A good autumn cleaning checklist for a German apartment covers three things before the heating goes on. You need airing habits that keep mould away and clean windows and seals while the weather is still mild. You also need a proper round of dusting on radiators, vents and fabrics. If you do these in October, your home stays drier and fresher through the winter.
Spring cleaning gets most of the attention, but autumn is the more practical moment. Windows stay shut for longer, the heating dries the air and moves dust around, and wet shoes bring the street into the hallway. A few focused hours now save a lot of scrubbing in February. Below you will find the full list, tips for each job and an honest look at which tasks are worth handing over.
Your autumn cleaning checklist at a glance
Use this table as your overview. The last column is a rough guide to effort, so you can see which jobs fit into an evening and which need a free Saturday.
| Task | Why in autumn | Effort |
|---|---|---|
| Check window reveals, corners and the walls behind furniture for mould | The damp season begins, and early spots are easier to handle | Small |
| Clean windows, frames, tracks and seals | Mild days now, more daylight in winter | Large |
| Dust radiators, skirting boards and vents | Dust smells and spreads once the heating is on | Medium |
| Clean the extractor hood filter, oven and fridge | Ready for the roasting and baking season | Medium |
| Scrub bathroom joints and the washing machine seal | Damp areas get worse when windows stay closed | Medium |
| Wash curtains, vacuum upholstery and mattress | Fabrics hold summer dust and pollen | Medium |
| Wash and store summer bedding | Prevents musty smells in storage | Small |
| Clear the balcony, plant saucers and drain | No standing water or blocked drains in winter | Small |
| Set up doormats and a shoe tray | Keeps wet dirt in the hallway | Small |
| Test smoke detectors | Quick safety check before the dark months | Small |
You do not have to do everything in one go. One simple way is to spread it over the four weekends of October.
- First weekend, mould check, bathroom joints and the washing machine seal.
- Second weekend, windows, frames, seals and the balcony.
- Third weekend, radiators, skirting boards, vents and smoke detectors.
- Fourth weekend, kitchen, textiles, bedding and the entrance area.
Airing properly to keep mould away
Mould needs moisture, and in autumn a normal household produces plenty of it. Showering, cooking, drying laundry on a rack and even breathing all add water to the air. In summer it escapes through open windows. Once it gets cold, it settles on the coldest surfaces, usually window reveals, outside corners and the wall behind a wardrobe.
How to air in the cold months
A tilted window feels like airing, but it mostly cools the wall around the window. It works better to open windows fully for a few minutes several times a day. Ideally open two opposite windows at once so the air crosses the apartment. The colder it is outside, the faster the air is exchanged, so short bursts are enough in winter. Air straight after showering and cooking, and keep the bathroom door closed while the steam clears.
A cheap hygrometer from a hardware store shows you how damp the air is in each room. It is an easy way to find out whether your bedroom needs more airing than you thought. Also leave a small gap between large furniture and outside walls so air can move behind it.
Where to look and what to do
Take a torch and check window reveals, the corners near the ceiling and the walls behind wardrobes and beds. Then look at the silicone in the shower and the rubber seal of the washing machine. Small dark spots on tiles or silicone can usually be removed with a suitable mould cleaner. Follow the instructions on the bottle, wear gloves and air the room well while you work.
If the mould is on the wall itself, covers a larger area or keeps coming back, do not just paint over it. In a rented apartment, the usual practice is to tell your landlord or property management early and in writing, ideally with photos. Check your rental contract and get proper advice if there is a disagreement.
Windows, frames and seals before the cold
Summer leaves pollen, insects and dust on the glass, and in December you will want every bit of daylight. Pick a dry, overcast day. Direct sun dries the water too fast and leaves streaks.
Start with the dirtiest parts. Vacuum the tracks and the bottom of the frame first, where leaves and dead insects collect. Then wipe the frames, then the glass, and finish with the sill. Most frames have small drainage slots at the bottom on the outside. If they are blocked, rainwater stays in the frame, so clear them with a cotton bud or a thin brush.
Wipe the rubber seals with a damp cloth and look closely. Black spots in a seal are an early sign of damp. A seal that is cracked or no longer closes properly lets cold air in. In a rented flat, check your rental contract and tell your landlord about it. Only clean the windows you can reach safely from inside or from the balcony.
Once the heating is on, you may see condensation on the glass in the morning. Wiping the pane and the sill each day stops water from soaking into the frame and the wall below.
Getting your home ready for the heating season
The first day of heating often comes with a slightly burnt smell. That is usually dust sitting on the radiator. Warm air then carries it through the room and onto every shelf, so a few minutes per radiator beforehand make a clear difference.
Radiators
Make sure the radiator is cold. Vacuum the top and sides with the brush attachment, then go between the fins with a narrow radiator brush or the crevice nozzle. Put an old towel on the floor underneath because dust will fall. Finish with a damp cloth and wipe the wall behind the radiator too, as it often shows a grey shadow from rising dust.
If a radiator gurgles or stays cold at the top, it may need bleeding. In many rented buildings the caretaker or property management takes care of this, so ask first if you are unsure.
Dust in the places you rarely see
While the vacuum is out, do the skirting boards, lamp shades and the tops of door frames and wardrobes. Also clean the ventilation grilles in the bathroom and kitchen. Clean or change the vacuum filter as well, otherwise you blow part of the dust back out. It is also a good moment to press the test button on each smoke detector.
Kitchen, bathroom and textiles
Kitchen
Take out the metal filter of the extractor hood and soak it in hot water with washing-up liquid. You can also put it in the dishwasher if the manufacturer allows it. Clean the oven before the roasting and baking season and wipe the cupboard tops where grease collects. Empty the fridge completely once before you stock up for the colder months.
Bathroom and laundry
Scrub the silicone joints and tile grout, descale the shower head and wash or replace the shower curtain. Wipe inside the folded rubber seal of the washing machine and clean the detergent drawer. Leaving the machine door slightly open after each wash keeps the seal dry.
Bedding, curtains and upholstery
Wash light summer duvets and covers before you store them, and keep them somewhere dry, which is not always the cellar. Wash the curtains, because they hold a lot of summer dust and pollen, and vacuum the sofa, cushions and mattress. If you swap your wardrobe for the season, wipe out the empty shelves before the winter clothes go in.
Balcony and entrance before the wet weeks
Many apartments in Düsseldorf have a balcony that sits unused from November. Clean the furniture and store it dry or under a cover. Empty the saucers under plant pots so water does not stand all winter, and sweep out the leaves, especially around the drain. A blocked balcony drain is a small thing that can cause real trouble in heavy rain.
Inside the front door, prepare for wet shoes and umbrellas. Put a doormat outside and one inside, plus a tray for shoes and a hook for wet jackets. That keeps most of the dirt in the hallway. Clean the hallway floor and shoe rack properly once now, and the weekly wipe stays quick.
When a one-off deep clean makes sense
Most of this list is doable on your own. Some jobs, though, have grown over months and take far longer than a normal cleaning session. Typical examples are grease on kitchen tiles, limescale in the shower that ordinary cleaner no longer shifts and dust that has built up behind furniture. Another one is an apartment you moved into in summer and never cleaned thoroughly. Imagine a two-room flat in Pempelfort where the radiators, window frames and kitchen all need attention at the same time. For one person, that easily fills a whole weekend.
A deep clean also helps before family comes for the holidays, before a baby arrives or before an older parent moves in with you. Doing the big jobs once and then keeping up a simple routine is usually more realistic than fighting everything in the evenings.
If the list feels too long for your free weekends, you can hand over the bigger jobs. Spotless offers one-off deep cleaning in Düsseldorf and nearby towns such as Neuss, Meerbusch and Ratingen. Our insured team brings its own products, with eco-friendly products on request, and appointments can be early, late or at the weekend. Because every apartment is different, deep cleaning is priced by individual quote. If something is not right, tell us within 24 hours and we come back for free.
Autumn cleaning does not need to be perfect. Start with the mould check and the radiators, because those make the biggest difference once the heating is on. Add the rest as time allows. If you would like help with the bigger jobs, have a look at our deep cleaning service in Düsseldorf. Or send us a short message about your apartment and what should be cleaned. You get an offer with a final price.
Questions about autumn cleaning
When is the best time for autumn cleaning?
October works well. The days are often still mild enough to open windows for longer, and you can clean the radiators before the heating goes on for the season.
How should I air my apartment in autumn and winter?
Open the windows fully for a few minutes several times a day, ideally two opposite windows at once. Air straight after showering and cooking. Tilted windows mostly cool the wall and do little against damp.
Should I clean radiators before turning on the heating?
Yes. Dust on a cold radiator is easy to remove. Once it heats up, the dust gives off a burnt smell and the warm air spreads it around the room.
What should I do if I find mould in my rented apartment?
Small spots on tiles or silicone can usually be cleaned with a suitable mould cleaner. If the mould is on the wall, covers a larger area or keeps coming back, the usual practice is to inform your landlord early and in writing. Check your rental contract and get advice if needed.
What does a deep clean from Spotless cost?
Deep cleaning is priced by individual quote, because it depends on the apartment and what needs doing. For comparison, regular private cleaning starts at €33.90 per hour as a final price. As a small business under § 19 UStG we do not charge VAT.