Some elbow grease now will make Christmas entertaining easier and keep your home safer and more secure, too. These five important autumn chores will help get you prepared for winter and save you from having to play catch up during those short winter weekends when there never seems to be enough time or energy to get things done before it gets dark outside.
1. How to clean cobwebs
It's spider season! That means one thing for your walls, ceilings, and any other crevices that these eight-legged creatures can possibly find their way into - cobwebs.
Grab a long feather duster, and start up-high, swiping over walls and ceilings. Don't forget the corners of the room, and also around light fittings (you may need a ladder for this).
2. Get your windows sparkling clean
As the heating comes on in Autumn, condensation often appears around the windows. It's important to give frames some TLC to prevent them becoming damaged from excess moisture.
Outside windows typically have more dirt and stains. Start by rinsing the windows with the hose, then fill a bucket with clean water and add a few drops of liquid dish soap. Using a soft microfiber cloth, go over the surface of the window. For higher windows, use a sponge mop (or a soft cotton or microfiber mop) on a pole. Rinse thoroughly with the hose. Although it may seem like an unnecessary chore, you'll be amazed at what a difference clean glass makes to the amount of natural light in your home.
3. How to clean skirting boards
Once you've done a thorough dusting around the house, it's time to turn your attention to another, often-neglected area - skirting boards.
If you keep on top of your skirting boards, they won't need anything more than a quick once-over. Our favorite way to do this is with the vacuum. Pop a soft brush attachment on and gently vacuum over them.
If you have allowed your skirting boards to gather dust, you may need to wipe them over with a slightly-dampened microfibre cloth too.
4. Autumn is a great time to clean upholstery
It's officially home-cinema season. Make sure your surroundings are cosy and clean by giving upholstery a refresh.
If your sofa is smelling a little strange, we like to vacuum over upholstery using a soft brush, then sprinkling baking soda over the area. Leave for 15 minutes, then vacuum once more to leave your living room furniture looking and smelling lovely.
However, if you want a really thorough clean, it's best to call in a professional.
5. Refresh your carpets and rugs
A carpet cleaner's equipment provides results far superior to anything achievable with a DIY method. They will be able to really get into the pile of the carpet, removing germs and debris that aren't visible to the human eye.
An expert rug washer’s in-plant rug cleaning facility is highly recommended for the cleaning of Oriental and loose woven rugs. They should not be cleaned on location like your wall to wall carpeting.
You spend major time indoors when the weather gets cold, so the more you do now to clean and arrange your space, the more pleasant it will be to hunker down for the duration when the weatherman starts talking about frost on the pumpkin.
