Whilst the kids might be back in school (and finally out of the house) the new term brings with it all the stress of school mornings, pickups, and busy weekends which can make it harder than ever to find the time to clean. If this sounds like it applies to your life then don’t worry - our guide is here to show you how to clean the house and restore order after a busy summer holidays.
Getting Ready to Clean The House
You might not know where to start when cleaning your home after the summer holidays, but it is very important that you don’t put it off any longer. The clutter of summer should be cleared away and the stress of the back to school rush dealt with long before the autumn months arrive and bring with them even more cleaning tasks (think Halloween parties, family gatherings, and Christmas!).
If you have a spare few hours this weekend then now is the time to get stuck in. Grab your rubber gloves, put on your favourite playlist, and let’s get started on how to clean the house this autumn!
1. Declutter The Living Areas
The summer holidays mean fun, family time, visits from friends ... and mess. No matter how hard you try to stay on top of it, it is inevitable that toys, clothes, and general clutter will always find their way back into your living spaces during those long six weeks.
Now that they’re over and you’ve finally got the time to clean, it’s a good idea to start off by identifying all of these items and returning them to their proper place. The whole family can get involved in this simple task (particularly if it is mainly their belongings that are cluttering up the house!) and often a quick tidy up session is all that is needed to immediately make the space feel more organised.
2. Clean Your Carpets
Now that you can see the carpets again it’s time to give them a good hoover. Start in the hallway, as this will have seen the most foot traffic over the summer holidays, and then move into the living room and bedrooms as this is where the little ones will have been playing and relaxing all summer.
By now you might need to empty the filter, but don’t stop yet! Pick up any rugs and mats to hoover underneath them and take note of any stubborn stains that will need to be treated at a later time. A one-off deep clean will remove these in no time, but even if there aren’t any noticeable stains then a professional clean will restore your carpets to their former condition and have them looking better than ever for your autumn events.
3. Dust The Entire House
If you, like many other households, have had enough of the high pollen count during the summer months then it’s time to make sure no dust, pollen, or other allergens remain in your home.
Hoovering the entire house is a good way to remove any airborne particles that have settled into the fibres, so use the handheld accessories to give all sofas and chairs a good hoover as well. Then you can move on to dusting all surfaces including windowsills, tabletops, and shelves and to do this properly you will need to lift up any ornaments or decorations and clean underneath them.
Small particles can hide in so many different places - between the pages of books, inside vases, under furniture - so it is well worth the time and effort it takes to clean your home properly before the dust starts to cause problems.
4. Deep Clean The Kitchen
It’s easier to keep up your motivation if you take it one room at a time, so once you’ve finished with the living room it’s the kitchen’s turn.
Your kitchen is going to be getting a lot of use over the next few months (think home cooking, warm comfort meals, and of course Christmas dinner) so it pays to be prepared. Clear away your summer clutter, including the plastic garden utensils and picnic basket, and disinfect all the surfaces, appliances and countertops before putting the kettle and teabags back in pride of place.
Since your oven will also be in high demand this season it’s advisable to clean it inside and out, along with the hob, extractor fan, and microwave. However, if the sight of the inside of your oven is enough to put you off cooking until next summer then it’s a good idea to call in the professionals to have it safely and thoroughly cleaned.
5. Tackle The Bedrooms
This final task is another one that everyone can get involved with. Give everyone the day to strip their beds, bring the sheets down to the laundry room and collect fresh ones to make their beds again, and then remind them that their bedrooms are their responsibility.
It is up to them to keep them clean, which includes hoovering the carpet, dusting their storage shelves and emptying their bins. Once this has been done give them a checklist to complete every morning that includes opening their curtains, making their bed and removing any rubbish. This will set them up for the new academic year and make sure that they always have a clean and tidy space in which to sleep and get dressed - particularly if they also hoover and dust it every weekend.
How to Clean The House With Domestique
Now all that’s left to do is light your favourite candle, grab a cosy blanket and enjoy your newly decluttered home.
However, knowing how to clean the house is one thing; finding the time and energy to do so is another. We all know how hard it is for busy parents to find the time to clean the home, even once the kids are back at school, so contact your local Domestique branch today for a one-off clean, including specialist carpet, oven, and mattress cleaning.