Before the cold months hit and you end up spending most of your time indoors, an expert has recommended that you make sure that you tackle these six crucial cleaning job
The start of each season presents an opportunity to get some crucial deep-cleaning tasks done and give your home an overall refresh. You’d be forgiven for thinking that since you did your annual spring cleaning, most of the work is over, but your deep cleans should be approached a little differently with each and every passing season.
During autumn, you should spend this time preparing for the colder months, when you will be spending the vast majority of your time indoors hiding from the unpleasant weather and making sure you can enjoy cosy nights in as the evenings get longer. A cleaning expert has recommended that there are six particular tasks that you should never neglect at this time of year and that making sure they’re all done will provide you with a stress-free, relaxing home environment.
As reported in Women and Home, cleaning expert Laura Marsden from Marigold explains that there are six areas you should be showing some love with this seasonal clean and that these tasks are actually important for your overall health and wellbeing too.
“Bacteria, mould, and dust mites can thrive in our homes during the winter, as the temperature drops and we turn up the heating, so giving your home a blitz ahead of the seasonal shift can help keep you and your home healthy, too,” the expert explains.
Laura advises you start off by giving your cooking appliances some TLC because salad season is drawing to a close and you’re bound to be cooking some heartier meals during the cold months. Grab some baking soda alongside warm soapy water and make sure you clean the inside thoroughly – Laura’s expert tip is to use cocktail sticks to clean any narrow gaps on your hob that have been filled with crumbs and gunk.
Next up, is the washing machine. One of the most hard-wearing pieces of kit in our homes, you should be giving it a thorough clean every season. You can run a machine clean cycle on most machines along with a dedicated product, or simply use white vinegar. But don’t forget to grab your trusty microfibre cloth to clean the door, rubber lining, and drawers.
Laura also recommends you tackle your hallway, because it is an area that is easily neglected in many homes. “The hallway is an area of the home we can become blind to – especially to seasonal clutter which may have gathered when leaving the house or returning home in a rush.
“With the weather changing, there’s no better time to do a declutter and have a seasonal changeover of the hallway area,” the expert explains. Grab any shoes, light jackets, or other items that have built up over the last few months and put them away, replacing them with the things you need during the colder weather.
Next, Laura advises that you give your dining room a deep clean, including light fixtures, and any cobwebs that have appeared around the ceiling, and move all the furniture so you can ensure there’s no dust or dirt on the floors.
The expert also recommends giving your bathtub a good go-over – in the summer months after a hot commute home, most people aren’t keen to jump in a hot bath, so it’s likely to have been a bit neglected recently. However, after coming in from the cold there’s no better way to unwind in the evenings than a good long soak, so you will definitely be grateful you got this job out of the way now.
Finally, Laura says that you should make sure you have cleaned all your bedding thoroughly before the change of the seasons. “If you have a summer duvet, now’s the time to give it a wash and swap out for your winter duvet,” she explains. “Most duvets and pillows can be washed on a cool gentle cycle, and then hung out to air dry.”
Do you have a story to tell? Email: emma.mackenzie@reachplc.com
