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Clean windows. Remove drapes and wash or replace. Brush windows frames, tracks and screens with a soft bristle brush. Wipe window sills and screens from top to bottom using a cloth with water and soap. Choose a residue-free glass cleaner to wipe down your glass with a microfiber cloth.
Wipe blinds. Open the blinds and wrap the microfiber cloth tightly around both sides of the slate and grab both sides with your glove. For venetian blinds, start at the top slat and work your way down. For vertical blinds, wrap your microfiber cloth tightly around both sides of the blind ad wipe from the top to bottom. Be sure to shake your cloth outside often as you start to notice it collecting dust to avoid depositing dust back on to your blinds.
Wipe down baseboards. Wood baseboards, first vacuum or dust your baseboards. Then mix 1 ga. warm water, 4 tbsp dish soap and 1 tbsp mineral oil. Using a microfiber cloth to clean and use a cloth dampened with clear water to do a final wipe down to remove any residue. Lastly, buff your baseboards with a dry cloth or dryer sheet to help repel future dust. Painted baseboards, vacuum or dust baseboards. Mix warm water and dish soap (no need for oil because paint already protects the wood). Clean with a microfiber cloth and rinse with a clean water to remove residue. Lastly, dry off with a dry cloth or dryer sheet.
Dust ceiling fans. Turn the ceiling fan off. Lightly spray the inside of an old pillowcase with a mild all-purpose cleaner or a solution of equal parts vinegar and water. Slip the pillowcase over one of the blades and gently pull as you wipe, trapping any dust or debris inside. Make sure the light is turned off and completely cool, then wipe ceiling fan lightbulbs with a dry microfiber cloth to remove dust. If your fan has glass globes around the bulbs, remove these after dusting. Wash them in warm, soapy water and dry thoroughly before replacing them. Use a microfiber cloth to wipe the fan's pull chain and motor. Spray the motor housing with compressed air to clear away any dust inside.
Deep clean oven. Make sure that the oven is off and cool. Remove the shelves from the oven and soak them in warm, soapy water. The combination of hot water and washing up liquid will help to break down any burnt-on food and liquids. For the best results, leave the shelves to soak overnight.Oven cleaning products can take several minutes, if not hours, to take effect. Once the leftover food starts to loosen, take a damp sponge and wipe the inside of the oven. Be sure to repeat this step until the oven is clean, and rinse the sponge after each round to avoid spreading dirt. If burnt-on food remains, fear not: sprinkle bicarbonate of soda on the charred food and leave to soften overnight. You should then be able to wipe the stubborn stains away the following day.
Deep clean refrigerator. Start by emptying all your food from the fridge.Sort through any expired items, especially those jars and sauces we often forget about. Lukewarm soapy water is an effective way to clean fridge drawers, shelves and any storage boxes. Give everything a good clean using a soft cleaning sponge and place to air dry on the draining board (this reduces the risk of bacteria).mix up a natural vinegar spray using two parts water and one part white vinegar. Transfer into a spray bottle and use a microfibre cloth to target the ledges, walls, small cracks, and condensation trough. Unplug your appliance and gently dust the condenser coils (they look like a metal grid and can be found running up the back of the appliance or on the bottom). Once you have dusted them, use a separate brush to clear away any remaining dirt from the coils. Then, place back and it will look as good as new.
Clear gutters. Putting a piece of hardboard at the bottom of the down pipe to prevent debris from getting into the gully or drain where it could cause a blockage. Scoop out any debris with the trowel and take care to not let anything drop into the down pipe and try to avoid debris falling down the walls because it may cause stains that could be hard to remove. Remove the hardboard or rag and pour down three or four buckets of water slowly into the gutter at the furthest end of the down pipe. You could use a hosepipe to lead water there too.
Clean the fireplace. Line the area with newspaper and remove all loose ashes and dust with a shovel and broom. Then, use a wire brush to clean off the soot from the brick, and use baking soda and warm water on a sponge to clean the remaining soot and dust off.
Insulate doors and windows. A brush strip draught excluder will prevent heat from leaving, and the cold from coming into your home, whilst if you have gaps between the door and its frame, fill it with fit foam, a brush strip draught excluder or wiper strips.
Cover swamp coolers. Unplug cooler. Turn the water supply valve off, the hose connecting the valve and air conditioner should also be dried out. You can get rid of residual water resting inside of the tube by blowing into one end. Store the hose in a safe, dry place. Get rid of the standing water inside of the cooler. You can either do this by opening up the drain in the bottom of the swamp cooler with a pair of pliers or a wrench, or by bailing out the water using a small container. After you’ve gotten most of the water out, soak up the rest using sponges or rags. You can use a shop-vac to get rid of the residual minerals inside of the unit, or clean them out with a sponge and white vinegar. Cover it with a swamp cooler cover and cover the vent coming into the home.
Add warm blankets/throws. One of the quickest ways to bring in that warm and cozy feeling we all long for during the cooler months, is to add layers of soft furnishings to our homes, such as throws or blankets. Bringing them out early allows us to air them out or wash them so they are ready for when the weather cools.
Change bulbs. With longer nights we tend to use our lamps longer. Checking and changing our bulbs with soft LEDs will be cost efficient and ensure last lasting light until spring.
Clean out the garage. Organizing and cleaning our summer toys or tools in the garage is a good idea while the weather is nice. It is also a great opportunity to declutter by donating any unneeded items.
Prepare firewood/pellets. Rather than waiting for the first cold spell, order or cut your firewood in advanced. Prepare a dry, covered area for you firewood so it available when you need it.
Clean filters and vents. Cleaning or changing your air filters is extremely important. Your air filters scrub every bit of air that gets circulated through your home and HVAC system. The better your air filter rating, the better the air your family is breathing. For your vents and air ducts, turn off the power to your HVAC system. Unscrew and remove the air duct covers. Using the cleaning brush, remove all the dust and grime. If the covers are really dirty, you might need to use soap and water, too. Use your vacuum to clean as much of the air vent as possible. You might need to rent a heavy-duty vacuum because a household vacuum won’t be strong enough to really get a deep clean in the vents. Use the vacuum to clean the grills on the ceiling. Dust on these will likely fall, so be sure to protect your eyes and face during the process, especially if you have allergies or asthma. Put all covers back and turn the power to your HVAC unit back on.
Prepare your garden. Cutting back perennials that have died down, dividing herbaceous perennials, making leaf mould, moving tender plants into a greenhouse or conservatory, and harvesting apples, pears, grapes and nuts.
Trim hedges. Trim hedges now while the weather is still nice. Then soak your hedge in mid-fall, and again after all the leaves have fallen but before the ground begins to freeze. The bigger amount of water will slow the freezing of the soil. As well, spreading mulch over the root zone will keep the soil warmer and stop it freezing so hard or so deep.
Mow the lawn. Wait until the grass has grown to a sufficient length and then trim back. Though it may need to be cut again it won't need to be done as regularly as in the summer.
DEEP CLEAN CARPETS. Call JP Carpet, 575.707.1180. During the colder months we will be spending more time indoors. It's a great time to clean your carpets just after summer. Take all the ins and outs of summer traffic out of your carpet and breath easier while your nestle by the fireplace this winter.
Fall Checklist
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