Cleaning For A Move: How To Prepare Your Home For Sale Or Rent

The first impression is crucial when selling or renting out your home in Northern Virginia.

So, if you plan to sell or rent your residential property, make it stand out in the real estate market.

Cleaning is one of the most imperative aspects that can help you attract potential buyers across the city.

Make sure you deep clean the rooms and exterior areas to keep dust, dirt, stubborn stains and grime at bay.

Here are some great cleaning tips to help prepare your home for a quick sale or rent.

Cleaning Tips For A Move

Let’s Get Started!

Start by De-cluttering Your Home

Believe it or not! Messy rooms and floor clutter can distract potential home buyers or renters because they want to envision themselves in a tidy, organized space.

So, walk through your abode and get rid of unwanted items, such as old furniture, appliances, electronic items, clothing, books, etc.

This will make the property look spacious and keep the dirt at bay. You can divide household items into the following categories:

• Keep
• Donate
• Sell
• Toss

Clean From Top-to-Bottom

After purging each room, you can begin the cleaning process.

Many professionals follow the top-to-bottom approach when performing a professional home cleaning Northern Virginia.

You should also follow the same rule and ensure each surface is cleaned properly.

Remove dust and grime from the ceiling walls, fans, picture frames, and windows and make your way towards furniture, carpets and floors.

This will save you a lot of time and energy.

Pay Attention to the Kitchen

The kitchen is one of the dirtiest areas of the house.

Filthy kitchen appliances, stain-laden countertops and greasy stovetops and cabinets can create a negative first impression and make the entire house less appealing for sale.

Here is a quick kitchen cleaning guide:

• Remove dust, grease and stains from shelves and cupboards
• Clean inside and out of cabinets
• Wipe down countertops
• Remove grease, stuck food particles and grime from oven and microwave
• Deep clean refrigerator inside and out
• Scrub stovetop and knobs
• Clean and disinfect sinks and faucets
• Remove stains from tiles and grout lines
• Mop the floor

Learn more about: Expert Kitchen Cleaning Hacks To Save Time & Effort

Clean and Disinfect Bathrooms

Landlords in Northern Virgina are responsible for maintaining the set cleaning standards when renting out a house.

They must provide renters and tenants a clean, well-maintained, and habitable living environment.

This includes a thorough cleaning and disinfection of bathroom surfaces.

The areas like showerheads, walls, glass doors, bathtubs and tile grouts can harbour harmful germs and bacteria that can lead to various diseases.

So, make a proper checklist and deep clean these areas. Make sure you clean the toilet bowl to remove brown stains and calcium deposits using vinegar and warm water.

If you are transiting between tenants, then it is the current tenant’s responsibility to maintain the cleaning standards by hiring professional Northern Virginia cleaning services before the final move-out.

Tackle Mould and Mildew

Mould infestation can lead to various health hazards, such as respiratory disorders, skin allergies, asthma, etc.

If you are selling your home, inspect the moist or humid areas of your property for mould and mildew spores.

Check the bathroom surfaces, shower curtains, kitchen areas, basement walls, carpets, etc and remove mould using the following tips:

1. Spray white vinegar over the affected area
2. Leave it for 10 to 20 minutes
3. Scrub off using a brush or sponge
4. Sprinkle baking soda and scrub again
5. Rinse and wipe dry to prevent further infestation.

Clean Windows and Blinds

There is no denying that sparkling clean windows can bring in more sunlight and make rooms look brighter. This is a great feature when attracting potential home buyers and renters.

Start by removing dust and grime from the windowsills, panes and frames using a vacuum machine or a dry cloth.

Clean and maintain window screens by washing both sides using vinegar solution. Run a squeegee to get rid of excess water.

It will leave your windows streak-free. Apart from this, vacuum your blinds to get rid of accumulated dust and debris. Paying attention to small things can help you sell the house at the best price.

Keep Your Carpets Clean

In the first phase, run a vacuum machine to fetch embedded dust, dirt, pet hair, dead skin cells.

This will also improve the indoor air quality. In the second step, remove stains, spills and splatters using the blotting method.

Improve the Curb Appeal of Exteriors

The exterior areas of your home should be thoroughly cleaned and well-maintained because it is the first thing people see.

Remove dust and grime from the driveway and front porch, and wash the siding and concrete surfaces using the pressure washing method.

You can also consider time-saving cleaning hacks if you are busy in other important tasks and keep a house clean all day long.

Related article: 5 Cleaning Hacks That Don’t Actually Work

Take Professional Assistance

Is your current tenant running at the end of their lease period? This is the best time to find the new ones.

If you are selling a home, hire a good cleaning company in your city that can spruce up your home for a quick sale.

Other Important Tips

• Fix property damages, such as leaky taps, cracked windows, doors and cabinets.
• Pest Control the entire property
• Paint the walls using warm neutral colours to make your rooms spacious
• Renovate your kitchen area
• Depersonalize your home, and much more
• Hire a professional real estate agent to sell your house quickly.

Wrapping Up

Cleaning a home thoroughly before selling or renting out is a time-taking process.

Consider these tips and maintain a tidy abode to attract potential home buyers and renters. You can also market your house in the local market and get the best deal quickly.