Autumn CleaningEveryone knows that germs love the bathroom. Whether it is a horrific disease or simply the common cold, being sick is never fun -- and fall is full of sickness. Why not prevent the living or spread of these germs in your bathroom by doing some autumn cleaning?

Of course, it’s important to maintain that cleanliness throughout the year, as germs can enter the equation at any time. Getting a good start on it during the fall is an excellent way to kick off a healthy school year.

Prepare for cold temperatures We do all sorts of preparations for winter time when it comes to our cars, our houses, and our clothes -- why not prepare our bathrooms in the same way? When the temperatures start to drop, it might be getting too late to do certain things for your bathroom. For that reason, start proactively when the weather is still (reasonably) warm. Buy the right tools This is one area where skimping on supplies is a bad idea. This is the perfect time to year to replace your old, grimy supplies with new, squeaky clean ones. If you are cleaning with a damaged or dirty sponge or scrub brush, you won’t enjoy yourself nearly as much, and you won’t be cleaning as thoroughly. You may as well kill two birds with one stone by buying shiny new supplies.

Make sure you are well equipped with a scrub brush, mat, rags, and chemicals (or all natural, non-toxic cleaning supplies, depending on your personal preferences).

Moisture and mildew Fall is the time of year when mildew can really set in, especially if your bathroom wasn’t kept dry throughout the more humid summer months. One of the best ways to prevent mildew is to re-caulk the entire bathroom. Fill any holes or gaps that exist, as they are the dream homes for mildew.

To prevent moisture and grime from becoming a real problem, keep cleaning and drying as you go. Sometimes this means drying out or scrubbing a shower after using it. Trust us, it’s worth it in the long run in terms of sickness prevention.

Don’t wait for maintenance This is the perfect season for performing any necessary repairs or replacements in your bathroom. Why, you ask? Repairs (such as fixing a leaky faucet) are always more expensive during the winter time, not to mention more of a hassle and more time-consuming. Get it done now so that your winter can be comfortable and hassle free. Deep clean Although everyone talks about “spring cleaning,” but “fall cleaning” is just as important (if not more so). The whole purpose of it is to deep clean your space (whether it is a bathroom, kitchen, or another room) so that the more regular daily cleaning is far easier to maintain. Do a one-time deep clean to start fall and winter off on the right foot.

Deep cleaning tip: start from the top down. Go to the highest areas (the ones you barely look at) and work your way down from there.