You’re all excited about your new home and you can’t wait to get all your belongings in and make it yours. However, you really need to start with a clean slate – literally. If you move everything into a space that’s been left grubby by the previous owners then you’ll never really get around to cleaning behind and under things. Also, psychologically, cleaning a place helps you to become familiar with it, so you can spot things that may need repairing or changing before you settle and become complacent.
The bathroom
You need to start with the ceiling and clean the extractor fan, descale any surfaces to make them shiny again and scope out any loose tiles.
It’s also a good idea to clean windowsills and the windows so you have lots of unobstructed light coming through. Then you should turn your attention to the fittings – the bath, sink and toilet, as well as cabinets and shelves.
The kitchen
The next area you need to work on is the kitchen so that you can get rid of any old oil deposits, broken cupboard handles, the cooker hood and lights, as well as the insides and tops of the cupboards.
Use a mild soap so that you don’t scratch anything, especially if the surfaces are supposed to be shiny underneath any grime that’s been left behind. This is especially important with hobs and other appliances that have a metallic finish.
The counters and splashbacks are easy to deal with; just use a mild detergent and possibly a mild abrasive to remove deposits and get everything sparkling again.
Use an oven cleaner and a sink unblocking solution so that you know everything’s in good order for you to start cooking and washing up; while you’re waiting for these solutions to work, you can turn your attention to the floor.
Take the oven out and clean underneath and behind it, as grease, dust and debris may have collected there over the years.
Hopefully the previous occupants will have cleaned the fridge and freezer already, but if they haven’t, you should unplug both appliances and let them come to room temperature before tackling them as this is easier. Always use soft cloths and mild detergents so don’t scratch any surfaces.
Take out the vegetable bins, shelves and drawers from both fridge and freezer and wash them out in the sink; let them dry completely before putting them back.
While they’re drying, clean the inside walls of both, remembering the plastic seals on the doors. You should also pull both appliances out from the walls and clean behind and under them.
The floors
It might be an idea, if the new property has carpets, to get them professionally cleaned before you move in. If the vendors had pets, do a bug treatment after the cleaning, just to be on the safe side.
If the place has wooden floors, sweep them thoroughly, not forgetting corners and the spaces under appliances. You might want to apply a floor wax or even a whole new coat of varnish.
If the floor is a different type, such as linoleum, stone or even concrete, make sure you have the right sort of cleaning and finishing product before you start so that you’re not damaging anything.
