Cleaning in the summer is never a top priority. In all this heat, we’d rather sit back, relax and have a snooze – and who can blame you? But before you settle down on the sun lounger, it’s worth knowing that some jobs are faster to do, if you do them now, before summer ends.
It might make you momentarily groan, but when you think about it, it’s a sweet deal. Cleaning in the heat can speed up certain tasks, saving time and effort in the short term. Whereas were you to do them in a month’s time, when it’s starting to turn cold, damp and dark, they’d take twice as long. So, what should you be doing while you’ve still got the sun at your disposal? Here’s where to start.
1. Give rugs and curtains a deep clean
For those heavy items around the home that seemingly take days to dry after cleaning – until you realise that they’ve become a breeding ground for bacteria in that time and now smell musty – now’s the ideal time to wash them. That advice goes for your rugs, curtains, upholstery and bedding; anything that’s thick and struggles to dry. It’s worth washing winter coats now, too, for the same reason. With the weather being as hot as it is outside, what might take days to dry in autumn, can take only hours in summer.
For heavy, condensed items in the washing machine, like a single pillow, you will need to even out the weight with extra sheets or another pillow, to stop the machine from losing balance. Remember to shake and rotate the item as it dries to speed things up even more. Always follow the care label.
2. Refresh your fabric sofa
For the same reason, now’s the time to wash your fabric sofa. You might have covers that are removable and machine washable. But if not, a spot cleaner can be a game changer for any stains. Just make sure there’s a W or S-W/W-S symbol on the care label (that means you’re good to use water-based cleaners (W) and solvent cleaners (S). If you’ve not tried one before, test in an inconspicuous area fist.
To give the whole sofa a refresh, you can also run a steam cleaner over it, so long as you’ve confirmed that W symbol on the care label and it comes with an upholstery attachment. You can use it on the cushions, arms and the back of the sofa, but take care not to over-saturate it. Once that’s done, pull it away from the wall, open the windows and leave the summer heat to do the rest.
3. Defrost the freezer
Defrosting the freezer is an awkward chore, one that easily puts the appliance out of action for a day. But the whole process can be shortened if you take advantage of the current ambient heat. Heat melts ice after all, so doing this task while the environment is helping you out makes perfect sense.
Start by gradually running down the food in your freezer, and then moving what remains into cool boxes, or ask a neighbour if they’ve got temporary space. Then switch the freezer off, leave the door open, place towels below, and let nature get to work. Once the ice is gone, switch it back on and only replace food once it’s back up to temperature.
4. Speed-clean carpets
Cleaning carpets are another chore we put off with any excuse we can find. Considering furniture needs to be moved, and rooms are out of bounds while it dries, is it any wonder? But right now, this heat gives you the ideal conditions to speed-clean your carpets – the drying time is immensely reduced. The chances of mould growing are much lower because of this, and rooms don’t need to be out of action for so long.
Start by opening windows and moving everything out the room, followed by vacuuming to remove all traces of dust and hair. Then you’re ready to run a carpet cleaner over the space using short slow overlapping passes, working you way back towards the door. Your carpet cleaner may offer a rinse only setting to remove any final traces of detergent with each pass. You may also want to use more vacuum-only passes to reduce the drying time, although in all this heat, you need not worry about that so much!
5. Give gutters a once-over
Autumn is generally the best time to clean your gutters because there’s lots of leaves falling and chances of blockages are high. But by giving your gutter a quick spruce up now, you can check it for any cracks and leaks before the rainfall does damage to your home.
Only inspect your gutters if you feel comfortable climbing a ladder, otherwise it’s better to hire in a professional to do the job for you. Carry a bucket with you and collect any debris with a gloved hand along the way. If there’s signs of damage, seal or replace gutters now and make sure they’re free flowing. You can fit gutter guards to protect them when the leaves do drop.
6. Power wash the patio
If you haven’t already, give your patio a quick power wash with a pressure washer to remove the layer of dust and dirt that’s built up over the summer months. It’s better to remove this now before the leaves drop and the rain sets in, which encourages algae and a more difficult surface to clean.
Make sure a pressure washer is suitable for cleaning your patio before use. Natural stone, such as slate and limestone, may need to be scrubbed by hand. Only remove weeds after the soil is dampened so the roots come away fully rather than breaking off.
7. Wash and polish windows
Drying your windows slowly encourages mould and mildew in the frames, cracked paint and damaged sealant, not to mention streaking on the glass itself. So, you don’t really want to wash them when the temperature drops – you’ll only be making more work for yourself. Although, you don’t want direct sun or intense heat on the windows either, as that dries them too quickly, resulting in its own streaking. Mild conditions are best.
Wait for the morning or evening of an overcast, mild day and then spritz a solution of 1-part distilled white vinegar to nine-parts water over outdoor windows. Wipe clean with a microfibre cloth (ideally one designed for glass), going from edge to edge and top to bottom. Then buff dry with chamois leather or use a window vacuum or squeegee for speed. It’s worth mentioning that you could still do this task in the autumn, but you certainly don’t want to wait long enough for temperatures to drop, especially if you have lots of glass, like on a conservatory.
The GHI’s Best Cleaning Products 2026
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