between loads so it can dry out. Full instructions: How to Clean a Washing Machine.

17. Clean the Dryer and Dryer Vent

This one is about safety, not looks. Lint buildup is a leading cause of dryer fires.

• Clean the lint screen after every load. Once a month, wash it with dish soap and a soft brush to remove the film dryer sheets leave behind.
• Vacuum out the lint trap slot with a crevice tool or a long, skinny dryer lint brush.
• Pull the dryer out and vacuum behind and under it.
• Clean the whole vent duct, out to the outside flap, at least once a year. A dryer vent brush kit works if the run is short and straight. For a long, twisting or rooftop vent, hire a dryer vent cleaning service.

Watch for warning signs: loads that take longer than usual to dry, a dryer that's hot to the touch, or a burning smell. Clean the vent right away if you notice any of them.

18. Deep-Clean the Bathroom

Scrub the shower, tub, toilet, sink and fixtures. Clean the mirror and the floor, and give the grout a scrub. Then vacuum the exhaust-fan cover. If you can't reach it safely from a step stool, skip it.

If mold keeps coming back in the same spot, it's a moisture problem, not a cleaning problem. See my Bathroom Mold Removal Guide.

19. Wash Bedding

Wash the sheets, pillowcases, mattress pads, duvet covers and blankets according to their care labels. Not every pillow wants to visit the washing machine. Check the tag before you toss it in.

Before you bring out the flannel sheets and heavier comforters, sniff them. If they smell like the closet, wash them first.

Vacuum the mattress with the upholstery attachment. If it isn't a one-sided mattress, rotate it head to foot. Most do best rotated every three to six months.

20. Vacuum Under the Beds

Pull out everything that's under there, vacuum, and wipe down any under-bed storage bins before they go back. You'll find a sock, a toy, and the object you've been blaming somebody else for losing.

21. Clean Carpets and Rugs

Vacuum slowly, in overlapping rows, in two directions. Treat stains by blotting from the outside in. Don't scrub.

Use as little water as you can. Soaked carpet takes forever to dry and can mildew. More water does not mean more clean.

Wool, silk, antique and handmade rugs go to a professional. More: How to Clean Carpet at Home Without Making Things Worse.

22. Mop Hard Floors the Right Way

Sweep or vacuum first, or you're just pushing grit around with water. Use the cleaner your flooring maker recommends, and wring the mop until it's barely damp. Wood and laminate swell when they get wet.

And don't use vinegar on everything. It etches marble, travertine and other natural stone, and it can dull some wood finishes. Generic cleaning folklore is free for a reason.

23. Clean the Pet Areas

Wash pet beds and blankets in hot water, and run the bowls through the dishwasher or scrub them in hot, soapy water. Wipe down crates and feeding mats. Scrub and refill the litter box, and wash the toy basket.

Toss chewed-up toys with loose pieces or exposed stuffing. They're a choking hazard. More: Pets and Home Guide.

24. Clean the Outdoor-to-Indoor Spots

Sweep the porch and steps, hose off or wash the outdoor mat, clean the thresholds, and clear out the mudroom and the door from the garage.

Put a heavy-duty mat outside every door and a washable one just inside. There is no reason to vacuum a leaf from the living room that you could have stopped at the door.

25. Clean Your Cleaning Tools

• Vacuum: Empty the canister or change the bag. Cut the hair off the brush roll with scissors, and wash or replace the filter according to the manual.
• Microfiber cloths: Wash them without fabric softener, which clogs the fibers.
• Mop heads: Wash or replace them.
• Sponges: Toss any that smell. Replace kitchen sponges every week or two.
• Brushes: Replace any with flattened bristles.

Dirty tools don't clean particularly well. A vacuum filter that hasn't been touched since the previous presidential administration is trying to tell you something.

Don't Skip the Fall Safety Check

• Test your smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. Daylight saving time ends the first Sunday in November. When you change the clocks, test the alarms.
• Change the furnace filter before the heat comes on for good.
• Clean the dryer vent (see #17) if you haven't done it in the past year.
• Have the chimney inspected before your first fire of the season.

Your Quick Fall Cleaning Checklist

1. Declutter for 15 minutes
2. Dust from the top down
3. Clean ceiling fans, and flip them to clockwise
4. Clean light fixtures and lamps
5. Vacuum upholstery
6. Vacuum under the furniture
7. Clean the baseboards
8. Clean interior windows and glass doors
9. Vacuum the window treatments
10. Wipe doors, handles and switch plates
11. Clean the entryway
12. Clean the kitchen cabinets
13. Clean the range hood and filter
14. Deep-clean the oven, if it needs it
15. Clean the fridge and vacuum the coils
16. Clean the dishwasher filter
17. Clean the washing machine
18. Clean the dryer and dryer vent
19. Deep-clean the bathroom
20. Wash the bedding
21. Vacuum under the beds
22. Clean carpets and rugs
23. Mop the hard floors
24. Clean the pet areas
25. Clean the outdoor-to-indoor spots
26. Clean your cleaning tools
27. Test the smoke and CO alarms, and change the furnace filter

The Bottom Line

Fall cleaning isn't about a spotless house. It's about getting your home ready for the months when everybody's inside: clean air from the fans and vents, a kitchen ready for holiday cooking, a dryer that won't catch fire, and floors that aren't hosting summer's leftovers.

Do what matters, skip what doesn't, and then go enjoy the season. And please resist the urge to celebrate by inspecting the baseboards again.

Keep It Clean All Winter

You did the big fall clean. The Daily Home Reset keeps it that way with a 15-minute daily routine, so you never have to do a 25-job marathon again.

And if the 15-minute declutter turned up more stuff than you know what to do with, Room by Room gives you a no-guilt plan to clear it out, one room at a time.

Keep Going

The house is ready for winter. Stay on top of the rest of the season with these related guides:

• 10 Fall Organizing Tips: Put summer away and get the whole house set up for the season.
• 10 Fall Gardening Tips: Put the yard to bed now for a healthier garden next spring.
• September House Cleaning Checklist: Back-to-school cleaning to get fall off to a good start.
• October House Cleaning Checklist: The month-by-month jobs that keep fall cleaning manageable.
• November House Cleaning Checklist: Get the house holiday-ready without a cleaning marathon.
• How to Clean a Washing Machine: Banish the mildew smell and keep your washer working.
• Cleaning Light Fixtures: Brighter rooms in minutes, no new bulbs required.
• Coming Clean: My complete guide to cleaning every room in the house.