Cleaning Tips for New Homeowners
When you move into a new house, it’s natural to assume it’s had a good cleaning, that the previous owners have taken care of everything. That usually means cleaning before moving out and leaving behind any appliances or furniture that were sold with the house. You never really know what you’re getting into until you open the front door for the first time and take a stroll through your new property. For that reason, you should always have a move-in checklist, with must-dos that should be checked off before you settle in for good. If something’s amiss, you need to know about it right away in case you need to take action. The good news is that completing your to-do list doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg.
The house you bought
Schedule a walk-through with your realtor the day before your home closes. Before opening the moving van and pulling out the ramp. Take pictures of anything that needs to be repaired or if something is missing; it’s rare, but it happens from time to time. Taking a stroll through each room will also help give you an idea of what should go where when you start moving in the big stuff. Don’t forget to have the locks changed (be sure to do it during normal business hours to save money). There’s no way of knowing how many spare keys are floating around out there. You don’t want the former owners’ handyman letting himself in and looking for his tape measure.
Clean the place out
Make sure you’ve got cleaning supplies ready to go so you can make quick work of your new home. If you’re short on supplies, check out discounts, online coupons and cash back offers from retailers like Target. Once you’ve got what you need, pack it all up separately and make it the first thing that comes off the truck so you’re ready to jump right into a thorough, deep cleaning. You’ll also want at least one quality vacuum cleaner, a couple of brooms and dustpans, cleaning fluid, paper towels, scouring brushes, rubber gloves, and at least enough toilet paper to get through your first few days. Don’t forget to check the air ducts, vents and your dryer exhaust vent for dust and debris build-up, and give them a good cleaning to improve indoor air quality and remove airborne allergens and pollutants.
Depending on your move-in budget, you may want to hire a professional cleaner to give the place a good once-over or just to shampoo carpets, scrape the grime off grout, and remove the built-up grease behind the stove and refrigerator. You can always save a few bucks and do this yourself, but considering all the hard work that lies before you, like moving boxes and furniture, it’s probably a good idea to let someone else join in the fun. Here’s a handy move-in tip: Rather than cleaning dried urine and heaven knows what else from the toilet seats, consider just replacing them with brand new ones and starting from scratch.
Filters
While you’re at it, go ahead and change or clean out your filters. Many newer HVAC units have built-in filters that only need cleaning periodically, while older units use throw-away filters that need to be changed regularly (usually monthly). Do this right away so you know exactly when they’ll have to be checked next. A clean filter is another way of maintaining healthy indoor air and getting rid of hidden pollutants that can cause or aggravate a serious respiratory condition. If your HVAC unit uses disposable filters, consider using a site like Amazon to keep your filter supply in stock. The site offers promo codes for a variety of products, and you can set up a recurring order so you’ll have a new filter delivered every time you’re due to change it out. As a bonus, the site usually offers discounts on any items you set up for automatic shipping.
It’s your home now, so take the time to get it right starting on day one. The less you have to backtrack, the easier it’ll be to get settled, so take care of the down-and-dirty tasks right away.
Sent in by Kelli Brewer
Photo Credit Courtesy of Pixabay.com.