You should always leave your old property spotless before you move out. To help alleviate some of the stress, here are 10 tips on doing a final cleaning before moving home.
1. Hire professional cleaners
If you don’t have the time or the ability to do a thorough final clean before moving house, it is worthwhile hiring a professional cleaner to give you a hand. For tenants, hiring an experienced cleaner will ensure that your rental property is restored to its original level of cleanliness before you started your tenancy, giving you a greater chance of getting your rental bond back from your landlord. This is especially true for a final clean. Whilst many people can do a regular weekly clean, a final clean involves significantly more than a regular once-over.
2. Prepare cleaning products
If you decide to go through with the cleaning on your own, make sure you have all your cleaning equipment and supplies to hand. Store your cleaning products in a portable container to speed up the cleaning process.
3. Remove your furniture
It’s best to do a final clean only after the removalists have been and all your furniture and belongings have been removed from the property. This way, you’ll be able to clean the hard-to-reach places without any objects blocking your way.
4. Clean up high first
Features close to the ceiling like fans and suspended light fixtures don’t get cleaned regularly and are prone to collecting dust. To avoid getting dust and dirt on your freshly cleaned surfaces, begin by cleaning features that are higher up and work your way down.
5. Start with the kitchen
Clean the kitchen appliances first, followed by the countertops and then the cabinets. Make sure you clean both the interior and exterior of the cabinets, and pay special attention to their handles.
6. Proceed with the bathrooms
Ensure all your bathroom products are dry and packed away into moving boxes prior to beginning the bathroom clean. Scrub down all areas of the bathroom with dish soap and a sponge. Follow up with an antibacterial spray to eliminate any lingering germs. Don’t forget to disinfect easily overlooked areas such as the light switches, door handles and toilet paper holder.
7. Tackle the other rooms
For the rest of the areas in the property, clean item by item rather than room by room. Ensure that you dust and wipe down commonly neglected surfaces such as windows, closet interiors and the tops of doors.
8. Outdoor areas
Remove leaves from the pool, empty and clean rubbish bins, and make sure the bushes, grass and trees aren’t overgrown. Don’t miss the cobwebs and clean any outdoor furniture.
9. Car garage
Ensure that the garage is empty. Dust and wipe down built-in furniture, window sills and lighting. Remove oil stains from the garage floor or in the driveway.
10. Finish with the floors
Use a vacuum attachment to clean edges and corners, and follow up by sweeping away all remaining dirt and debris. Finish by mopping using a product that’s safe for the floor surface you’re cleaning.
This article was written by Hire Storage, a Melbourne removalist and storage company.
