We all know about the importance of an annual spring clean. But there’s another yearly ritual that too many of us overlook – and it’s even more important for a clean and comforting home all year round. Yes, it’s time to start your autumn clean.
At this time of year, as the weather gets colder, we spend more time indoors and having a tidy environment is key to being able to relax during the winter months. Plus, it’s the best possible preparation for all the excitement of Christmas – no one wants to welcome guests into a home that hasn’t had a proper clean for almost a year.
For the last four years, I’ve worked full time as a cleaning influencer, sharing videos of my cleaning routine that rack up millions of views on TikTok and Instagram.
I firmly believe that if your home is clean and de-cluttered it benefits your mental health. September is the perfect time to tackle the autumn clean, harnessing that back-to-school energy and channelling it into cleaning.
So here’s my foolproof guide to the tasks you need to tackle – and what NOT to do…
KITCHEN
Deep-cleaning the oven will transform your relationship with cooking, says expert Laura Mountford
Your standard kitchen cleaning routine probably involves washing up, wiping surfaces and mopping the floor. But the freezer, oven and cupboards can end up being neglected and these are the places you should tackle during your autumn clean.
Deep-cleaning the oven will transform your relationship with cooking – you’ll feel motivated to cook and perhaps even try making new dishes when you’re not faced with an oven full of grime. Now is the perfect time to do this, before cold nights mean we’re craving hot comfort food for supper each evening.
Take the racks out and soak them in warm water and soda crystals for a few hours to remove grease, then put them in the dishwasher on the hot setting. I suggest using a Beldray 10-in-1 Handheld Steam Cleaner (£42.92, amazon.co.uk) – to lift the grease in the oven and then get hot water, washing up liquid and use an electric scrubber to remove residue, mine is from GeeSoul (£32.99, amazon.co.uk). This brush can be used in the bathroom too, and it’s much better than slathering your oven in strong chemicals.
My top tip is to put an oven liner in once you’re finished, there are lots on Amazon, this will catch food spills and make future oven cleans far easier as a result. You’ll need to clean this once a month, either wiping it with Flash Spray or washing up liquid and warm water. If you keep them clean they can last for years and save hours of scrubbing the bottom of your oven.
Next the fridge. Empty it, then take the shelves out and soak them in hot soapy water in the sink. Spray the whole fridge with disinfectant and wipe it. Before you put any food back inside check its sell-by-date – it’s easy to accidentally end up with jars lurking at the back that went off in 2022.
Repeat these steps with the freezer and before you return the food to the drawers, make an inventory of what you’re freezing and when it goes off – don’t freeze and forget. Use sticky labels to note what each item is and the date it was frozen, and you’ll make winter weeknight dinners a doddle.
BEDROOM
Strip off all the bedding and vacuum cleaner the mattress thoroughly
Over the summer, pollen and pet debris can sink deep into your mattress and bedding. Start afresh by stripping all the bedding off the bed and using a handheld vacuum cleaner to suction off the dirt and dust on the mattress. If, like me, you’re sensitive to dust you may be surprised to find how much this improves your sleep quality.
Now’s the time to switch your summer duvet for one with a higher tog and, if you fancy it, add some extra pillows to the bed to make it cosier. If you have a headboard clean that too, these are often forgotten and can get dirtier and dustier than you think. Mine is fabric and I use my steam cleaner, but you can just use a sponge, hot water and washing up liquid.
Professional carpet cleaning costs upward of £90 – but if you up your vacuum game you can do the job yourself. Use a multipurpose vacuum cleaner that can simultaneously vacuum, wash and dry your carpet. I invested in the Bissel spot clean pet pro (£150, amazon.co.uk) a couple of years ago and it is definitely worth the money. It’s so versatile and can be used on upholstery and carpets to freshen them up and remove stains.
During the summer months, I’m certainly guilty of neglecting dusting because I’m too busy enjoying the fleeting sunshine outdoors. But now is the time of year when spiders and other creepy crawlies try to invade your home, and it’s time to take back control. For your autumn clean tackle the ceiling, walls, bedside tables and all of the skirting boards. A clever trick is to use a lint roller, B&M do 3 for £3 (bmstores.co.uk), to dust the inside and outside of your fabric lampshades – you’d be amazed how much dirt they attract.
If your curtains haven’t been cleaned why not take them to the dry cleaners? This can give them a whole new lease of life.
BATHROOM
Of course, you’ll already be cleaning your bathroom on a weekly basis. But as part of a deep clean, it’s time to tackle those stubborn stains that you may have stopped noticing.
Get a long-handled extendable brush, mine is from Jehonn and can be extended to be 130cm long (£13.49, amazon.co.uk) – this will mean you can reach right up and down to those tricky corners without straining yourself.
Use a dish wand, that’s a sponge with a plastic attachment you can fill with washing up liquid, mine is from Dish Daddy, to clean your shower screen. This should be all you need to remove stubborn soap scum and limescale build up. Then, to remove the foamy residue, I always use the Karcher window vacuum cleaner (£79.95, amazon.co.uk). It’s very versatile, you can use it on windows, mirrors and glass induction hobs too, with a powerful suction so it doesn’t leave streaks.
Get an electric scrubber (a bit like an electric toothbrush, but designed to tackle stains, mine is KOOHORO, £20.98, amazon.co.uk) to go at the watermarks in the sink and around those hard-to-clean taps and plugholes. Get your rubber gloves on and pull out the plugholes in the shower and sink, remove any hair and gunk, then dissolve a fizzer, I like CleverleyCo’s sink and toilet fizzers in the snow fairies scent (£5, cleverleyco.co.uk), down the drain before you put the plughole back in.
Be wary of online cleaning trends, a budget method for cleaning your bathroom is to use shaving foam instead of bathroom cleaning products. I wouldn’t recommend trying it as it left my bathroom in a foamy mess.
UTILITY SPACE
If you ever notice your clothes smelling a little musty at the end of a wash it means your washing machine needs a clean. This is likely to become more noticeable in the winter months as clothes take longer to dry and the air of your home can fill with fusty odours.
On TikTok users claim that putting half a lemon with a swirl of toothpaste on a hot cycle will freshen and clean your washing machine. This is another trick to avoid, I gave it a go and was left with pieces of lemon clogging the filter.
You’ll need to set aside some time to do this and also find several tea towels. Lay them down under the washing machine and carefully remove the filter.
Take the plug completely out and clean it with antibacterial spray before replacing it. Put some soda crystals into the drum of the washing machine and a cup of white wine vinegar in the drawer. If your washing machine doesn’t have a ‘drum clean’ setting, put it on the hottest wash cycle for about 90 minutes. Throw in any dirty tea towels or clothes you’ve got lying around so you don’t waste an empty wash.