The build-up to moving day is a stressful experience with so many things to do. Although you want to avoid adding things to that list, there is one thing you can’t avoid: cleaning your home before you move in.
Nothing is worse than arriving at your new home only to find it feels like it hasn’t been cleaned in ages.
There are an alarming number of areas that people tend to forget to clean when they move.
In this article, we will help make it easy with a checklist of the seven things you need to clean first.
1. Do a white glove inspection
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As soon as you get the keys, go to your home and give it a white glove inspection.
Make a list of the messes you know you can’t live with for even a second and make them your priority. Those are the jobs you want to tackle first.
We should also add here that whether you own or rent your new home, the prior tenants are obligated to leave the house in reasonable condition.
If this isn’t the case, call the landlord or your real estate agent to ensure they take care of the issue before you move in.
2. Toilet seats
We’ll make this simple: replace them.
3. Change air filters
If you are moving into a house for the first time, change the air filters for your HVAC system. Apartment life usually doesn’t include this.
However, they are packed with dust, which then spreads throughout your home whenever you turn on the heat or AC. Choose a HEPA filter and make a note to change it every three months.
Related Article: Should You Hire Professional House Cleaners Before You Sell Your Home?
4. The bathroom
We don’t have to tell you that this is the germiest place in the home. This is why we mentioned changing the toilet seats earlier.
You want to wear gloves and use a good quality bathroom all-purpose disinfectant cleaner to tackle the following:
- Vacuum or dust the exhaust fan, and then give it a good wipe-down.
- Scrub the shower/tub or, if it is sparkling clean, give it a good wipe with your disinfectant cleaner.
- Wipe down the walls all the way to the baseboards and start at the ceiling.
- Scrub the toilet bowl, tank, and handle, and finish with the floor and bottom of the toilet bowl where traces of drips are likely lurking.
- Open the medicine cabinet and vanity to clean the shelves.
- Wipe down vanity counters, sinks, and faucets.
- Scrub all surfaces, including things like towel racks and light fixtures.
- Clean the mirror.
- If there is a window, clean it, and don’t forget the window sill and top of the window frame.
- Let everything dry, and then vacuum the bathroom floor before giving it a good clean with a mop and floor-appropriate cleaner.
5. Bedrooms
Pack an easy-to-find box or suitcase clearly marked as bed linens. You want to sink into a nice clean bed at the end of your hectic moving day.
Be sure to pack either clean sheets or a new set of sheets and comforter for your new bedroom(s).
You want to also make sure the room is clean before setting up your bed, hitting all of these areas:
- Windows and window sill (if they are dirty)
- Cobwebs and dust from the walls
- The light fixture or ceiling fan
- Door knobs for the bedroom door and closets
- Baseboards
- Vacuum the floors or clean them with a floor-safe cleaner and mop
6. The kitchen
Chances are you are just eating takeout for dinner, as who has the time or the inclination to cook on a moving day?
Also, delivery gives you a grace period before you have to tackle cleaning the kitchen, which is a big job.
In the morning, make a coffee run, so you have the energy to tackle this very long cleaning list:
- Clean the inside of the fridge, taking out the drawers and shelves if they are removable.
- Wash everything with warm soapy water, rinse them, and make sure they are dry before putting them back in the fridge.
- Wipe down all the walls using a mild cleaning product.
- Leave the door open to let everything air out and dry.
- Place a box of baking soda in the fridge to absorb odors.
- Pull the fridge away from the wall and vacuum the dust.
- Wash the floor and then push the fridge back into place.
- Clean the stovetop and scrub away any grime.
- Wipe down the inside of the oven.
- Pull out the oven from the wall and vacuum and clean the floors; then, push it back into place.
- Clean the counters and sink using a safe cleaner and disinfectant spray.
- Scrub the sink and tap, and sprinkle some baking soda down the drain.
- If there’s a garbage disposer, feed in a few lemon slices to refresh it.
- Wipe down the cabinet faces, and vacuum the shelves and drawers.
- Check under the sink and give the area a thorough cleaning.
- Sweep the floor and then mop it with a floor-safe cleaning product.
Related Article: Move In Move Out Cleaning Services: A Complete Guide
7. Everywhere else
Finally, take care of the following cleaning chores in the remaining living space:
- Dust from ceiling to floor.
- Use an all-purpose cleaner on all the walls and switch plates.
- Disinfect frequently touched areas like doorknobs and window handles.
- Vacuum, including halls and stairs.
- Mop all hard surface floors with a floor-save cleaner.
- Clean the windows if they need it.
- Clean the closets, including light fixtures, shelves, and floors.
If you have a laundry room, be sure to clean the lint tray, vacuum up all the lint, and dust in and around the dryer. Then, wipe down the washer and dryer inside and out.
A thorough cleaning helps make you feel more at home.
If this work seems like way too much trouble, you can depend on our team at Ana Cleaning Service to provide a professional move-in cleaning in Northern Virginia.
For more information, you can contact us online or call us at 240-485-4045.
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