The Ultimate Winter Ready Room-by-Room Cleaning Checklist

It’s been a long summer of damp beach towels, grass stains and kids’ messes and as for fall, it been rainy and muddy, so it’s time to clean up the house for winter. This ‘winter ready cleaning checklist’ will help you clean indoors and out.

Although spring cleaning is traditionally when you deep clean your home, welcoming every new season with a clean slate just makes your home feel just right. And fall is the perfect time to freshen each room of the house and prepare for cold weather outdoors.

Use this handy room-by-room fall cleaning checklist. Most items on this cleaning checklist are already burned into your cleaning psyche and completed daily or weekly, this is just to help you keep track as you go along.

Entryway

Sweep and mop floors

Clean doormat

Put away summer accessories

Organize shoes

Hang up fall jackets

Hang up fall hats or scarves

Kitchen

Clean stovetop

Clean oven

Clean microwave

Clean dishwasher

Clean refrigerator and freezer

Discard old or expired food in pantry, fridge and freezer

Clear countertops

Degrease cabinet doors and backsplash

Dust top of high surfaces including fridge, microwave/range hood, cabinets

Sweep and mop floors

Wash kitchen rugs

Clean garbage disposal

Dining Room

Dust and polish furniture

Vacuum and spot clean chair cushions

Clean or vacuum curtains

Mop or vacuum floor

Shampoo rugs or carpet

Polish any silver dinnerware

Bathroom

Discard expired personal care products and makeup

Clean makeup brushes

Wipe down vanity

Clean mirror

Clean tub and shower

Clean showerhead

Replace shower curtain liner

Scrub tile grout

Clean toilet

Clean hardware

Sweep and mop floors

Stock up on extra toiletries for the holiday

Laundry Room

Clean washing machine

Clean dryer vent

Organize laundry supplies

Sweep and mop floors

Closets

Store or donate outgrown clothes

Wipe down shelves

Bring cool weather clothes out of storage (check!)

Put summer clothes away

Bedrooms

Dust and polish furniture

Wash bedding including sheets, pillows, duvets and bed skirts

Put away light summer bedding and bring warmer linens out of storage

Vacuum carpets (deodorize with baking soda first)

Flip mattress

Clean or vacuum curtains

Mop or vacuum floors

Shampoo rugs or carpets

Wash blankets and pillow covers

Living Room

Dust and polish furniture

Vacuum upholstered furniture

Clean or vacuum curtains

Dust and clean lamp shades

Dust electronics

Dust and clean decor

Switch out seasonal decor, if needed

Sanitize remote controls

Mop or vacuum floors (don’t forget under the furniture!)

Shampoo rugs or carpets

Sweep out the fireplace

Have fireplace inspected by professional

Office

Recycle or shred unneeded paperwork

File important paperwork

Dust and polish furniture

Dust electronics

Sanitize keyboard and mouse

Throughout the House

Dust ceiling fans

Wipe down baseboards

Wipe down doors and walls

Vacuum air vents

Change furnace filter

Sanitize door handles and light switches

Dust blinds

Dust curtain rods

Clean windows

Outdoors

Replace screens with storm windows

Check for cracks in siding and for window drafts, plug with caulk or weather stripping

Turn off all outdoor faucets and coil garden hoses

Put patio furniture in storage

Stack and cover firewood

Check bulbs in outdoor light fixtures

Wash outside of windows

Rake leaves

Clean gutters

Prune back shrubs

Pressure wash driveway and walkways