We here at Minch Professional Cleaning Services are experts at applying a little elbow grease to those hard-to-reach places and deep-set stains that lurk in the corners and hidden spots of homes everywhere. We’ve got years of experience helping homeowners clean up their homes for showings or a final move, and so we thought it might be helpful to our readers if we provided a quick, basic guide to tackling the most important aspects of cleaning your home to prepare it for its new owners, or to make sure it’s in great shape for a landlord inspection.
Don’t forget the forgettable! Out of sight, out of mind – until the new owners of your home come across years of buildup when they start to move their furniture in! Don’t forget to clean the following list of places, which you may be horrified to realize you have not touched with a scrub brush since…well, let’s not talk about that.
- Under and behind the fridge – don’t forget the wall behind it!
- Behind the stove and oven (a favorite hiding place for mice, if not cleaned regularly)
- The tops of overhead fan blades
- The baseboards, heating and cooling unit grates and around any radiators
- Medicine cabinets in bathrooms
- The dishwasher – run with a full cup of vinegar inside, which should remove any buildup
- Door knobs
- The bottom edge of countertops (underneath)
- The tops of blinds
- Window ledges
- Electrical fixtures – clean out the grime and insects, especially in outdoor fixtures
Not only is it a nice thing to do for the future owner of your home, but cleaning your house from top to bottom can provide a sense of closure, too.
Consider repainting, especially if you’ve hung a lot of wall art. Many landlords repaint after each tenant moves out (and in many states, they’re legally obliged to do so), but if you suspect that the holes in your walls leftover from hanging framed photos or art will cause your landlord to do a double-take, consider painting over these areas yourself to avoid being charged for damages. A new coat of paint also adds to the overall fresh-and-clean feeling of a room, which will help your overall case. You can also fill in these small holes using spackle, a putty knife, a paint knife, towel and a piece of sandpaper.
Think about calling in the professionals. Moving is a big enough stressor for many people – whether you’re changing apartments solo or moving a big family to an entirely new home, the process is rarely pleasant, though we hope these tips might help you to organize your efforts and save a little time. Nothing is more valuable than peace of mind, however, and if you find yourself overwhelmed by the idea of packing, labeling, organizing, arranging, loading, and all the in-between that comes with the moving process, give us a call! Along with the janitorial services in Bucks County that we’ve built our reputation for excellence on, we do residential home cleaning, too!
