Free tool
Seasonal Cleaning Checklist
Choose the season and the rooms you have. You get the deep cleaning jobs for each room plus the safety checks worth doing that season, ready to tick off or print.
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Your home has
Fall cleaning checklist
Fall deep clean
41 jobs across 8 areas. Spread them over two or three weekends.
0 of 41 done
Whole home and safety
Kitchen
Bathrooms
Bedrooms
Living areas
Laundry
Entry and closets
Outdoors and garage
How to use the seasonal cleaning checklist
- Pick a season. Spring, summer, fall or winter. Each has its own jobs.
- Pick your rooms. Leave out the rooms you do not have, and add a fireplace, central heating or pets if they apply.
- Work room by room. Tick jobs off as you go. Your progress is saved in this browser.
- Print it. Print the list or save it as a PDF to share the jobs around the household.
How the seasonal checklist works
Each season has the deep cleaning jobs that a weekly routine skips, plus a few that only make sense at that time of year. Choose the rooms you have and the list drops everything else. Ticks are saved in this browser separately for each season, so your fall list does not undo your spring one.
What changes from season to season
- Spring: windows inside and out, pantry and medicine cabinet clear outs, washing and storing heavy bedding, the patio and the gutters.
- Summer: the grill, the patio furniture, ceiling fans and the trash bins, while the days are long and things dry fast outside.
- Fall: the gutters again, storing summer gear, washing blankets before the cold months and having the chimney checked before the first fire.
- Winter: indoor jobs, a boot tray by the door, the fireplace and keeping outside vents clear of snow.
Safety checks worth doing every season
Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. The U.S. Fire Administration says to test smoke alarms every month, replace the batteries at least once a year unless the alarm has a sealed 10 year battery, and replace the alarms every 10 years. A seasonal clean is a good moment to check the dates on the back.
Dryer lint. USFA warns that a dirty lint filter and vent raise the risk of a dryer fire. Clean the filter every load, and each season clean the lint from the vent duct and behind the dryer and check that the outside flap opens.
Heating and cooling filters. A clogged filter makes the system work harder and lets more dust through. Check it each season and follow the maker's schedule for replacing it.
For the weekly jobs that keep a home ready for these deep cleans, try our cleaning schedule maker.
Common questions
How often should I deep clean my house?
A deep clean once a season, about four times a year, works for most homes. A weekly routine keeps the basics under control, so each seasonal clean stays manageable.
What goes on a fall cleaning checklist?
Fall is the time to wash and store summer gear, clean gutters, wash bedding before the cold months, have the chimney checked if you use a fireplace, and test smoke and carbon monoxide alarms before the heating season.
How often should I test smoke alarms?
Every month. The U.S. Fire Administration says to test smoke alarms monthly, replace batteries at least once a year unless the alarm has a sealed 10 year battery, and replace the alarms every 10 years.
How long does a seasonal deep clean take?
Spread it over two or three weekends. One room a day or a few jobs each evening is easier to finish than one long day, and the saved checklist keeps track of what is left.
Sources
- Smoke alarms, U.S. Fire Administration (FEMA)
- Clothes dryer fire safety, U.S. Fire Administration (FEMA)
- Indoor Air Quality, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
- When and How to Clean and Disinfect Your Home, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)