They say that moving home is one of life’s most stressful events, but it can also be one of the most exciting. But if you want to truly savour those first few days in your new property, it needs to be spotlessly clean.
Even if your new house appears clean, you won’t have the peace of mind that comes from knowing it has been cleaned to your standards. And if it’s not clean, you’ll want to put an action plan in place as soon as possible.
Before you move into your new home, prepare a cleaning checklist incorporating four simple steps.
1. Plan a cleaning day in advance
The only way you will be able to thoroughly clean your new home is by spending at least a day cleaning it before you move anything in. The likelihood is the previous owners will give the property a quick clean before leaving, but they probably won’t put their heart and soul into it like you will.
An empty house is a blank canvass that makes most jobs far simpler. With no hefty appliances and furniture to clean around, you’ll be able to get some detailed cleaning done that will pay dividends for months afterwards.
2. Take a systematic approach to cleaning
Once you have set aside a cleaning day, you can start to formulate a structured plan of action. As dirt and dust follow the laws of gravity, it’s usually best to start upstairs.
On a room-by-room basis, start up high and clean light fittings, permanent fixtures, cornices, windowsills and walls. Keep an eye out for cobwebs too. You might also want to sanitise door handles, light switches and anything in the rooms of your home that come into regular contact with hands.
A normal sanitiser spray should suffice as your main cleaning agent, but it might be necessary to use some specialised cleaning products if the previous owners haven’t paid you the courtesy of cleaning the property before leaving.
Cleaning the floors of an empty house should be a breeze. Using a decent vacuum cleaner for carpets, and a steam cleaner for those hard floors or laminate, the clear surfaces should be up to your standard in no time.
3. Take the opportunity to clean areas of your home that won’t get cleaned again
This is your chance to clean areas of your home that you won’t have either the time or the opportunity to clean again once all your furniture is in situ. Get your scrubbing brushes and cloths at the ready and clean the insides of your cupboards, behind your radiators, in and around vents and fans and the areas behind where your major appliances will stand. You’ll then have the piece of mind to know that they’re in their best condition before you move your furniture in.
4. Sanitise
The bathroom, toilet and kitchen are the areas of the home where hygiene is paramount, so it’s a good idea to tackle these areas with some powerful cleaning agents.
Before you start bringing your possessions and appliances into your new kitchen, sanitise all the work surfaces, taps, cupboard handles and light switches. In the bathroom, set aside at least a couple of hours to scrub and sanitise the bathtub or shower cubicle. And don’t forget the toilet seat, the flush handle, taps, light switches and any surfaces that come into regular contact with hands. Finish off by cleaning and sanitising the floors. Once again, a Shark steam mop is ideal for the job.
By taking a systematic, comprehensive approach to cleaning your new house, it will be both clean and sanitary by the time you move in. Then all you need to do is move in your items to make your house a home!
