If you are planning to relocate soon, it’s important to do the move out cleaning and leave your former home in top condition for the new owners or renters. Renters will have to conduct a deep move out house cleaning to get their security deposit back. How clean should your house be when you move out? If you are a renter, you are well aware that some landlords require the place to be returned to its former condition. And if you’re sellers, it’s customary to leave the property tip-top for the new owners. So, let’s see what’s included in a house move out cleaning, assuming you don’t have a maid providing services at your disposal and you have to do everything by yourself without help.
How Long Does It Take to Do a Move Out Clean
If you are moving out for the first time, you are probably not sure how long it would take to make everything neat. It’s not the same if you’re doing an apartment move out cleaning, or you’re preparing a property for selling. The first thing you should do when you estimate the time needed is to think about the size of the property and how well taken care of it already is. Renters are usually required to do a deep clean of the property and it requires more time if they’re not using professional service. Before the moving day arrives, maybe you have decided to donate unwanted items, so you have more free space and the apartment or the house is easier to vacuum clean.
How to Handle Move Out Cleaning – Here’s a Useful Cleaning Supplies and Tools List to Help You
Thorough house cleaning after moving out can’t be done without some essential supplies and tools. This list should also be included in things you need for your first apartment, not just for moving out. Tidying and scrubbing are also among the things to do after moving, so buying those supplies for your new place is necessary. If you’re not using a move-in cleaning service, you should also pack them with the essentials, so you can easily reach them when unpacking after a move. Here’s our list:
- Vacuum cleaner,
- Bucket,
- Flat mop,
- Microfiber cloths,
- Dustpan and a broom,
- Rubber gloves,
- All-purpose spray,
- Glass spray,
- Wood spray,
- Disinfectant,
- Tile cleaner with bleach,
- Toilet bowl cleaner.
Where to Start – Clean Your House From the Top
Break your tidying work into stages, so you don’t get too exhausted and overwhelmed. Start with the top of those shelves, cabinets, and other places in your home that are harder to reach, like ceiling fans. That way, you won’t have to sweep the floors twice, after you’ve accidentally thrown dust and dirt on an already wiped floor. Wipe down the walls and bring down all the cobwebs with a microfiber mop, or you could use rolls of paper towels.
Time for Cabinets
Open cabinets and closets and make sure to wipe off all of the dirt and dust from inside shelves and hanging rods. When the kitchen cabinets are empty, it’s easy to spot any crumbs that are usually stuck there. Also, this could be a good opportunity to double-check for any personal belongings that you might have left behind. The last step of this stage is to remember to vacuum the closet floors.
Important Step – Cleaning Appliances
Grab paper towels and all-surface spray to wipe the outside of appliances. They should be cleansed of any finger markings, but this could also be achieved if you mix vinegar and water. You should pay special attention to the inside of the fridge and freezer. These areas should be disinfected, but in this time of the pandemic, you probably already know how to make your home and your life coronavirus-proof, so disinfection is a daily routine for you. The microwave, stovetop, and inside of the oven, should be scrubbed with special care and it could be done with a paste made of baking soda and water. You can see some of these steps done in the following video.
Bring Out Your Vacuum Cleaner – The Next Best Thing To a Cleaning Service
Your floors should be given a once-over with a vacuum cleaner, and while you are at it, don’t neglect other surfaces that are harder to reach. This includes staircases, nooks, and all the other corners of your home, that are maybe not cleaned in your daily routine. After all of your belongings are taken out by the long distance moving company, vacuum those areas that had large pieces of furniture over them, like a bed.
Leave the Bathrooms Neat and Tidy
It’s time to roll up your sleeves and step into the bathroom. Clean all surfaces to remove any dust and mold. Bathtubs, sinks, showers, and toilets need proper and thorough scrubbing. You’re also going to do it on the move-out day, once you’ve used the packing services and the long distance moving experts have left.
Mop the Floors
Everything is almost cleaned and it’s understandable that you are feeling like your own maid. But, now it’s time to mop all floors thoroughly, for the ultimate tidiness feel. Whether you do it with that vinegar and warm water mixture, or with some other cleaning supply, it’s up to you.
When all is cleaned, it will probably make you appreciate services done by a maid even more.
Keep the Stress Away and Hire Cleaners for Their Services
Whatever your reasons to move are, relocation to a new place is never easy. With all the stress attached to organizing, packing, and planning everything, you should consider taking every step to secure a stress-free moving experience. After you have made contact with long distance movers for their moving services and maybe auto transport, think about hiring a professional cleaning services company. You should make the decision of hiring this service if your security deposit is on the line.
And if you’re interested in how much does a move-out cleaning cost, contact a professional service so they can make an estimate based on the size and condition of the property. Hiring them means that you will have more free time on your hands and maybe throw the best packing party before you leave your home.
