Moving from one residence to another is an unavoidable part of every adult’s life—whether it be from one apartment to another, an apartment to an owned home, an older home to a newer one, and so on.
While pre-move-out cleaning may not be an absolute requirement (though often it is a condition of sale), at the very least it is a considerate thing to do when leaving a place you’ve lived in so that the next tenant or owner can enjoy a clean residence and minimal ‘move-in cleaning’ responsibilities.
So, here are some move-out cleaning tips you’ll want to know and put into practice, before and/or when the big day arrives.
1. Dust
Before you begin packing, dust EVERYTHING!
Moving day will be bad enough (lol), so don’t make it worse by packing boxes full of dusty and dirty items that you’ll just end of cleaning when it’s time to pull them out and put them back up on the shelves of your new place.
And dust all the shelves on the furniture you’re moving, too!
2. Do The Laundry
Wash and dry every single bit of laundry that you can, as close to moving day as you can.
You never know how long it may take to get your washer and dryer hooked up in your new home—and it’s possible they could even be damaged during the move and need to be fixed or replaced.
And you won’t want to run out of clean clothes!
Remember that a lot of your clothing will be packed away and not easily accessible.
3. Clean Your Washer And Dryer
Speaking of your washer and dryer—find some time before moving day to clean them up inside and out.
And, if possible, move them temporarily so you can clean the floors beneath where they were sitting.
Trust us, those floors will need cleaning!
Even if you’ve sold these appliances with the house, you’ll still want to leave them in great shape for the new owner.
4. Clean The Refrigerator
While we’re on the topic of appliances, if you’re taking your refridgerator with you to the new home, give it a good clean before moving day arrives.
It may seem like a good idea to wait until moving day (when you’re emptying out the fridge) to clean it—but trust us, you’ll have lots of more important things to attend to.
Instead, pick a day pre-move to pull everything out, while you still have the extra time to spare.
You can do a thorough clean of the shelves, drawers, and inside walls, and this will also give you the opportunity to go through the contents and get rid of what you don’t need (like that bottle of salad dressing that’s been sitting in the back of the fridge for eight or nine months).
5. Everything Else… Including The Kitchen Sink
And be sure to give your kitchen sink, oven, stove, and microwave a good and thorough cleaning as well.
6. The Bathrooms
Don’t forget the bathrooms!
De-scale your shower heads by submerging them in vinegar.
Scrub down the shower walls and floors, the bathtubs, and (as close to moving day as possible) the toilets.
Not just in the tank, either. Make sure you clean the outside of the tank, the seats, and around the base of the toilet.
7. On Move-Out Day
OK, moving day has finally arrived!
That’s the good news; the bad news is you still have some move-out cleaning to do.
Here’s a checklist of items to take care of on the day itself:
- Make sure all kitchen drawers and cabinets are empty, then vacuum them out.
- Vacuum out the bathroom cabinets & drawers as well, and wipe down the mirrors.
- If you have walk-in closets with built-in shelving, be sure to clean those, as well.
- If you’re leaving appliances behind, clean around, behind, and underneath them as much as possible.
- Wipe down all countertops in the kitchen and bathrooms.
- Give your showers and tubs a final wipe-down, and be sure to clean any hair from the drains.
- Dust all surfaces, and don’t forget the light fixtures!
- It’s probably not necessary to clean the window exterior surfaces, but you should certainly clean them on the inside.
- One of the last things you’ll want to do, after all the boxes and pieces of furniture have been moved out, is vacuum your carpets and mop all the non-carpeted floors.
- Don’t forget the garage! Sweep it out thoroughly, along with any utility closets.
Conclusion
There you have it!
You can now rest well, knowing you’ve left behind a clean domicile for the new owners.
And if all of this cleaning seems like more than you can handle, give us a call!
At RCH, we do an extremely thorough, professional job of pre- and post-moving cleaning.
We look forward to helping you when it’s time for your next move!
