With the onset of autumn comes the time for typical household chores such as leaf-picking and changing the wardrobe. But is cleaning on your list? But for the cleanliness of your home and the protection of your health, autumn cleaning is just as important as its spring counterpart. Don't worry, we've got super simple cleaning tips and you'll be up and running in no time!
Why is autumn cleaning necessary at all?
In spring it's OK, but should you take the time to clean up in autumn? Yes, and if you think about it, it goes without saying! You probably have your windows open a lot in the summer heat, so by September your home is full of dust and dust-borne dirt and pollen.
But soon the cooler weather will arrive, when you keep all the windows closed and rely on the heater to keep your home warm. This is the perfect breeding ground for bacteria and mould.1 So it's worth taking a day - and using the following cleaning tips - to give your home's risky corners a good clean!
What are the places you should definitely put on your cleaning list?
Living room carpet, walls
- Sofa mattress and cushions
- Bedroom mattress
- Curtains
- Scavengers
Here are some simple but great cleaning tips on how to get the best results the easiest way!
Carpets and mattresses
Vacuum your carpets and mattresses, then sprinkle them with baking soda and finally spray them with a little vinegar using a spray bottle. Let the mixture stand for an hour, then vacuum thoroughly once more. There you go!
You can make the end result even better by mixing 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 at bedtime: lavender is a calming, sleep-inducing herb.[2]
Curtains
Curtain washing is not one of our favourite 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:
Take the curtains off and put them in the washing machine at 60°C (check the label first to see if it can handle this high temperature). Add bicarbonate of soda instead of washing powder and vinegar and a few drops of eucalyptus essential oil instead of rinse aid. The first two help to clean, disinfect and kill fungus, while the eucalyptus essential oil is antibacterial and smells great. After washing, shake the curtains out thoroughly and hang them back up while they're still wet - this will save you ironing them, as the fabric will hang out while drying.
Walls
For many people, cleaning walls alone sounds like a strange idea - and it's perfectly logical, since they get just as much dirt as lying surfaces - and the best wall cleaning tips can seem like fun at first. For cleaning, mix two parts water and one part vinegar, then add a few drops of essential oil to taste. You can then choose to spray the cleaner onto the wall from a spray bottle and wipe with a microfibre cloth, but there's a much more time-saving solution! Use your mop (when clean, of course)! It'll wipe your walls in no time, and the microfiber that acts as a mop will handle the dirt and collect the dust.[3]
Sofa and cushions
If your sofa covers are pull-down, it's easy: just pull them down with the cushions and throw them in the washing machine as described above for curtains. And for a thorough cleaning of the sofa, your best companion is a steam cleaner - if you have one, you're in luck, if not, you can hire one.
In other cases, you can use the same method as for mattresses: vacuum the mattress and thoroughly wipe the legs and back of the sofa with a microfibre cloth. Then sprinkle the surface with baking soda and spray with a little vinegar, then vacuum again after the time has elapsed.
Trash
We all empty the dustbin every few days, but be honest: how often do you clean the bin? Do it now: first rinse it thoroughly with hot water, then rinse it with the aforementioned vinegar-based cleaner and let it sit for a while. Finally, rinse again thoroughly and rinse with hot water.
+ cleaning tips for people living in a garden house
With the onset of autumn, another load of leaves falls every day (you don't know where it all comes from, do you?). So garden cleaning tips are mostly about raking leaves, but don't forget the gutters! It's a problem in itself if fallen leaves clog up the guttering, as water can't run down it, but the resulting wet leaf clumps are the best thing for bacteria or bugs[4].
CYCLE tip: Keep your household chemical-free!
Cleaning often involves the use of chemicals, as conventional cleaning products can contain a fair number of chemicals. You might not think it, but you could be harming yourself and your family's health while you're cleaning: these chemicals can be irritating or toxic.
As you read on, you'll have noticed that all of the cleaning tips we heartily recommend are natural solutions, based mainly on the disinfectant properties of vinegar and the cleaning properties of baking soda[5]. Similarly, our products are all made with natural ingredients to ensure that a clean home doesn't 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 spin mop
[4] How Stuff works: 5 tips for cleaning for Fall
[5] Conscious shoppers: Vinegar kills 99.9% of bacteria
