Getting ready for fall means donning the front porch with mums, wreaths, stacking pumpkins along the staircase and scouring Pinterest for pumpkin spice recipes. But now is also the time to get your house ready for cooler days, longer nights, and for the house guests arriving from now until January.
FALL HOUSEHOLD CHECKLIST:
- Wash and store summer seasonal items such as swimming suits, beach towels, beach bags, and summer linens to make room for your fall items. Do your scarves, hats, mittens, jackets, and flannel bedding have a slightly musty smell after being stored all season? Simply add 2 oz of our Stain and Odor Eliminator as a booster to your regular laundry cycle (we, of course, recommend Better Life’s Laundry Detergent and Dryer Sheets) to get rid of any unwanted smells.
- Polish silver, copper, and other precious metals. Add some warmth to your room with brass, copper, and silver. Over time metal becomes tarnished and worn but it’s easy to bring them back to their shiny glory. Use our Stainless Steel Polish by spraying a small amount (try it on the bottom or somewhere inconspicuous first) onto an old t-shirt or cloth. Buff with a dry cloth for a long lasting shine.
- Give your windows a good wash. Summer’s weather and heat can create dirty windows to be sure. And with shorter days you want to allow for as much light in as possible. Make sure to wash all of your windows, inside and out, with Better Life’s Glass Cleaner. No VOCs here to make your head spin - just a clean, streak-free shine.
- If you have a chimney, clean it. While you don’t need to clean your chimney every year, it’s a good idea to have it cleaned every 3 – 5 years. A chimney sweep will ensure the chimney is free of creosote (a residue that builds up on the chimney's inner walls and can cause fires), as well as soot and other debris.
- Organize your pantry. Clean out your pantry of items that are expired and reorganize if, like most of us, it got a bit messy over summer break. Replace spices that are no longer fragrant and stock up on staples. Put items in containers to keep them air tight and fresh longer.
- Give your floors, baseboards, and trim some TLC. Dust your baseboards and trim by squirting our Floor Cleaner on a rag and wiping them down. Clean the floors in your home by simply squirting our Floor Cleaner directly onto any floor type (a little goes a long way!). Use a damp mop (string, steam, sponge, or flat) and done. No rinsing required!
- Prevent a smoky oven. Now’s a great time to clean your oven with the holidays fast approaching. Remove any fallen food particles by squirting our Kitchen and Bath Scrubber directly on the oven walls and bottom. Use a soft bristle brush to remove stubborn baked on food. Wipe clean with old rag or cloth. Remove rack to be hand-washed and dried before replacing. Clean exterior with Stainless Steel Polish or All-Purpose Cleaner.
- Cover your crack. The weather is getting chilly and you don’t want cold air slipping in or hot air escaping. Make sure to seal cracks and gaps around windows and doors with caulk and weather-striping materials. And now that your house is all sealed up you definitely want to make sure that you’re using plant-based cleaners to make sure you’re also not sealing in toxic fumes and residues!
- Keep everyone safe and sound. Check all smoke detectors and CO monitors and replace any old batteries. Review (or come up with) a fire escape plan and install or inspect your fire extinguishers. Make sure to throw out any fire hazards like old newspapers.
- Replace filters and give your furnace a check-up. Clean or replace filters and have a professional give your furnace a good once over to make sure it’s running as efficiently as possible.