We all need to move out or into a home at one point or the other for jobs, studies, business, etc. While it signifies an exciting transition in life, it can lead to immense stress. You need to take care of a lot of things, ranging from the decoration of a new home, to packaging, to hiring a moving company, to name a few. You also have to clean both your old place and your new one. Following this moving cleaning checklist will help with that.
Cleaning the new or old house is a challenging task associated with moving out. You have to declutter the entire home. You need to keep in mind that moving out cleaning does not mean just cleaning part of your apartment or home.
Instead, you need to pay the prerequisite attention to the minute details so that it is habitable by you or the next occupant. You need to adopt the right cleaning approach so that your moving experience becomes worry-free and smooth.
Living Space
Cleaning the living space includes removing dust from the outlets, switches, and light fixtures. All you need to do is spray an all-purpose cleaner onto a microfiber cloth and use it for wiping down the light switches, light fixtures, and outlets.
You should also make sure to clean the top and front of each of the doors with a paper towel and dish soap. You can use a mixture of 10-12 drops of essential oil such as tea tree and lavender along with a half cup of white vinegar and 3 cups of water for preparing the cleaning spray.
Cleaning the walls is another vital aspect of a move out cleaning. This includes removing any scuff marks. To do this, you need to take a broom covered with a towel. Then, you should wipe the walls to the baseboard from the top.
Hardwood Floors and Carpets
Removal of those unwanted stains from the carpet is another essential aspect of the move out cleaning checklist. To do this, you should prepare a mixture comprising 2 parts water and one part vinegar and wet a rag with the mixture. Keep the wet rag on the stain and set an iron for steaming.
Now, you need to iron the upper part of the rag for around 30 seconds. Deep mopping is the best option to clean a hardwood floor. Tenants can make a mop solution at home by mixing one gallon of warm water and a half cup of vinegar.
Bathroom
To clean the bathroom and restore its beauty before moving out, you need to wipe out the tub, shower, and tiles of the bathroom, followed by bleaching of the grout. Also, you will make sure to clean the vanity, bathroom drawers, mirrors, and get all the unwanted hair out from them.
Again, you should ensure to clean the sink, toilet, and countertop, along with the floor. You will need to sweep and mop the floor. In case you find that the toilet seat is looking unsavory, you need to replace it. You can also consider vacuuming the exhaust fan’s surface if you feel that it has become super dusty.
Removing Cobwebs From the Ceiling
Do not forget those cobwebs in the ceiling. To remove them, you can use a vacuum cleaner or broom for clearing them out. In case the home has a popcorn ceiling, you should roll a damp high nap paint roller on your home’s ceiling for picking out those cobwebs and dust.
Checking the Smoke Detector
If you find that the smoke detector has been beeping, it is necessary to replace the battery. However, you should make sure that all the smoke alarms come with working batteries. The majority of them have a test button that can be pressed to check the battery life. If you get a nonexistent or weak signal, it means that it is time to install new batteries.
Removal of Patch Walls and Nails
Removal of the patch walls and nails are an essential part of move out cleaning. You need to paint the patch walls and paint the same with the same color, like the walls for restoring the same to the original state. Also, you should utilize a putty knife to apply the product.
Wiping the Refrigerator
You need to clean the refrigerator as an integral part of the move out cleaning checklist. This means throwing out all expired food products and removing all contents in the fridge. Put food items in a cooler until they can be refrigerated again.
To clean the exterior and interior part of the refrigerator, you can make a mixture with 7 parts water and 1 part baking soda and fill a spray bottle. Now, use the spray for wiping the doors, drawers, and handles.
Cleaning the Disposal, Drain, and Sink
It is also necessary to clear a slow drain to maintain the good condition of your home before moving out. You can prepare two parts distilled white vinegar and one part baking soda. First, you pour the baking soda into the drain, disposal, and sink, and then pour the vinegar in slowly. Then allow the bubbly mix to sit for about 15 minutes and rinse with warm water.
For cleaning the sink basin, you can use hot water and little dish soap. Then dry with a microfiber cloth.
Cleaning the Oven
You can utilize the auto-clean setting of the oven for doing the dirty work. You can clean the oven by mixing baking soda and water to form a paste, which you can brush on the inner part of the oven.
Avoid the heating coils while cleaning the oven. After drying, spray white distilled vinegar on the rest of the residue and wipe clean. Wash the racks and grates as well.
Cleaning out the Pantries and Cabinets
You should make sure to clean the pantries and cabinets and tossing all expired foods. Other than this, remove the shelf liners and wipe the shelves down with a damp cloth. Remove any crumbs using a vacuum cleaner with brush attachment.
Sanitizing the Countertops
For cleaning the countertops, you can use an all-purpose cleaner or sanitizing wipes.
In case you find any discolored grout and stains, prepare a paste of vinegar and baking soda and apply it to the area. Allow it to sit for some time, and then use a scrubbing brush for restoring the countertops to their original state. Wipe the countertops with paper towels, or a damp and warm cloth.
Polishing the Mirrors
Polishing the mirrors is another vital aspect of the move out checklist. You should make sure that the mirror in the washroom, bedroom, or any other part of your home is devoid of any fingerprint and streaks. For polishing the bathroom mirror, spray glass cleaner, which is ammonia-based, on the mirror directly.
Then, using a lint-free and dry cloth, wipe the surface of the mirror from the top to its bottom. It is advisable to wipe the surface in a circular motion to get a streak and fingerprint free mirror.
The Garage and the Yard
Don’t forget to clean the yard and garage if you are planning to move out of the home. It is essential to assure that the garage should be swept and empty. To clean the yard, pull the weeds and cut the grass. Ensure you remove any decorations hung from the trees or stuck into the ground.
Patch all holes before moving out. It is a must to make those repairs so that your house owner does not charge extra for fixing them. Again, you can use white paint and a bleach pen to remove marks and stains present in the bathtub and the sink.
Once you have completed the above-mentioned move out checklist, you should ask the landlord to do a move out inspection once you have cleaned the whole apartment and moved out your belongings. In case there have been any damages, make sure to explain the damage.
Some homeowners will grant permission to you to paint, whereas others do not allow the use of even small nails within the walls. Hence, if you are willing to make any sort of major changes like painting the room, make sure to get the permission of the landlord in writing so that there are no conflicts later on.
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We hope you found this blog post The Ultimate Move Out / Move In Home Cleaning Checklist useful. Be sure to check out our post Detailed Move Out Cleaning Checklist You Should Know for more great tips!
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