Cleaning Tips for Summer (Cleaning Checklist)
You will find these summer cleaning tips helpful for prepping your home for summer.
For many families, summer is a time for fun and relaxation. However, there are a lot of things to clean and prepare for summer. To prepare for summer, there are seasonal things to clean both inside and outside of the home.
Some of these summer cleaning tips and tricks are reminders to clean seasonal items, but other things are for routine maintenance that can save you wear and tear on your stuff.
Here is a summer cleaning checklist and cleaning tips to help you get your home ready for summer.
17 Summer Cleaning Tips and Tricks
#1. Clean Ceiling Fans
Some people use their ceiling fans all year, and others only use them in the warmer months. Regardless, it’s a good time to dust your ceiling fan blades so you’re not spreading dust all over your home.
To clean, first, remove dust with a microfiber cloth or duster. For easier cleaning, use a dusting set with a pole to reach the ceiling. (You may want to check out these ceiling fan dusters).
Then wet a microfiber rag with an all purpose cleaner to wipe each blade. Be careful not to apply too much pressure because the blades can bend and break.
Remove the globes and wash by hand in dish soap. Let dry completely before placing them back on the fan.
#2. Clean and Protect Your Furniture
In the summertime, your furniture can take a serious beating with everyone in and out and home all day. The good news is that there are some things you can do to help make keeping your furniture in good shape easier than ever.
Spot clean your furniture regularly, looking for areas that need a touch-up. This should become a part of your weekly cleaning routine in the summertime.
This is especially important if you have kids or pets that tend to drag in mud to prevent stains that may be hard or impossible to get out later.
Use a protectant on your furniture. This can range from Scotch Guard to keep stains off of your fabric furniture to a leather protectant to help keep your leather furniture looking great and protect it from drying and cracking in the summer heat.
Consider using a slipcover. If you have kids that will be running in and out and dragging dust and dirt around, try using a slipcover or added cover designed to cover the highly used parts of your sofa.
Slipcovers are a great way to help catch that mess and make cleaning up a breeze. They allow you to simply toss the cover into the washing machine and get on with your day.
#3. Clean Air Conditioner Filter
Now is a great time to clean your air conditioner filter. When the filter gets dirty, it can reduce efficiency. This costs you money and can shorten the life of your air conditioner.
Clean the filter with warm water and dish soap. Let dry completely before placing it back in your air conditioner. You can also use a vacuum to remove dirt and dust.
#4. Wash Your Windows
Spring and summer are great times to wash your windows. For outside windows, use your hose and some warm water with dish soap to remove the dirt and debris.
Use a microfiber cloth for the windows, but you can use a scrub brush for around the windows. Then rinse well and use a window cleaner to get rid of streaks.
For the inside of your windows, use a vacuum to remove dust and dirt from the window. Then use a window cleaner to clean the windows.
Try not to wash your windows in direct sun because this can dry the water too quickly and cause streaks. It’s best to wash them in the morning or in the evening when it’s cooler.
For streak free windows, use a window squeegee to remove excess water. You can also wipe in different directions inside and outside so you know which side of the window has streaks to remove.
#5. Clean Your Screens
It doesn’t matter how clean your windows are if your screens are dirty. Remove the screens and rinse well with water.
You can spray an all purpose cleaner or use vinegar and water to clean the screens. Rinse well and let dry completely before placing them back on the windows.
#6. Clean Your Sink Drains and Garbage Disposal
The heat and humidity in the summer can affect your sinks and drains. If there’s food inside the drain, it can quickly start to rot and make your entire house smell bad.
Food in your drain or garbage disposal can also attract drain flies or gnats.
To clean the drains, run hot water for 30 seconds. Then turn off the water and place a cup of baking soda in your drain.
Follow with two cups of vinegar. Let it fizz in the drain for an hour. Then run hot water through your drains.
To clean your garbage disposal, place about 6 ice cubes down the drain. Then add 1 tablespoon of baking soda and two to three lemon slices. You can also add a few drops of dish soap. Then add 6 more ice cubes.
Turn on the garbage disposal and let it run until it stops grinding. Then run it with cold water running for 30 seconds to a minute.
#7. Clean Your Fridge
Your fridge can also collect dust on the coils, and the humidity of summer can trap the dirt. Over time, this can reduce efficiency and may even shorten the life of your fridge.
Remove dirt and dust from the coils with a vacuum. Use a stiff paint brush or old toothbrush if needed to remove dirt.
This is also a good time to thoroughly clean your fridge before the kids will be home all summer. Use dish soap in warm water to wipe out your fridge and toss old food to start with a clean slate.
(You may also want to read this article on how to clean and deodorize your fridge).
#8. Clean Your Counters and Floors Daily
Summer means ants and bugs. They won’t stick around if they don’t have a food source. It’s important to keep your counters and floors clean every day.
As soon as the bugs find a food source, they will quickly move in and claim your kitchen as their own.
Keeping Up with Your Floors
The floor has to be the biggest challenge of summer cleaning. Between everyone running in and out and mud from summer rain, your floors are likely a challenge to keep clean all summer long.
The good news is that there are some things you can do to help make your home easier to clean.
Use Rugs
Place rugs both outside of the door and inside of every single entrance to your home.
This will give two opportunities for dirt and messes to be removed from the bottoms of shoes, bare feet, and animal paws as everyone comes and goes. This simple step will help make it easier to maintain your floors.
Use a Dust Mop Regularly
This essential tip is necessary for all types of hard floors including tile and hardwood.
But seeing hardwood can not be moped as often as tile and other hard flooring options you want to be sure to do a dust mop often on your hard floors.
Keep a Light Mop on Hand
A light mop that is capable of doing a quick wipe down like a Swiffer can be great for keeping on hand to help make it easier to keep up with your messy floors.
Keeping one in spaces that tend to drag in the most messes like by the front door can make it easy to do spot cleans as you see them become necessary.
#9. Clean Trash Cans
Dirt and spills in your trash can cause odors, and it gets worse in the heat and humidity of summer.
Bacteria can grow, which can cause odors. Use dish soap or an all purpose cleaner to scrub your trash can inside and out.
Use your broom to get inside the trash can. This not only cleans your trash can, but it also cleans your broom.
Then let the trash can dry completely. Sprinkle baking soda on the bottom and place a liner in the can.
Here are more tips for deodorizing your trash can.
#10. Clean Your Washer and Dryer
Summer means more humidity, which can cause mold to grow. Your washing machine and dryer have wet clothes, so they are more likely to have mold growth.
To prevent mold, leave the door of your washer open between loads so it has time to dry completely.
Spray vinegar water diluted 1:1 around the gasket on the door of your washer. Then use a rag to wipe away soap scum and mold and mildew.
Then add 2 cups of white vinegar to a top load washer or add it to the detergent dispenser in a front load. And run the washer on the hottest setting of the largest load size.
Then use a rag and vinegar water to spot clean inside the washer. You can also use vinegar water to clean the outside of your washer and dryer.
You can also use a dehumidifier to tackle humidity problems, helping to cope with mold and mildew issues.
#11. Clean and Flip Your Mattress
For even wear and longer life, clean and flip your mattress once or twice a year. Remove the sheets and vacuum the top of the mattress. Then flip and vacuum again.
Here is a detailed article on how to clean your mattress.
#12. Clean Your Patio or Deck
You’ll want to spend time outside this summer, so you’ll want to clean your patio or deck.
You can use a pressure washer for a brick, concrete, paver, or stone patio. However, be careful not to pressure wash between the stones or bricks because it can wash away the sand.
I recommend using Simple Green Oxy Solve Total Outdoor cleaner. It’s made for pressure washers, but don’t pressure wash a wood deck unless you plan on staining it.
For a wood deck, dilute the cleaner and use a deck brush or an old broom to scrub your deck.
#13. Clean Kids’ Toys
Your kids’ toys will need to be scrubbed before they use them for the year. You can use the same Simple Green cleaner that you used for your patio or deck to clean their toys.
Use a pressure washer or scrub with a brush to get their toys clean.
#14. Clean Your Patio Furniture
Your patio furniture will also need to be cleaned. You can use the Simply Green cleaner to clean wood, plastic, or metal. It’s also safe for fabric cushions.
You can also spray your furniture with an all purpose cleaner or dish soap and scrub them clean.
You can use a pressure washer for plastic furniture. The high pressure may be too harsh for wood or metal furniture, so wash those by hand.
#15. Clean Your Grill
Get your grill ready for outdoor cooking. To clean the grill, spray apple cider vinegar on the grill and then use balled up pieces of aluminum foil to scrub. This removes grease and burnt on food quickly and naturally.
#16. Pool and Water Toys
Pool toys are always wet, so they can get dirty pretty quickly. To clean them, combine 1 part white vinegar and 3 parts of water.
Fill a spray bottle with this mixture and spray on pool toys and wipe clean with a soft cloth. You can soak most toys for stubborn stains.
#17. Clean the Gutters
Clean your gutters in the spring so the spring and summer rain can drain away from your home.
Wear old clothes and use a gutter scoop or a child’s sandbox shovel or scoop to remove debris from the gutters. Then use your garden hose to flush the downspouts. Check for leaks and repair as needed.
Final Thoughts on Summer Cleaning Hacks
There are a lot of things that need to be cleaned for summer, but once they are done, you’re free to enjoy your summer. Cleaning your home and outdoor living areas will help you have a relaxing summer to spend with friends and family.
Did you find the summer cleaning tips helpful? Leave your comment below.
