What Are the Best Practices for a Successful Move Out Cleaning?

Moving out cleaning can be a daunting task, but following best practices can make it a breeze. This article provides helpful tips on how to make your move out cleaning as stress-free and efficient as possible.

Whether you’re moving out of state, to another city, to another continent or just another neighborhood across the street, there’s a lot more than packing to be done and you’re going to want to be prepared for it.

Topping it all off, you have to start cleaning the place yourself before you can even list your house on the market or return the keys to the landlord before your lease ends.

Although a move out cleaning can be an overwhelming process, it can be a breeze if you make the right preparations early and is organized.

With regards to cleaning, having a simple moving house checklist definitely helps to keep things organized; approaching it with a plan, however, is what separates a smooth sailing move out cleaning from a complicated one!

We’ve gone ahead and created a list of useful tips to ensure that you tackle move out cleaning the effective and efficient way.

What Are the Best Practices for a Successful Move Out Cleaning?

Pack ALL Your Stuff First

Leave the cleaning for later. Don’t forget the insides of your cabinets and drawers!

When you’ve finished packing all your stuff into suitcases and storage boxes, you’ll find the house in need of cleaning once again.

Moreover, you’ll have much more space to clean efficiently without knickknacks lying all over the place and stalling you.

Move Boxes To One Area In The Home

If you can’t transport the boxes to a storage facility or your new apartment just yet, gather them up and stack them in one corner or a separate room altogether.

This makes it a lot simpler to thoroughly clean the rest of the house without bumping into any of your packed stuff!

When you’re completely moved out, you can tidy the areas that housed your boxes and touch up the rest of the place if needed.

Do a final walk-through to check that nothing has been left behind.

Clean from Top to Bottom Always

Start your move out cleaning by eliminating cobwebs and dust from the ceilings lights and ceiling fans.

We advise wearing a face mask for this as the dust and dirt will become airborne as you start cleaning the higher areas.

You can get up on a step ladder to do this or simply place a rag over your mop/broom and secure with a rubber band for a makeshift, long-reach duster!

Next, start wiping across the walls from the very top and slowly move your way down, while changing to clean rags as it gets dirty.

For any pesky wall stains, take a damp cloth that has been wrung properly and gently rub over them so that you don’t damage the paint or wall while cleaning.

Change water frequently.

Polish Windows and Door Frames

Free your window frames, ledges, glass panes and tracks of dirt with a good wipe down.

Use a window cleaner to remove stains or marks from the glass and brighten up the frames by wiping them with a slightly damp cloth.

Vacuum or wipe the tracks. Likewise, do the same for your doors and door-frames around the house for a thorough cleaning of the place.

Wipe Wall Plates and Light Switch Covers

They are one of those household items that is often overlooked when it comes time for house cleaning.

Over time, fingerprints, paint, grime accumulates to form a gummy layer.

Spray the cleaner directly on the cloth (not on the plate) and wipe.

Clean Kitchen Counters and Cabinets

Depending on the condition of your kitchen counters and cabinets, a deep clean may be in order.

After all, the kitchen is a place that landlords will scrutinize with a microscope prior to returning your deposit.

Anyone moving in will expect their kitchen to smell good and be sanitized which may require you to go the extra mile to achieve!

Sweep/Mop/Vacuum the Entire House

It’s best to sweep, vacuum or mop the entire house at the same time.

This is because when you sweep and mop one room at a time, dirt and dust from other rooms can easily be transferred into a room that has just been cleaned.

This extends the entire process unnecessarily.

Start with sweeping and/or vacuuming each room thoroughly and then mop the floors for a lasting shine. Change water frequently.

Save Bathrooms for Last

Why? During your overall move out cleaning, you and other family member or helpers will be using the bathrooms often.

It’s wiser to clean them after everyone is almost done with using it.

Of course, they will be dirty by now so it’s going to take a deep clean to get those surfaces spotless and gleaming again. Use a dry cloth to polish the mirrors and bathtubs.

While we believe you are fully capable of a successful move out cleaning, Ana Cleaning Service would be more than happy to assist you in your move out cleaning to ensure that your former house is left immaculate for the next owners!