A handy checklist to deep clean home before moving in

Moving into a new home is an exciting experience, considering it signifies new neighbors, new schools, and generally, new beginnings. However, before moving in, one of the most important things you need to do is deep clean your new home. After all, who knows in what state the previous owners have left it?

Now, if you’re thinking about hiring a professional cleaning service, be prepared to pay between $20 and $50 an hour on average. However, if you have the time and the energy, you could do this all by yourself.

We’ve compiled a handy move-in cleaning checklist to guide you through deep cleaning before you move into your new home.

Moving day deep cleaning supplies list

Let’s start by listing out what supplies and equipment you will need to deep clean your house before moving in.

Supplies

• Rubber safety gloves
• Nonabrasive and abrasive gloves
• Dish soap
• White vinegar
• Baking soda
• An old toothbrush
• Window cleaner
• Paper towels
• Kitchen and bathroom cleaner
• Chlorine-free bleach
• Toilet cleaner
• Wood cabinet cleaner
• Old newspapers or brown paper
• Shelf lining paper
• Carpet cleaner

Tools and equipment

• A vacuum cleaner
• A spray bottle
• Putty knife
• Buckets
• Brooms
• Duster
• Dust mops

The checklist

Deep clean the bathroom first

• It always helps to have a clean bathroom, considering you’ll need to use one during the course of cleaning up your home anyway.
• Always start cleaning from the top of the room downwards. In this case, start by using the duster to remove any dander, dust, and cobwebs from the ceiling, light fixtures, vents, fans, and corners. If some areas are hard to reach using the duster, get to them with the telescopic wand of your vacuum cleaner.
• Next, wipe down the windows and mirrors in the bathroom using the window cleaner. Window sills can be cleaned with a general purpose cleaner. 
• If there’s any mold in the window sills, use a bleach cleaner and remove it with an old toothbrush or an abrasive sponge.
• If the windows have roller shades or blinds, begin the cleaning process by first vacuuming the dust off them, and then remove any lingering dirt using a soft sponge dipped in a mixture of dish detergent and water.

Wet paper towels…

• Wet paper towels or a clean cloth with an all-purpose cleaner and wipe down linen closets, cupboards, medicine cabinets, and drawers in the bathroom. Don’t forget to include door handles, knobs, and other hardware as well.
• Use an all-purpose cleaner to scrub the dirt out of the bathtub. If it’s a reglazed tub, use a non-abrasive cleaner.
• A vinegar and water solution works best to remove soap scum from glass shower enclosures. Stone shower enclosures will need a special stone cleaner though.
• The toilet needs to be cleaned using a toilet brush. Non-abrasive sponges or paper towels can be used to wipe down the outsides, the toilet seat, and the handles. Be sure to use a disinfecting cleaner both inside and outside the toilet.
• The sink and its fixtures will need to be cleaned using a non-abrasive cleaner, while seams and openings will need to be addressed using an old toothbrush. 
• Once you’re done washing the sink and fixtures, don’t forget to dry the faucet using a clean cloth.

Next up, the kitchen

There are two reasons why you really need to deep clean a kitchen before moving into a new house. One reason is that kitchens tend to be the stickiest places in the house, thanks to all the grease and gunk from cooking. 

The second reason is that cooking leaves behind odors, and you will want a kitchen without the odors of food cooked by the previous residents of the house.

• Just as in the case of the bathroom, start cleaning from the top of the kitchen and work your way down. Once again, dust the vents, light fixtures, corners, ceiling fans, and the ceiling with a duster and use the telescopic attachment of the vacuum cleaner for hard-to-reach spaces.
• Wipe off fingerprints around light switches and corners. Then, get to cleaning the walls.
• If the walls have flat paint, wipe them down using a soft cloth dipped in soapy water and dry the walls with a dry towel.
• For walls that have wallpaper, vacuum cleans the dust off the wallpaper, and then wipe the walls down using a mixture of dish soap and water.
• If there are sticky patches on the wall, put some fabric softener on a soft sponge and apply it to the sticky patches. After letting it rest for around 10 minutes, wipe the spots down with a soft sponge dipped in water.
• Just like you did in the bathroom, wipe down all the kitchen cabinets with an all-purpose cleaner. Greasy cabinets can be cleaned using a mixture of baking soda and water.
• Once again, be sure not to forget cabinet and door handles as well as other hardware.
• Gently wipe down kitchen countertops with an all-purpose cleaner, while backsplashes can be cleaned using baking soda and water or a mild detergent.

Wipe down and clean…

• Be sure to wipe down and clean the insides and outsides of all major appliances, including ovens, the cooking range, refrigerators, and dishwashers.
• A mixture of baking soda and water is a great way to get rid of stains from the stove and the oven. Allow it to rest for a while on the stains before scrubbing it out using an old toothbrush.
• Spray the sink with a mixture of chlorine-free bleach and water. Let it sit for a few minutes and then rinse the sink clean.
• To get rid of sink odors, pour a mixture of baking soda and water into the sink drain.
• Freshen the garbage disposal to get rid of any lingering odors in it.
• Sweep and mop the kitchen floor. Remember, the amount of elbow grease needed is directly proportional to the state of the floor. 
• Don’t forget to clean the range hood and the range hood filter. You may need to use a grease cleaner to get rid of the grease built up.

Finally, it’s floor cleaning time

Different types of floors need different approaches to cleaning them.

• If your new home has wall-to-wall carpeting, you may want to hire a professional cleaning service to get the carpets cleaned. Also, if the previous owner had pets, consider flea protection to ensure they don’t infect your own pets.
• Wood floors need to be swept clean first, and then cleaned using a wood soap to give it a nice shine and make it smell fresh.
• For natural stone floors as well as those made of tiles, linoleum, and concrete, sweep or vacuum clean the dirt off the floors first and then mop them with a gentle detergent.

Need help getting your home maintenance checklist right?

Why deep cleaning a house is important before moving in

Irrespective of whether you’re moving into a newly constructed home or one that has been occupied before, you’re sure to find dust, dirt, debris, and odors that are unpleasant. Since moving into a new home is all about new beginnings, deep cleaning the home before moving in will ensure your family and you are moving into a clean and disease-free living space to begin a new chapter in your lives.

Read more: Broom clean

Written by Narayan Shrouthy. August 19, 2022

Narayan is a content writer for Kukun. With experience in both content writing and editing, Narayan mixes his writing and love for reading with his passion for music. As an active musician, He aims to be a key player in Kukun's content experience.