The New Home Deep Clean: What to Clean When You Move

There are so many possibilities for a new house or apartment: naked walls, uncluttered rooms, and an empty canvas to build yourself a home on. However, before you start going to a new position on the fun bits, you’ll need to take care of the basics. The new home that is, deep clean.

There are a few steps to be taken in the cleaning process, but in just 1-day or 2, with some elbow grease and maybe another pair of helping hands (thanks, mom!), you can make your place look fresh and new as possible.

Below are some ideas for getting you on the move.

Clean high before you clean low

1. Dirt isn’t limited to countertops and walls. Ceiling fans, shelving, overhead lighting fixtures and other features near the ceiling are as likely to get dirty, but they (a) don’t get washed as much as they do, and (b) appear to spray dirt and dust on the space below them when they do get a scrub down. Because cleaning such high-up features will eventually lead to the area below them being a little dirty too, in each room, start at the top and then work your way down.
2. Pro tip  Ceiling fan blades on the roof are infamous for dropping water. Slide an old pillowcase over-blade and clean the inside of the top layer of the pillowcase from the center of the fixture to minimize the collateral damage. In the situation, much of the escaping dust is gathered, which you can only clean or cast once you are done.

If you’re cleaning post-move, do the fridge first

1. Some items that you can put off when washing up everything, but storing your perishable food isn’t one of them. Start by sanitizing your new fridge before you get to anything else. It shouldn’t take more than 20 minutes, because it’s clear of any food. 
2. Pro tip: If you’re struggling with some gritty grime from the fridge that won’t just budge, boil some water and pour it on. Put your muscles to work once the water is cool enough to touch, and give it a deep scrub. The gunk will be coming off.

Do the rest of the kitchen

1. When the fridge is clean, the rest of the kitchen can be put to work. Follow step one and continue with the luminaires, ceiling corners, and cabinet tops. Then do the appliances: stove, refrigerator, microwave, dishwasher, and sink, then, of course, countertops. Next, do the cabinets, make sure to clean them both inside and outside, and pay special attention to their handles. Keep on for now doing the board. Start doing the board for now. Hold off for now on doing the floor.
2. Pro tip: Baking soda and hydrogen peroxide is a strong option to get rid of stubborn stains in stovetop. In a small tub, pour the baking soda and add just enough hydrogen peroxide to create a paste. Spread over the oven and allow it to sit for 15 minutes, then clean.

Onto the bathrooms

1. Cleaning the bathroom is about disinfecting as much as being about spotless surfaces. Sponge and blue dawn dish soap are all you need to start, but make sure to use an antibacterial spray to get rid of any remaining germs. Go ahead and swap them for toilet seats. This is a small cost and the most successful way of ensuring that they are very clean.
2. Don’t forget the unexpected areas you might trip over during a typical day of bathroom cleaning when you are washing up. In addition to the usual suspects, make sure the toilet paper holder, light switches, faucets, and door handles are also washed and sanitized.
3. Pro tip: Hard water stains can be difficult to clean on metal hardware such as the faucets and showerheads. Brush them with juice from a new lemon, to make it easier. The acid is useful in breaking down flecks of hard water and making metal surfaces shine like fresh.

Tackle the rest of the space

1. For the remainder of the cleaning process, go item by item, rather than room by room. You’ll want to do this top-down per step one, so start with the ceiling. Do not forget the easily ignored items, such as door tops, window and window frames, light switches, and interiors for closets. A decent vacuum attachment can help you suck up the dirt and dust for most of these areas, which can then be followed up with clean damp rags.
2. Pro tip: If the sun is at its height, don’t wash the window, because it’ll be difficult to see grime and streaks. Wait till evening, or at least start with shadowed windows.

Finish with the floors

1. You begin from top to bottom, so end from the bottom. For wood, tile, and linoleum floors, using a vacuum attachment to clean edges and corners and then sweep the remaining debris. Do not vacuum the entire surface unless your vacuum has been designed specifically to do so. Finish by mopping, making sure that you use a product that is suitable for the surface on which you are using it.
2. You’ll want to use a steam cleaner for a truly effective carpet scrub. Call in a specialist to do the job or rent one from a local hardware store if you don’t own one.
3. Pro tip: Combine equal parts of water and bleach in a tub to clean the scratched or soiled grout, then use a toothbrush to scrub. Let the solution sit for about an hour, and scrub clean.

And you’re done! That wasn’t so bad, right? A good REALTOR® can aide you make the right offer for the property you’re interested in buying. For free valuation, contact us at 401-396-2888. We’re always glad to help!