Moving is a mix of emotions and stress. You feel excited and hopeful about your new home, getting settled and the lifestyle you want to enjoy. But you also have so many things to do. When moving into a new home, it can be easy to make the assumption that your landlord or home seller will clean your new place well enough. But the reality is that move-in cleaning is a critical part of your relocation process.
You need to make sure your new living space is fresh, clean, and hygienic before move-in. This is especially true these days, after the struggles we all faced from the coronavirus global pandemic. Things may look clean on the surface, but you should still do as much as you can to sanitize while your home is empty. Cleaning an empty space is much easier than one with furnishings, personal belongings, and boxes. The process also takes so much less time when you have nothing in your way.
Even new residences have residual dirt, grime, and trash to clean up before move-in. So whether you are relocating to a newly constructed place in Raleigh or one lived in by someone else before, give it a good once-over. Below are some tips for cleaning before the movers arrive.
Start with Higher Surfaces
You need to clean all of the surfaces of your empty home, from ceilings to light fixtures, upper cabinets, and lower cabinets to the floor. Wipe everything down with appropriate tools and solutions. Use an extendable hand-held duster for the ceiling, fans, and lights and bleach wipes for counters. Ensure you reach into corners and do not forget to go over the walls with a duster or dry cloth, too.
At the very least, consider using warm water and detergent for this process. Vinegar water is another great option. Clean the floors, first by sweeping and vacuuming, then by mopping. If you have enough time before the moving company arrives, rent a steamer or have a carpet cleaner come to your home for a deeper clean.
Remove Old Stains
The previous homeowner or tenant likely left some marks on the property, such as pet stains or cigarette smoke residue. For these stubborn stains, the typical detergents or cleansers may not suffice. You need to exert a little elbow grease to get rid of old stains and odors, many of which cling to walls, floors, and ceilings.
In these cases, it is often best to consult a professional service that can provide the most efficient solution for severe stains. Arrive at your home with enough time before the actual move-in to arrange for cleaning help and take care of these issues.
Prep a Healthy Kitchen
The kitchen is where you spend a significant amount of time each day. The cleanliness of this area also affects food safety and your health. If you are moving into a place with preexisting appliances, such as a refrigerator, oven, and microwave, you need to disinfect these surfaces.
Use warm water with baking soda and vinegar as your cleaning solution, if not household disinfectant products, to remove grease, dirt and grime. By doing so, you can quickly unpack your dishes, pots, and pans and start comfortably living in your new space right away.
Make the Bathroom Shine
Bathrooms, like kitchens, need the most attention when cleaning before move-in. One tablespoon of baking soda in a half cup of vinegar makes a great toilet cleaning solution. Pour this liquid into the toilet and let it sit for a half-hour. Then use a toilet brush to scrub the bowl.
Use bleach wipes or bathroom cleaning solutions with bleach to clean the sinks, bathtub, shower, floors, and mirrors. If you prefer earth-friendly cleaning products, you can also look online for a vinegar solution recipe for these surfaces, too.
Disinfect All Surfaces
After move-in and before getting your home organized, disinfect all of the surfaces that construction workers, professional movers and other service providers touched. Simply use a disinfectant or bleach wipes to sanitize doorknobs, handles, sinks, countertops, windows and furniture.
Talk to the Experts about Your Triangle Area, North Carolina Move-In
Moving in the past was stressful enough. Doing this today, when faced with a greater possibility of getting sick with a dangerous illness, can cause even more anxiety. But you can make your Triangle Area move-in process easier by working with the affordable professional moving company of Branch Out Moving & Delivery in Raleigh, NC.
Talk to one of Branch Out Moving & Delivery’s experts about precautions our moving company takes for customers today, to protect our customers and their families. Call us at (919) 888-0090 for a free consultation and to schedule your local, in-state, or out-of-state move.