Tips for Buying & Cleaning a New Residence
Keeping your house clean is important to feeling comfortable and being able to welcome guests without even worrying about creating a poor impression. Upon moving into a new residence, a general cleaning can be one of the most effective methods to begin the process of settling in, even if the sellers left the home in good condition.
Budget Your Time
The ideal time to clean is until you begin moving furniture and other items to your new house. Set aside one or 2 days, depending on the size of the home and how thoroughly you plan to clean. Make sure that you give yourself enough time to clean each room and keep an eye on the time throughout the day to speed up the process if you are approaching your deadline. Also, ensure that your new house has electric and water service turned on prior to going in to clean.
Stock Up on Supplies
Stock up on supplies, before you begin to clean. Even for a light cleaning you are going to need a broom and dustpan, plastic garbage bags, a vacuum cleaner, paper towels, glass cleaner, bleach, shower cleaner, disinfectant soap, a mop and bucket, rubber gloves, and scouring pads, rags and sponges. Collect these items before your cleaning day and buy all new items to receive your new house as clean as you can.
Function in Sequence
As you clean, operate in a logical arrangement to avoid needing to clean any space or section twice. Within each room, proceed from dry cleaning (sweeping, vacuuming and dusting) to wet cleaning (cleansing and wiping down the walls). Start at the highest point of a space and work downward. By way of example, dust the ceiling prior to mopping the floor so as to avoid destroying your recent cleaning job. Finally, work from the inside out. Start with rooms near the center or rear of the home and gradually move toward the front door. Clean the entryway and porch last, since you are going to be making these regions cluttered every time you enter and leave the home.
Concentrate on Kitchen and Bath
Spend nearly all your time cleaning the kitchen and bathrooms. These are rooms which have the most to benefit from a cleaning, both in terms of look and sanitation. Use bleach in the bathroom to make sure that any germs in the previous occupants are lifeless, and also to eliminate odors. In the kitchen, use antibacterial soap to eliminate any food-borne pollutants or pathogens which may affect your family’s wellbeing.