8 Things You Should Clean Now That It’s Fall

Ashley Abramson
Ashley Abramson
Ashley Abramson is a writer-mom hybrid in Minneapolis, MN. Her work, mostly focused on health, psychology, and parenting, has been featured in the Washington Post, New York Times, Allure, and more. She lives in the Minneapolis suburbs with her husband and two young sons.
updated Sep 27, 2019
We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing.
Post Image

Fall is here, and with it comes scented candles, cozy sweaters, and … cleaning your kitchen? You heard us right: The changing season is a perfect milestone for sprucing things up around the kitchen to make way for colder-weather essentials. Not sure where to get started? Here are some of the most important areas of your kitchen to focus on.

Now, grab your seasonal beverage of choice and get to work!

Credit: Joe Lingeman

1. Your Stovetop

Fall is soup and stew season, so make sure your stovetop is in tip-top shape for everything you’ll soon be craving. Here’s a trusty method for a glass stovetop: Spray the (cool) surface with white vinegar, then sprinkle plenty of baking soda over the damp surface. Dip a towel in hot water and wring out excess liquid. Let the hot towel sit on top of the baking soda and vinegar for 10 or 15 minutes before wiping it down.

Read more: How To Clean a Glass Stovetop

Credit: Diana Yen

2. Inside the Oven 

To prep for your fall baking, you’ll also want to give your oven a deep clean. After removing everything inside the oven, make a paste with a 1/2 cup of baking soda and a few tablespoons of water. Coat the entire interior of your oven with the paste, using gloves if your oven is extra grimy. Allow the mixture to sit overnight, and in the meantime, clean the oven racks. After at least 12 hours, wipe out the paste (and all the grime it lifted) with a warm, damp dish cloth. Spray with white vinegar as needed to remove excess baking soda, then wipe down once more with a clean, wet cloth.

Read more: How To Clean an Oven with Baking Soda and Vinegar

Credit: Cat Meschia

3. The Oven Hood and Filter

You’re already cleaning your stove and oven, so you may as well finish the job and wipe down your hood and clean the filter! As a bonus, your hood fan will also run more efficiently with a refreshed filter, which will help save energy.

Credit: Kitchn Video

4. Inside the Microwave 

You’re not ready to heat up chili leftovers until your microwave is clean! After removing the glass tray and washing it as you would a dish, fill a glass or bowl half full of water, and add a tablespoon of white vinegar. Turn on your microwave for five minutes, remove the container, and wipe down the inside of the microwave. All the crust and grime should lift easily!

Read more: How To Clean Your Microwave Naturally with Just a Lemon

Credit: Jill Chen/Stocksy

5. The Pantry Shelves

Toss half-empty, stale bags of chips from summer BBQs and anything that’s past its prime. This way, you have room to restock your kitchen cabinet or pantry with fall staples like spices, canned goods, and other go-to items for your favorite cold-weather recipes. Before you go shopping for that new stuff, though, sweep out the pantry floor and wipe down shelves with a damp cloth.

Credit: Joe Lingeman/Kitchn; Prop Stylist: Stephanie Yeh/Kitchn

6. Under-the-Sink Storage 

After you give your pantry a refresh, it’s time to take a look at your cleaning supplies. Empty out everything underneath the sink (or wherever it is you store your cleaners), give the cabinet itself a scrub, and replace whatever needs to be restocked.

Read more: The 9 Most Brilliant Under-the-Sink Organizing Tips and Tricks You’ll Wish You Knew About Way Earlier

Credit: Joe Lingeman

7. Tea Kettles and Coffee Makers

What says “fall” more than a steaming cup of coffee or tea? Set aside time to clean your tea kettle or coffee maker in preparation for the chillier days ahead. For kettles, remove hard water deposits by boiling equal parts white vinegar and water inside the kettle. Let the hot water sit for at least an hour after turning off the heat. To give your drip coffee machine a clean, you can also use a vinegar-water solution: First, remove the filter and coffee grounds, then add a mixture of 1 part vinegar and 1 part water to the water reservoir and run a brew cycle. 

Read more:
How To Clean a Coffee Maker
How To Clean an Electric Kettle

8. Refrigerator

Now is the time to say farewell to crusty summer condiments and expired food so you can make room for your fall ingredients! But first, give your refrigerator a deep clean. As a general rule, your fridge can use a refresh and good clean at least once a season, and at the beginning of a new season is a great time to hit “reset.” Take all the items out of the fridge, remove the drawers and shelves, and give them a scrub in your sink (or run them in the dishwasher!). For the walls and surfaces you can’t remove, spray with a solution of water and white vinegar, then scrub.

Read more: How To Clean the Refrigerator

What are you cleaning this fall?