When you move into a new home, you are more likely to unload and unpack your belongings right away. But before you get too excited, there’s one important task you need to do – cleaning!

House cleaning before you move in may seem overwhelming, especially for those who don’t enjoy this chore. Yet, it is rather more convenient to clean a new space since there are few things getting in your way. You can opt to hire a maid cleaning service that will do move-in cleaning for you or simply do it yourself. 

If you don’t mind doing a lot of elbow grease, turn on your favorite playlist and refer to the house cleaning tips below to start your move-in cleaning. 

Clean from top to bottom

According to house cleaning experts, always start dusting and cleaning at the top of each room and work your way down to the floor to avoid redundant work. This includes dusting your ceiling fans, overhead lighting fixtures, shelvings, and other furniture close to the ceiling. One way to clean your ceiling fan blades is to use an old pillowcase and slip it over each blade. Wipe away from the center using the inner part of your pillowcase. This is a very effective way of collecting most of the dust.

Cleaning these high-up features will lead the area below to get filthy and that’s when you start scrubbing the floor. 

Disinfect all high-touch surfaces

Identify all high-touch surfaces in your new home. This includes but is not limited to pens, counters, tables, doorknobs, light switches, handles, faucets, sinks, and toilets. These are surfaces that you shouldn’t forget to disinfect as they may have been touched hundreds of times and most unlikely cleaned by the previous tenants. 

Contamination is very likely to happen for these high-touch surfaces. That said, put a spray bottle of disinfectant near those surfaces. Also, you can schedule your disinfection once daily.

Work your way into your kitchen

Before you clean everything else in your kitchen, make sure to sanitize your fridge first. Take out shelves and drawers and clean them with warm water and soap. Dry them off before returning them to the fridge. 

To clean your fridge surface, make a solution of equal parts water and white vinegar, using a clean rag scrub down the surfaces. Let your solution sit for a few minutes if there’s any sludge. The same steps should be done with your freezer. 

Once your fridge is clean and sanitized, work on the rest of your kitchen space. Always start from the ceiling then the corners and lastly the tops of the cabinets. After, clean the appliances: oven, dishwasher, sink, and countertops. 

If there are smudges or stubborn stains, prepare a solution of baking soda and hydrogen peroxide. Mix baking soda with a small amount of hydrogen peroxide to create a paste. Spread it over your appliances and let it sit for 15 minutes, then scrub it off.

Onto the bathrooms

The bathroom is one part of the house that requires deep cleaning move-in. Treat your new bathroom like a public washroom, because they are previously used by strangers.  

You’ll need dish soap and a sponge to initially scrub down all surfaces, and follow it up with an antibacterial spray for disinfection. It is also advisable to replace toilet seats, to ensure that they are really clean. Don’t forget to clean and sanitize the toilet paper holder, light switches, faucets, and door handles. 

If you suspect any hard water stains on your metal hardware like faucets and showerheads, rub them down with juice from a fresh lemon. The acid will help break down hard water stains and make metal surfaces shine and be spotless. 

If you are not comfortable cleaning the bathroom, you can hire a move-in deep cleaning service to assure that all surfaces are perfectly sanitized. 

Don’t forget to clean and disinfect the tub and shower

Before you soak in your tub or take a quick shower, make sure you’ve cleaned them. These are a few of the areas you need to be meticulous when it comes to cleanliness. Take note, you want to cleanse your body when you go to your tub and shower, right? Therefore, ensuring they are hygienic is a must.

You can use commercial bath cleaning products for this task. Also, adding some fragrance inside your bathroom is also ideal. It helps you relax while having your warm bath or cold shower.

Move on to your bedrooms

Working on an unfinished bedroom is simple- dust the walls, scrub the floors, and wash the windows, then you’re almost done. To finish off, wipe down your switchboards, doorknobs, and handles. 

For the case of a furnished bedroom, it is recommended that it has to undergo move-in deep cleaning. The best way to clean the items such as the bed, closet, and dresser is with a strong disinfectant. Change the covers and use fresh liners for the closet and dresser drawers. Make sure that you also clean the carpets. There are many benefits of carpet cleaning that you just can’t ignore. So, make sure you also spend some time cleaning it up. 

Clean your way toward your living room

If your new living room comes with couches and other furniture, you need to give them a deep cleaning, especially your upholstery. Use all-purpose cleaners to wipe and disinfect your furniture pieces such as TV stands, coffee tables, side tables, and cabinets. Next, disinfect the windows, switchboards, and handles. Lastly, clean the floor by moving your furniture away from the walls. There are pack-out and cleaning services that could help in making this an easy task for you, so make sure you check them out as well. 

Clean your dishwasher and oven

Have you checked the dishwasher, oven, or microwave in the kitchen? When it comes to house cleaning move-in, these are some of the things you need to check. Inspect if there is dust, stains, or grime on those appliances. This is a must since these appliances are used for preparing food and your utensils for eating.

You can also check if there’s no leaking in the dishwasher. This is to avoid flooding your kitchen. Water damage is a pain in your pocket and head.

Mop the floors

When it comes to move-in-out cleaning, the floors are never forgotten. This takes up most of the space and is considered to be a focal point of the house. Spotting those dark or yellow stains on your floor tiles and grouts is easy. If you see them, you need to quickly clean them.

There are a few tile cleaning products you can find in stores. Also, you might consider re-sealing your grouts to improve their resistance to stains and moisture.

If you have hardwood floors, then buffing and polishing them would be essential. This must be part of your move-in cleaning checklist. 

Wipe your cabinets and baseboards

The cabinets in your kitchen and bath are essential features for adding beauty and storage to your home. That said, include that on your move in move-out cleaning tasks. You can use a clean cloth and neutral cleaner for taking out dust and debris on your cabinets and baseboards. A polished cabinet looks great in your kitchen and bath. It adds value and aesthetics to your home. Cleaning your kitchen countertop should also be part of your moving-in cleaning. You want your kitchen to be at least set up soon as you move all your kitchen stuff in the area. If you have a marble countertop, make sure you follow the safest marble countertop cleaning tips before starting off! You don’t want to damage your countertop.

Let’s Wrap Up!

We like to know your thoughts! We hope we have given you enough ideas on how to clean your rental home before moving in. This is essential for your safety and health. Infectious diseases can be everywhere, so it’s best to be safe, and cleaning your rental home is necessary before moving in. 

In case you need help with your move in cleaning, feel free to contact us! We offer competitive rates for our cleaning services. Get a free quote today!

We also offer an online booking appointment service here, or just visit our Houzz page