Tips for a thorough fall house cleaning

- With the changing of the season right around the corner, most Americans are beginning to clean up the exterior of their homes by raking leaves and cleaning out the gutters, but what about the interior? Fall can be the perfect time to revisit that spring cleaning list that you never completed and give the interior of your home a deep clean in preparation for the holiday season.

While most people rely on their own cleaning know-how to tackle germs and dirt, they depend on their eyes to show what they think is a clean house. In fact, more than two out of three people believe that vision is the most important sense in determining the cleanliness of a home, according to a recent national consumer survey conducted by Stanley Steemer.

But it’s often the dirt that you don’t see that requires help from the pros. Traditional at-home cleaning methods such as vacuuming and dusting only remove a relatively small portion of dirt, dust and particles that lurk in your floors and furniture. Without a deep cleaning, you’ll be trapping dirt inside your home for the entire winter, which can impact the visual appearance of your home, while also elevating the risk of allergens in the home.

With more than 60 years as the dirt authority, the cleaning experts at Stanley Steemer are certified to remove more than 98 percent of dry soil from floors – a rate significantly higher than self-cleaning methods. In fact, in fall of 2011, Stanley Steemer technicians removed more than 56 tons of dirt from American Homes.

To help you see through the dirt that lurks in your home, the experts in the field from Stanley Steemer offer these fall tips for maintaining a cleaner, healthier home:

With fall comes the foliage

Reduce the amount of dirt and leaves that may get tracked into your home by using indoor and outdoor entrance mats.

A quick pickup

Remember to act quickly to clean up any spills or stains; consider keeping a professional spot remover handy at all time or use items commonly found around the home such as white vinegar and baking soda.

Dirt never quits ... it’s like tooth decay

Keep up with the high traffic areas in the home by vacuuming them two to three times a week and the rest of your carpets at least once a week.

Outside work effects inside comfort

Keep your windows closed and turn on the air conditioner when raking leaves and doing other fall cleanup work outside. These activities kick unwanted dirt, dust and pollen up into the air, which can settle into upholstered furniture and carpet.

Who should you call?

Even the most diligent person can’t do alone. Get help from the pros. Schedule a professional deep cleaning every six months to help maintain the value and health of your home.