Easy Fall Cleaning Ideas For Busy Moms

The Intentional Mom Planning System is where you need to start with our incredible collection of product options. It will help you establish the basics for your life & home so you’ll finally have a plan, save yourself time, and go to bed feeling like you accomplished something every day (because you did). Save up to 60% HERE!

This post was sponsored, and paid for, by Scrigit Scraper. All opinions are my own.

There is nothing like getting things freshened up by doing a little spring cleaning, but it is also an excellent idea to do the same thing when fall appears on the horizon. This is especially true for someone who lives where it gets cold in the winter like I do. Oftentimes early fall is the last opportunity I have to open up the windows and let some fresh air in, so I also like to clean, clean, and clean some more. Knowing what to clean for fall might just seem like more bother than it’s worth. Which is exactly why I created some fall cleaning ideas, tips, and a checklist with instructions on how to clean each item mentioned – complete with a free printable version of the fall cleaning checklist!

Ready?

Before you go any further, make cleaning for fall so much easier by grabbing our free printable fall cleaning checklist. Just tell us where to send it below!

These cleaning tasks are designed to be smaller jobs that can easily be broken down so you can clean them all at once or over a period of days. The printed checklist makes this so easy.

Using simple tools and supplies you most likely have on hand or can’t live without, fall is the perfect time to take on these cleaning tasks that are often forgotten about or put off until it might be too late. In fact, one of the things you’ll be cleaning in this cleaning checklist is all about keeping you and your family safe.

Don’t skip this item on your checklist.

Here are some easy fall cleaning ideas and tips that are perfect for busy people and will get your home ready for winter.

Before we get started, let’s talk about the cleaning supplies you’ll need to get these jobs done.

Canister vacuum with various tools
Scrigit Scraper (order yours HERE)
Baking soda
Vinegar
Toothbrush
Clean rags
Simple all purpose cleaner (check out our homemade version HERE)
Empty cardboard wrapping paper roll

Clean your upholstered furniture

Upholstered furniture can really take a beating, and it is something that is often forgotten about. Chairs, couches, love seats, and more, now is the perfect time to clean them.

Here’s what you’ll need to clean your upholstered furniture:

Canister vacuum with the crevice tool
(optional) your favorite stain removal supplies

Here’s how to clean upholstered furniture:

Remove all removable cushions
Use your canister vacuum with any attachments needed to get in all the cracks and crevices of the couch itself
Use the same vacuum to vacuum off all cushions
Clean off any stains using the recommended method according to your furniture piece (even water and a mild dish detergent can work wonders in many cases)
Put the couch back together once everything is clean and dried

Want to see more on these fall cleaning tasks? Check out the video below!

Clean your smoke detectors every fall and every spring

I learned this one the hard way.

We kept having a smoke detector periodically set our entire house of detectors off, and it was always in the middle of the night.

We had never cleaned ours before, but once we did the problem was solved.

We were lucky that the dirty detector was found prior to actually needing it to warn us of smoke. Cleaning your smoke detectors every fall and spring largely increases your chances of being warned of a fire emergency.

Here’s what you’ll need to clean your smoke detectors:

Canister vacuum
Rag
Scrigit Scraper

Be sure to check the manufacturers instructions if you have them, but this is the process I follow to clean smoke detectors.

Remove detectors from ceiling or wall
Use canister vacuum to carefully and gently vacuum the surface attached to the ceiling as well as on the detector itself
Next, use a damp or lightly wet rag to wipe down all surfaces of the detector, avoiding contact with any wires
Use your Scrigit Scraper to get inside any cracks or crevices that are hard to reach otherwise (order yours HERE)
Return detector back to ceiling or wall and test to make sure it’s properly hooked up

Clean your windows in the fall

Fall is the perfect time to clean all parts of your windows. This includes cleaning your windows inside, outside, and also in the window tracks.

Here’s what you’ll need to clean your windows:

Water/hose
Mild detergent
Rags
Drying towels
Damp rag
Scrigit Scraper
Window rag/cleaner
Baking soda
Vinegar
Paper towel

Here’s how to clean your windows:

First, clean any outside windows you can reach with a hose, mild detergent, and rag, then dry
Clean interior windows using your favorite cleaner and rag
Clean window tracks using your Scrigit Scraper, baking soda, and vinegar using this method HERE
Wipe down any window casings or trim using a damp rag
Clean faux wood or wood blinds using the step by step instructions HERE
If you’ve got sliders, clean them using the step by step process HERE

Regularly clean your dryer vent to decrease your fire risk

Most people don’t think about cleaning their dryer vent. But, if you’re not regularly cleaning your dryer vent you are putting your safety at risk. If you have a family, you are risking their safety as well.

Here’s how to clean your dryer vent:

You’ll need a canister vacuum with a hose attachment
Attach an empty wrapping paper tube (you can also use a paper towel tube, but I find a longer wrapping paper tube works better) using a strong tape like Duct tape
Use this longer hose to vacuum down inside your dryer vent
It’s also a good idea to find where your dryer vents outside and clean that vent just using your hand to pull out what you can
You can also follow these detailed instructions for cleaning your refrigerator with pictures HERE

Clean your refrigerator completely every fall

I wipe out spills in my fridge when I see them, but I also do a thorough cleaning every fall.

Here’s what you’ll need for this project:

Rags
Mild detergent
Scrigit Scraper (get yours HERE)

This is how you clean your refrigerator

Cleaning your refrigerator is just a matter of taking out all drawers and shelves that you can. Then, clean the inside of the fridge itself including all surfaces as well as all surfaces of the door.

Clean all drawers and shelves
Use your Scrigit Scraper to get in all the corners
If possible, carefully clean under and behind your refrigerator
Be sure to check your owner’s manual for specific instructions for your make and model

You can see my time saving hack for cleaning your refrigerator HERE

Clean bathroom fans every fall and spring

The bathroom vents in my home get dirty with dust. And, the more showers your bathroom sees the faster it will collect dust, dirt, and debris.

Cleaning these fans is fairly simple, and here’s what you’ll need:

Canister vacuum with brush attachment
Rags
Scrigit Scraper
All purpose cleaner (make our favorite cleaner with essential oils HERE)

Here’s how to clean your bathroom vent fans:

Grab a chair if needed, and vacuum the vent well
Then, wipe the vent down with a clean rag
Use your Scrigit Scraper to get in between all vent slats
Give the vent one last wipe down

Clean ceiling fans in the fall

Our ceiling fans really get used during this summer. This makes them something that needs to be cleaned in the fall.

This is generally a quick and easy task.

Here’s what you’ll need to clean your ceiling fans:

Rags
Water
All purpose cleaner *optional

This is how to clean your ceiling fans:

To clean your ceiling fans, you may need a chair or ladder to reach them well. Then, it’s just a matter of wiping down all surfaces with a damp rag and maybe some all purpose cleaner if they are really dirty
First, wipe down anything that is hanging from the ceiling – just use caution to make sure you aren’t applying any weight to the fan or the fan blades
Then, sure to clean both sides of the fan blades as well as both ends of the blade. Also make sure to wipe down any decorative elements well
Also wipe down anything that is hanging from the ceiling – just use caution to make sure you aren’t applying any weight to the fan or the fan blades

Getting your home clean and ready for fall and winter is something you will appreciate making the time to do. Even as a busy wife and mom, I find the time to get these cleaning tasks done little by little. Having a printed list handy makes this so much easier, and so do the right tools for the job.