Do you like moving? While it can be exciting to change your home location, the process of packing, organizing, and move-out cleaning can be daunting. Cleaning your place needs to be done before moving in most scenarios, or you won’t get your security deposit back. So, how do you do it well and efficiently?
The easiest way to do it, of course, is to hire professional cleaners. There are several cleaning companies on the market offering their services, so you can choose one to help you. If you can allow it in your budget, then no worries. But with some preparation, you can handle the cleaning task yourself!
With a good plan in place and a set of cleaning tools, you can do it well without feeling overwhelmed. The best time to do the move-out cleaning is after removing the furniture or belongings. That way, you don’t have to move the furniture around back and forth and can’t miss spots. It’s way easier to clean an empty house than a house full of boxes and furniture.
Another way to do it is to clean all of your belongings and furniture before it goes into the moving truck, so it’s clean for you in the new place, and then you clean the rooms after. Which one you prefer is up to you and depends on how much time you have available before moving out. Either way, it’s good to do the final cleaning after moving all of your belongings and furniture.
First, make sure you have all the proper equipment; rubber gloves, broom, a dustpan, cleaning cloths, different kinds of brushes, mop, bucket, vacuum, disinfectants, bathroom cleaner, and glass cleaner. Put on some tunes to get you in the right mood and make the cleaning process less boring.
The Kitchen
The kitchen is usually the dirtiest place in the house. It will generally take more time and energy, so you might want to start with the kitchen. Start by getting the right kitchen cleaning products – they are designed to clear the grease and stains. There are unique oven cleaning products that will make it easier to scrub all the greasy or burned stains inside the oven or microwave. Some cleaners require little scrubbing if left on the stove surface for a few minutes to dissolve the stains.
Here is what you need to clean in the kitchen:
- Cupboards and counters.
- Fridge – empty and defrost, then wash inside and outside.
- Microwave – inside and outside.
- Stove – inside and outside.
- Dishwasher.
- Hood and fans.
- Tables and chairs.
- Windows and window sills.
- Doors and door frames.
- Sinks and taps.
- Walls.
- Floors.
- Blinds.
- Light fixtures.
The Bathroom
The next thing you will need to tackle is bathrooms. It’s a good idea to sanitize all surfaces along with cleaning. So you can use cleaning products with sanitizing properties (toilet cleaner and bathroom cleaner) on the tub and sink. Here is the list of things to clean in the bathroom:
- Vanity, cupboards, and counters.
- Tab and tiles – use a cleaner that removes soap scum, and you can use bleach on tile grit to prevent mold.
- Showers.
- Walls.
- Doors, handles, and frames.
- Baseboards.
- Toilets; inside, outside, and behind.
- Ledges and surfaces dusted.
- Mirror and glass surfaces – use glass cleaner.
- Light switches, plugs, and fixtures.
- Windows and window sills.
- Floor – wash well and use sanitizing products.
- Blinds.
The Bedrooms
Bedrooms and other rooms are usually more straightforward. Here is the list you can follow:
- Wash the walls.
- Empty the closets and wipe shelves and the inside of the closet with a warm soapy cloth.
- Wash the windows with the glass cleaner.
- Mop and the floors with the warm soapy water.
- Steam clean the carpet. If you have stained or overly dirty carpets, it’s a good idea to steam clean the carpets and spot clean the stains. You will need a unique carpet cleaner. If you have odors from pets, steam cleaning the carpet is a must, and you can use a carpet cleaner that helps eliminate odors.
- Wash light fixtures, light switches, and outlets.
- Take out the garbage and wash garbage bins
- Sweep out of the garage if you have one.
General cleaning
Here are some general cleaning tips:
- Do the “dry” cleaning first – dusting, vacuuming, and sweeping. It’s much easier and quicker to wash surfaces and mop floors when there is no visible dust or crumbs on them.
- Wash the floors last after cleaning all other surfaces. If you wash the floors before and then start dusting, you might get floors dusty and will have to mop them over again.
- Make sure you are using the proper type of cleaner. For example, you don’t want to use toilet cleaner on taps. The harsh chemicals in toilet cleaner can damage the shiny tap surface and make it look faded. Any wood furniture needs cleaning with special wood polish. You can use a regular, slightly damp cloth to wipe the excessive dust before applying the furniture polish.
Once every room is cleaned and checked, pat yourself on the back for the job well done! You are now ready for moving-out property check with your landlord or manager. Good luck, and may your move be peaceful and exciting!