The temperatures are falling, the leaves are dropping off the trees and the clocks have gone back.

It really feels now as if winter is fast approaching, and with the changing conditions, there are countless new ways in which your house could get dirty.

So what can you do if you don't want to spend the entire festive season cleaning up the mess?

Well, trying to stop dirt getting inside in the first place can be a good idea. Needless to say, we're not suggesting you can completely prevent dirt finding its way into your home for months on end.

But with a little preparation, you can at least minimise how bad it gets. 

For instance, you can expect a lot of people to arrive at the front door with wet or muddy shoes, or with clothes that are dripping wet.

So why not make sure you have trays in your hall for dirty shoes to be placed in straight away, and coat hooks so they don't drip rainwater throughout the rest of your house?

They're two ridiculously simple steps you can take, but they will go a long way towards making your house isn't as dirty as it might otherwise be throughout the winter.

Remember though, this isn't a magic solution that means you don't have to clean your house.

There's plenty of other things that need doing regardless of the time of year, from hoovering the carpet to dusting the skirting boards.

If this is something that doesn't thrill you as you gear up for Christmas, then why not bring in a professional cleaner to do all these tasks for you?

They can apply their specialist knowledge and use professional equipment and materials to leave your house looking absolutely perfect.

You can therefore concentrate solely on making sure you and your family have the best Christmas you've ever had - in a wonderfully clean house!