It’s close to that time of year. It’s that time of year landlords, and apartment owners dread and love all at the same time! It’s move-out/move-in time! This year was a little different, and some college kids already moved out of their houses they were renting with their buddies, but some students stayed. People have kids, or their kids are moving out, and it is time to upsize or downsize. The housing market is off the charts! Guess what that means?! It means, no matter if you’re moving in or moving out, your place needs to be CLEANED! Landlords and Realtors need to make sure what they are advertising is up to par by making sure it is clean and attractive for people to want to move into their new home. It might be your responsibility as the tenant to clean the place and have no idea where to begin. Different services are needed to make sure your home is move-out/move-in clean! You can do these yourself or hire a professional cleaning service, like Spotless, to make sure everything is ready.
Create a Checklist
It is essential to make sure you leave your home clean so the new tenants or owners won’t have that further stress. Or if it is apart of your lease, then you won’t have to worry about getting your deposit back! When your checklist is complete, think of the cleaning supplies needed. Do you own them, or will you need to purchase them? What should you include on your checklist? When cleaning, you can do it room to room or project to project. Whichever works best for you! If you weren’t given a list from your rental property owner, here’s one:
- Leave out all your cleaning supplies.
- Make sure all your stuff is out-it’s that simple. Don’t start cleaning until everything is out of the home. An empty apartment or house will help you gauge what is left to clean. Sometimes it’s best to hire a cleaning service, like Spotless, instead of facing this giant on your own.
- Vacuum everything! The floors, stairs, walls, baseboards, and doors! You want to make sure all the hard to reach places are clean.
- Dust it all! You’ll need to make sure you use a cloth or paper towels and all-purpose cleaner to get the cabinets, bookshelves, countertops, ceiling fans, and walls. Dust can accumulate in the corners of your ceiling, on baseboards, and the top of your appliances. Make sure to dust vents as well!
- If your place came with appliances and you need to leave them- wipe them out and wipe them down! You don’t want to leave a dirty refrigerator or microwave. Use an all-purpose cleaner for those as well. Don’t forget your stovetop and oven.
- Scrub and clean all toilets, tubs, and sinks! Use an all-purpose cleaner or bleach to make sure the kitchen and bathroom sinks are clean. You don’t want to leave a soap scum tub in the bathroom- so scrub that and the shower walls too. There should be no mold, rust, or mildew left behind.
- Double-check your closets. Your closets are where you would store stuff you don’t use daily and your clothes. Make sure you don’t leave shoes or anything behind. Go back and clean them and check that top shelf! You don’t want to leave it dusty or forget a pair of shoes you forgot existed!
- Remove all nails and screws! You probably hung things on the wall to make your place feel more like home- now it’s time to take them down.
- Sweep and mop- yes, you vacuumed already, but when you dust and clean the rest of your home, stuff could get on your floors. Make sure to mop at the end.
The Pros and Cons of Cleaning Your Home When You’re Moving Out/ Moving In
Pros:
- You start with a clean place to put everything.
- All the messes you make will be yours and not the previous tenant or owner.
- You can get your deposit back.
- You can hire a cleaning service instead of doing it yourself.
Cons:
- You’re tired of packing and don’t feel like cleaning.
Cleaning Supplies
Do you know what cleaning supplies you need? Check out this list:
- Vacuum cleaner
- Mop
- Bucket
- Microfiber cloths
- Broom and dustpan
- Flat mop
- Rubber gloves
- Squeegee
- Toilet brush and holder
- All-purpose cleaner
- Window cleaner
- Wood cleaner
- Anti-bacterial spray or wipes
- Tile cleaner with bleach
- Toilet bowl cleaner
- White vinegar
- Baking soda
Here are some other cleaning supplies you might not have thought of using:
- Sponges
- Dish soap
- Steel wool
- Hand towels
- Oven cleaner
- Surface specific cleaner (marble, stainless steel, or granite)
- Grout brush
- Cleaning toothbrush
- Laundry detergent
- Bleach
- Stain remover
- Adhesive remover
- Lint roller
- Spray bottles
- Paper towels
- Extendable duster
- Urine remover (pets)
- Paw wipes (pets)
If you are looking for a more natural cleaning solution, white vinegar, lemon juice, and baking soda work wonders!
Cleaning your home or apartment before moving in and while moving out is important. It makes it easier for those moving in after you and will help give you a clean slate when it comes to putting your belongings in your new home. If you don’t want to deal with the stress or you just hate cleaning that much, hire a cleaning service to help you! It is important to not leave a mess behind for others to deal with. After all, you would hate to move into a new place and see animal hair everywhere and a nasty tub. Give the same consideration to those who will live in your old home.
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