Turn Key Cleaning Tips

stewartms • August 15, 2024

When buying or selling a home, cleaning can often be put to the back burner until the last minute. With so many other priorities and tasks at hand during this life changing process, it is easy to overlook the importance of making sure your former home and new home get the deep clean that’s needed when moving locations. While many of us are expecting a large cleaning to do list, there are many others that are extremely shocked at the cleaning to do list once everything has been moved out of the home! Often times, dust and build up can occur in those dark, hard to reach places we haven’t seen the entirety of living at our homes!

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Whether selling, buying, or both, when we finally face the grime, there are ultimately two options for a turn-key clean of your home.

Do it Yourself? Or Hire a Professional?…….

Time and money. As with most of our decisions, whether or not to hire a professional ultimately comes to how much time versus money you are willing to allot for the cleaning of your home. However, whether or not you decide to go with the pros or go it alone, there are certain easily forgotten areas that should be cleaned when moving. Being the former owner of a Cleaning company, I have listed below those often forgotten areas that should be taken care of during a turn-key clean of a home.

Bathrooms:

We all know the general bathroom cleaning that is done to keep germs away and keep lasting appeal. However, extra attention should be given during a turn-key move to this room in the home.

Light Fixtures – these can collect grime over the years and should be wiped with a wet cloth down rather than simply dusted
Vents –they become clogged, dusty, or even contain bugs! These should be dusted or opened and cleaned depending upon the vent type.
On Top of the Shower – We often forget that showers have a small lip at the very top, and a back to that shower head! These can be great areas for build up and should get special attention during that move!

Kitchen:

Kitchen cleaning typically includes dusting, countertops, microwave, outer surfaces, etc. However, during a turn-key clean it is important to get those unnoticed areas.

Inside Appliances – Whether leaving the appliances or taking them, you will want to make sure that these are cleaned inside and out, as well as, underneath and on top. Just try not to cringe when you discover the plethora of what awaits underneath that oven of yours!
Backsplash – The Backsplash often gets forgotten. Making this area shine can add appeal when selling your home.
Underneath and Above Cabinetry – We wipe the fronts of our cabinetry but sometimes forget there is an underside, and for some homes a top to these cabinets. Grime loves to build up in these areas, so this is a must for a truly clean kitchen.
Kickboards – Our lower cabinets also have their version of baseboards beneath them. These can get food splatters and shoe scuffs and never be noticed except when moving in or out!
Pantry – Once the food comes out this area can look like a disaster zone. Wiping down walls and shelving is a must in the pantry.

Laundry Room:

The Laundry room is often ignored when cleaning. Making sure these few items are taken care of can add appeal to selling your home, and also prepare your new home for a fresh start.

Washer and Dryer – Whether leaving these appliances or receiving them with your home, it is important to remember these probably have not moved in quite sometime! Cleaning beneath and inside of these machines will make them run much more efficiently.
Dryer Vent – There’s a vent back there? Yes there is and it is probably dirty! Take a look and make sure this is clear and ready to go for your buyers or at your new home!

Common Rooms/ Bedrooms/ Etc.:

The rest of your home whether bedrooms, offices, living rooms, etc. are generally going to need the same attention when it comes to cleaning. Apart from your general dusting routine, here are a few things to pay special attention to.

Blinds – Whether you typically dust your blinds or not, wiping them down is usually necessary for a move out cleaning. While typical dusting is great for general cleaning, a deeper clean usually requires the blinds to be wiped to fully rid them of dust and stains.
Baseboards – These get dirty and are often out of our immediate vision and therefore forgotten. Whether cleaning yourself or hiring a professional, it is vital to make sure these are thoroughly scrubbed and sparkle during any move.
Light Fixtures, Fans, and Vents – Once again wiping is better. If these can be reached, they should be wiped down to remove dust and cobwebs. However for those high fans and vents, a long pole duster can be used.
Faceplates, Doors, Window Sills, and Framing – All that white stuff! Typically painted your own version of white and very susceptible to dirt, it is important to make sure these forgotten areas of your home are cleaned and disinfected.

Buying or selling a home is stressful and an extremely busy time of your life. However, making sure your home is cleaned properly can make selling your old home much easier, and moving into your new home a smoother experience. Often times, when purchasing a home you can request a turn key clean to be included and save yourself the hassle of one of the cleanings. Keeping a clean home throughout the year starts with a fresh home upon moving in. A clean home promotes healthiness and relaxation! While we all know the general cleaning areas, using the list above can be extremely helpful in remembering those easily forgotten areas that are perfect to clean during a move! Live healthier, and Happy Moving!

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