Everybody talks about spring cleaning. In Fairbanks, the fall clean might matter more.
Think about it. Once it gets cold, the windows close and they pretty much stay closed until April. The furnace runs every day. We're inside a lot more, the sun barely shows up, and whatever dust and grime is in the house now is going to be in there with us all winter. October is the last good window to deal with it while you can still open the doors and air the place out on a nice afternoon.
Here's a fall deep clean list that makes sense up here.
Air and heat
- Change the furnace filter, or check it if you just did. Mark the date on it with a Sharpie.
- Vacuum the heat registers, baseboard heaters, and return vents. Dust on a hot baseboard is that burnt smell you notice the first cold night.
- Clean the bathroom and kitchen exhaust fan covers. They matter more when the house is sealed up.
- Wipe down window sills and tracks while you can still crack a window. Dead bugs and summer dust collect there.
Photo: Liliana Drew on Pexels
Kitchen
- Pull the fridge out and vacuum the coils and the floor underneath.
- Degrease the range hood and filter. Winter is soup and chili season.
- Clean out the pantry before you stock up for the cold months.
Photo: Helena Lopes on Pexels
Living areas and bedrooms
- Wash or dry clean the curtains, especially the blackout ones you'll need again in May.
- Dust the high spots: tops of cabinets, ceiling fans, light fixtures. Better light helps when it's dark at 4 PM.
- Vacuum under the furniture and the couch cushions.
- Wash bedding, throw blankets, and pet beds.
Entry and mudroom
- Set up the winter boot station now: a tray, two mats, and hooks for wet gear.
- Deep clean the entry carpet or rug before the first season of gravel shows up. Starting clean makes the whole winter easier.
- Organize the closet so the summer stuff is out of the way and the winter gear is easy to grab.
Garage
- Sweep out the summer dirt before the snow and slush start dripping off the car.
- Get rid of anything you're not going to use until June. If it's a big pile, that's a haul-away job.
Doing it yourself or getting help
Doing all of this in a weekend is a lot. Some people knock out a room a week through October. Others hire a one-time deep clean and then keep up with a regular cleaning every couple of weeks through the dark months, which is honestly a nice thing to have when it's 30 below.
You can request a house cleaning quote through Good Hand Co., whether it's a one-time fall deep clean or something regular. For carpets and rugs, there's also our carpet cleaning page.
Most house cleaning we book is handled by The Alaska Cleaning Company, a local Fairbanks crew. If you'd rather contact them directly, call or text 907-341-4086 or get a quote on their site.
Then pour some coffee, put on a playlist, and enjoy a clean house for freeze-up.