One of the hardest things that most of us go through several times in our lives is moving. We have to uproot everything, try to organize and move our whole lives to another location. It is physically and emotionally exhausting. I’ve heard many people tell me, “I’m NEVER moving again!” When I go into a house to do an estimate for a move-out cleaning, often people will mention, “It should be easy, everything is out.” It does make things easier for cleaning when there is nothing in the house and nothing left in cabinets and drawers to clean around; however, a move-out cleaning is a very detailed job and takes several more hours than a regular maintenance cleaning.
In a regular (every two weeks) maintenance-type of cleaning, the job usually includes cleaning floors, dusting furniture, cleaning the bathrooms and kitchen on the outside surfaces. In contrast, a move-out cleaning goes much further. Property managers, new homebuyers and realtors expect the home to be “move-in ready.” If you are renting and hope to get a cleaning deposit back, it is essential that the following is done and done well. Here is a list of the things that generally are expected in a move-out cleaning:
Bathrooms: The job requires a full clean and disinfect of all surfaces in the bathroom, including inside all the cabinets, medicine cabinets, light fixtures, baseboards, window sills and tracks, handles, light fixtures, scrubbing of the shower, tub, toilet, sinks, counters.
Kitchen: A clean kitchen is essential when buyers are looking at homes for sale. Property managers are very particular about how the kitchen is presented. A good move-out clean will include inside and outside of every cabinet and drawer, inside and outside of the oven and the fridge and any other appliance like the microwave. The stove hood is a particularly greasy area that needs thorough cleaning. The tops of the cabinets also collect dust and grime over the years and need to be cleaned. All surfaces need to be disinfected, including counters, sinks, fixtures, handles, switches, stovetops and backsplash. If possible, the fridge and stove need to be pulled out and cleaned behind and on the sides. The pantry shelves need scrubbing.
Throughout the whole house, the floors, baseboards, blinds, sills, window tracks, walls, light fixtures, ceiling fans, pot shelves, doors and door frames, closets, built-in shelves all need to be hand cleaned, not just dusted.
Windows, screens and tracks should be professionally cleaned. Carpets also need professional cleaning.
It’s a big job that many people just don’t want to do, or physically cannot do. A professional cleaning company can make your move much less stressful and help you accomplish what needs to be done. So, if you are moving, consider professional assistance and enjoy your new home. QCBN
By Lucy Leyva
Lucy Leyva is the owner of Prescott Maid to Order. By
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