Before you move out of your home, you need to leave your home as clean as possible. This is especially important if you are renting and hoping to get your deposit back. Every time you pack, look at the space you’ve opened up. Look inside the refrigerator and freezer, at the tub and shower walls. Look inside closets. You need to clean everything.
1. Walls and Cabinets
Walk slowly through your old home and carefully scan every wall. Remove staples, push pins, and nails from the walls. Next, cover each hole with spackle. Remove smudges as well – or you’ll lose some of your security deposit in the cost of a can of paint.
2. Freezer and Refrigerator
After removing all the food, mix together baking soda and warm water. Soak an old cloth and wipe down every surface inside. Spills happen, even to the most careful of people. Scrub away sticky spots. Don’t forget the shelving and the interior doors. Once you have cleaned, get a clean cloth, wet it with warm water and wipe down interior surfaces.
3. Stove and Oven
That cherry pie left some of its boiled-over remains on the floor of your oven? A can of oven cleaner, long gloves and a sponge with an abrasive surface will clean every spill-over away. Read the can directions and follow them. Rinse the oven cleaner away with a clean, damp sponge.
4. Bathrooms
Bathrooms accumulate germs every day. Pour a good toilet cleaner into the bowl. While that’s working, spray bathroom cleaner on the sink. Wipe the cleaner away with a damp cloth and rinse. Do the same with the tub and shower walls or tiles.
Now that the toilet bowl cleaner has done its work, swish the water around with a cleaning brush and get up under the rim to kill as many germs as you can. Finally, spray the mirrors and other surfaces with window cleaner and wipe clean.
5. Floors
Vacuum carpets and sweep the floors. Remove everything, then damp-mop the floors. Try using a spin mop for faster, easier and better cleaned floors. Work on stains with an old toothbrush. Finally, sweep your front and back entrances and toss the trash.
6. Closets
As you empty closets for the moving company, climb your step stool and, using a damp cloth, wipe the shelves of any dust that has collected. Look for scuffs and bumps and remove these. Vacuum the floor of each closet completely. This will be easier with walk-in closets since you can turn on overhead lights.
There you have it. It’s easier to accomplish the move-and-clean routine if you clean an area once it is free of your belongings. Happy moving!
Information credited to BC Alberta Movers, Lethbridge moving company.
