Get your home ready for September with this autumn cleaning checklist

Prepare your home for the colder months ahead

We still have a few days of summer left, but with autumn just around the corner, it is a perfect time to get started on your autumn cleaning checklist.

Related: Swap your cleaning caddy for the fruit bowl with these 7 natural cleaning hacks that are totally genius

Giving your home a deep clean ahead of autumn is crucial. As soon as those radiators are turned on and it becomes too chilly to open the windows, your home can become a breeding ground for bacteria and mould.

hanging cleaning cloth and broom

(Image credit: Future PLC/Polly Eltes)

Here is your autumn cleaning checklist to make sure your home is in order and ready for you to cosy up in as the leaves start to change.

Autumn cleaning checklist

1. Check your boiler and other appliances

'By doing some small checks around your home now, you can avoid nasty shocks later down the line as winter rolls around,' Lucy Askew, interiors expert at Hillarys tells the Express.

Make sure your boiler is in working order, and your drains and guttering are clear. It is also worth giving your roof tiles a once over to preempt any leaks or flooding. That way you can fix any issues before the cold weather sets in.

2. Swap in your autumn home accessories

flower vase candle in wood on wooden table

(Image credit: Future PLC/Simon Whitmore)

'You don't have to spend a fortune to give your home a different feel through the autumn and winter months,' says Lucy. 'Dig out your blankets, light a few candles and dim the lights for that cosy, warm atmosphere.'

3. Tackle the big jobs you've been putting off

This is the perfect time to tackle any lingering cleaning jobs you've been putting off around the home. Whether that is cleaning your fridge, deep cleaning the oven  or organising your wardrobe.

These can be tedious jobs, but we have plenty of tips to make short work of them on our care and cleaning page.

4. Get any outdoor jobs done before it gets too cold

autumn home cleaning

(Image credit: Future PLC/David Brittain)

Now is the time to get any outdoor jobs done, from giving your house a lick of paint to tiding-up the garden, before the cold weather sets in.

5. Schedule a set day and time each week to do small jobs

You can't rely on a couple of big monthly cleans to keep your home in order. Little and often is the best way to make sure your home is a place you are happy to cosy up in during the autumn.

'Set a day and time in your diary each week to do small jobs,' suggests Lucy. 'They won't take you long at all and your home will always be up to the cleaning standards of Kim and Aggie.'

Related: Lynsey Queen of Clean reveals the wonder product no cleaning caddy should be without

Is it time for you to get started on your autumn cleaning checklist?

Rebecca Knight
Deputy Editor, Digital

Rebecca Knight has been the Deputy Editor on the Ideal Home Website since 2022. She graduated with a Masters degree in magazine journalism from City, University of London in 2018, before starting her journalism career as a staff writer on women's weekly magazines. She fell into the world of homes and interiors after joining the Ideal Home website team in 2019 as a Digital Writer. In 2020 she moved into position of Homes News Editor working across Homes & Gardens, LivingEtc, Real Homes, Gardeningetc and Ideal Home covering everything from the latest viral cleaning hack to the next big interior trend.