Moving into a new home is a thrilling time. It can also be overwhelming because there is a lot to do. With all the planning and arranging, you should not forget to clean your new rental home. The landlord should have the place cleaned before you move in, but you can never be sure about what’s been done and how well. So if the question is what to clean before you move into a rental home, the only right answer is everything. If you want peace of mind, that is.
How to clean before you move in
Before you move in and start to unpack your belongings, it’s a good idea to clean thoroughly, especially during the pandemic. The place is relatively empty, and you haven’t started to fill it with your belongings. You will soon feel the freshness of your new home, and you will not have to waste time thinking about the cleanliness of certain parts of your new home.
Plan
Having a plan is always a good idea. You should write down everything that needs to be cleaned and make a schedule. You can break it down into smaller tasks. Consider every corner of your new home, and don’t forget to write everything down. When you have every task on the paper, you should consider the equipment that you need.
Hierarchy
The smart way to clean is to go from top to bottom. Features close to the ceiling can be overlooked when cleaning, but you should not skip these parts of your home. So, to avoid making that mistake, you should start with these areas. This way, you also avoid spreading the dust from higher up onto already cleaned lower levels. Overhead light fixtures, ceiling fans, and high shelvings are the first things that should be on your cleaning list.
Room Order
One of the things we would suggest is that you clean room by room. Clean an entire room top to bottom and then move onto the next one. This way, you will see the results of your efforts more quickly, and they will provide the motivation you need to get through all of your tasks.
What to clean before you move into a rental home
Kitchen
There are certain parts of your home that you will need sooner rather than later. One of those places is the kitchen. You will need your kitchen to prepare meals for yourself, and you need a fridge to store your perishables. So, it is a good idea to begin cleaning and disinfecting here.
Sanitize your refrigerator – remove shelves and drawers, and clean them. Then you can make a solution of water and vinegar and clean the inside of the fridge. When everything is dry, reassemble the refrigerator and do something similar to the freezer. Don’t forget to clean the rest of the appliances such as the oven, microwave, and coffee machine.
Clean storage spaces such as the pantry and the cabinets by spritzing the exteriors and interiors thoroughly with disinfectant and then wiping them with a clean cloth. After that, you can move onto the kitchen counters and sink. Disinfect every bit of the countertops and finish cleaning the kitchen by vacuuming and mopping the floors.
Once you finish cleaning it, you will want to keep your kitchen clean, so do some research and find out what little things you could do to achieve that.
Bathroom
Everyone knows that bathrooms can be filthy and that they require stringent hygiene. We all feel more comfortable knowing that it has been properly sanitized. So don’t try to rush things and take the time to clean and disinfect your bathroom thoroughly. Here is a checklist of the crucial areas you will need to clean:
- Shower or a bathtub
- Sink and underneath it
- Medicin cabinet and other cabinets
- Insides and outsides of the toilet bowl, seat and lid.
- Consider replacing the toilet seat and lid
- Bathroom fittings
- Wall and floor tiles
- Window and window sill
Bedrooms
Cleaning an unfurnished bedroom is relatively simple. You should only:
- Dust the walls
- Wash the windows
- Clean the floor
- Wipe down switchboards
- Wipe the doorknobs and handles
This might all sound simple but make sure that you vacuum and dust well as you will be spending a fair amount of time in your bedroom.
If you have moved into a home with a furnished bedroom, in addition to the tasks listed above, the following will need cleaning:
- Bed and maybe change the mattress
- Closets
- Dressers
- Nightstands
Living room
The amount of time you will spend cleaning the living room will vary depending on the state of the place and whether it is furnished or semi-furnished. Clean all upholstery, including the sofa cushions and chairs. Wipe all of the furniture in the room; this includes coffee and side tables, the tv stand, shelves, and cabinets. Wash the windows and window sills. If there are curtains in the room, remove and wash them. Alternatively, spray them with disinfectant. Wipe down handles, doors, and switchboards.
Once you are ready to clean the floor, move furniture around to reach every spot in the room. First, vacuum and then mop the floors. When you hire Evolution Moving Company DFW to do your unpacking, they will gladly help you move the furniture around, making it easy for you to clean the floor thoroughly.
Finish with dining room and hallways
Start with wiping the dining table and any storage spaces you have. And, of course, deep-clean upholstery. Then, wipe down any existing furniture and wash the windows. Doorknobs and switchboards should also be wiped and disinfected. Finish with vacuuming and mopping the floor.
If all this looks like too much to do yourself, you can always hire a professional cleaning service and sit back while they do the hard work.
And there is more
Remember to disinfect all the surfaces you often touch – handles, locks, switches, benchtops, buttons, and appliances. It’s better to be safe and sanitize them regularly. Also, try to use eco-friendly products and a natural disinfectant whenever you can.
Floors – if there are carpets in your new home, you might want to consider getting a professional to deep-clean them.
Unpacking will be much easier if you clean your rental home first. It’s a fresh start, so make it a clean one. Once you have been in each room and have finished wiping, cleaning, vacuuming, and disinfecting everything on your list and anything that you might have forgotten, it’s time to unpack.
One thing is certain. When you finally finish unpacking, you will find that there are a few things that you will need to clean again, or perhaps you will discover that there are some cleaning tasks that should be done later in the process. You will find that there are a lot of packing materials to deal with. Consider which of the materials can be reused or recycled. It’s more than likely that you will need to vacuum and mop again.
Suppose you chose to get help with your moving and unpacking from a professional moving company. In that case, it is a good idea to disinfect your home again, especially during the Covid 19 pandemic. Even without the pandemic, everything should be clean before you move into a rental home. Once all of your tasks are completed, you can finally begin to enjoy your new home and everything it has to offer.
