With the arrival of autumn comes the time for typical household chores like raking up leaves or changing out your wardrobe. But is a deep cleaning on your list? In fact, a deep cleaning in the fall is just as important as its spring counterpart for the cleanliness of your home and the protection of your health. No need to worry, we have some super easy cleaning tips for you, and you'll be done with the job in no time!
Why is autumn cleaning necessary at all?
It's okay in the spring, but should you also take the time to do a deep cleaning in the fall? Yes, and if you think about it, it's completely self-evident! You probably have your windows open often during the summer heat: therefore, by September your home will be full of dust, as well as the tiny dirt and pollen that come with it.
But as cooler weather approaches, you’ll be keeping all your windows closed and your home’s temperature controlled by the heating. This is the perfect environment for bacteria and mold to thrive.[1] So take a day—and use these cleaning tips—to thoroughly clean out the risky corners of your home!
What are the places you should definitely put on your cleaning list?
Living room carpet, walls
- Sofa mattress and pillows
- Bedroom mattress
- Curtains
- Garbage cans
Below we will give you some simple but great cleaning tips on how to achieve the best results in the easiest way!
Carpets and mattresses
Vacuum your carpets and mattresses, sprinkle them with baking soda, and then spray them with a little vinegar using a spray bottle. Let the mixture sit for an hour, then vacuum thoroughly again. You're done!
For an even more relaxing experience, mix water, 1 teaspoon of baking soda, and a few drops of lavender oil in a spray bottle. Spray the mixture on your mattress and you’ll feel the effects before you go to bed: lavender is a calming herb that helps you sleep.[2]
Curtains
Washing curtains is not one of our favorite things to do, so it's no wonder that most households only do it once or twice a year. Here's the easiest way to do it:
Remove the curtains and put them in the washing machine at 60°C (but check the label first to see if they can withstand washing at such a high temperature). Instead of washing powder, pour baking soda, and instead of fabric softener, vinegar and a few drops of eucalyptus essential oil. The former two help with their cleaning, disinfecting and antifungal effects, while eucalyptus essential oil has an antibacterial effect and, by the way, brings a wonderful scent to the apartment. After washing, shake the curtains out thoroughly and then hang them back in place while they are still damp - this way you can avoid ironing, as the material will stretch out while drying.
Walls
For many, cleaning walls sounds strange – but it makes perfect sense, since they get just as much dirt as flat surfaces – and the best wall cleaning tips may seem funny at first. Mix two parts water with one part vinegar for the cleaner, then add a few drops of essential oil to your taste. You can then choose to spray the cleaner onto the wall from a spray bottle and wipe it with a microfiber cloth, but we also have a much more time-saving solution! Use your mop (clean, of course)! This will wipe the walls in no time, and the microfiber material that serves as the mop's cloth will deal with the dirt and collect the dust.[3]
Sofa and pillows
If your sofa cover is removable, it's not that difficult: just pull it off along with the cushions and throw it in the washing machine, as we wrote about curtains above. And for a thorough cleaning of your sofa, your best friend is a steam cleaner - if you have one, you're in luck, if you don't, you can even rent one.
Otherwise, you can use the same method you've used for mattresses: vacuum the mattress, and wipe the legs and back of the sofa thoroughly with a microfiber cloth. Then sprinkle the surface with baking soda and spray with a little vinegar, then vacuum the whole thing again after the soaking time.
Trash can
We all empty our trash cans every few days, but be honest: how often do you clean your trash can? Do it now: first rinse it thoroughly with hot water, then wash it with the aforementioned vinegar cleaner and let it sit for a while. Finally, wipe it thoroughly again and rinse it with hot water.
+ cleaning tips for people living in houses with gardens
As autumn approaches, a new batch of leaves falls every day (you don't even know where all that comes from, do you?). Garden cleaning tips are therefore mostly about raking leaves, but don't forget about the gutters! It's a problem in itself if fallen leaves clog the gutters, as then the water can't drain through them, but the resulting wet clumps of leaves are nothing more than a breeding ground for bacteria and various bugs.[4]
CYCLE tip: Keep your household chemical-free!
Cleaning often involves the use of chemicals, as traditional cleaning products can contain a large number of chemicals. You wouldn't think so, but you could be harming your own and your family's health while cleaning: these chemicals can be irritating or toxic.
As you read, you will have noticed that all of the cleaning tips we wholeheartedly recommend are natural solutions, based mainly on the disinfecting effects of vinegar and the cleaning effects of baking soda.[5] Similarly, our products all contain natural ingredients so that a clean home does not come at the expense of your health.
[1] House beautiful: 5 reasons why you should deep clean your home in autumn
[2] Chantel Mila : full bedroom refresh
[3] Chantel Mila: Clever ways to use a spin mop
[4] How Stuff works: 5 tips for cleaning for Fall
[5] Conscious shoppers: Vinegar kills 99.9% of bacteria
