Cleaning your house before the sale can be an overwhelming process if you don’t go into the task fully prepared.
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To keep or not to keep
When it comes to selling, a common question is does a house need to be cleaned before selling? Well, if you want to make it marketable, then that’s a resounding yes.
Buyers are going to be more attracted to a clean house as opposed to one that shows it has been lived in a bit too much. Getting buyers to imagine themselves living in your home is the ultimate goal.
Cleaning your house before selling involves getting rid of the extras. If you even hesitate to throw out an item, it’s a tell-tale sign that you don’t need it in the transition.
If the question of, how do you clean a house to get it ready to sell is on your mind, start by determining what to keep and what to throw out. It will make your cleaning process a whole lot easier.
Going room-by-room over the span of a week will minimise the chaos, allow you time to consider, and make the cleaning process less overwhelming.
Take your time
When cleaning your house for sale, time is of the essence. This is why allowing yourself a good amount of time allocated to strictly cleaning your house is crucial.
As you get closer to the final sale, more will end up on your plate, so knocking out the cleaning aspect sooner rather than later can be helpful.
If you’re wondering, what does deep cleaning a house mean, simply follow your eyes. Starting by cleaning, throwing away, or rearranging anything that is blatantly out of place is a good way to begin the process.
Unfortunately, not everything in your home is essential, so if it catches your attention, it did for a reason. After you’ve done a surface clean, reassess every room before getting down to the nitty-gritty.
Get the necessary supplies
Cleaning your house may not be your thing, but if you want to get your house real estate clean, it’ll require some extra effort. You can always hire help, but you can save money by just hopping over to your local store to grab some cleaning supplies.
Before diving into the deep end, though, you should always cheque to see which chemicals may react badly against certain surfaces of your home. It would be a waste to pay for cleaning products that further dirty the places they’re supposed to be cleaning.
Before asking yourself, how much does a cleaning lady cost, it may be worth it to assess the damage. If you don’t think cleaning your house can be a one-person job, employing help may be necessary.
Going that route, the average hourly rate for a house cleaner is approximately $30 in Australia but remember that pricing depends on the services you’re seeking, how big your home is, and the mess.
Otherwise, you should make sure you have reliable rags, towels, or scrub pads first off. Have a bucket for mop water, a hand degreaser, dish soap, disinfectant spray, rubber gloves, a spray bottle, and a scrub brush or old toothbrush for the hard-to-reach places.
Bathrooms are key
Bathrooms along with the kitchen are typically the rooms that sell a house. Make sure that yours is dressed for a ballroom gala before opening up your house to the market.
Mould and mildew will be your biggest perpetrators, so focus on the shower area, curtains, doors, and sinks for optimal cleanliness. Using non-streaky sponges on glass will make cleaning the house easier and much more worth it once you see the end product.
Don’t skip out on the kitchen
Your kitchen is the other room that will draw the most sceptical eyes. When cleaning your house before the sale,you will have to prioritise the appeal of the kitchen like no other.
Start by removing miscellaneous or unused objects from drawers and cupboards so that you can deep clean these areas. Along the way, make sure that all rotten or old foods are disposed of.
You may not like it, but the oven and dishwater need extra attention too. Since you are partaking in deep cleaning, invest in a heavy-duty oven cleaner to get rid of that old grease.
A vacuum for cleaning your house
Wash…everything
If you’ve never thought of washing the windows, now is the time. The windows, walls, and everything in between often go overlooked on a typical cleaning day, but if you want your house to put its best foot forward, turn your attention to the unlikely areas.
Windows especially can collect grime, dust, fingerprints, and streaks. Before inspections, try using glass cleaner and a streak-free cloth to clean the invisible suspects.
After this, you can dive into your regularly scheduled vacuuming, sweeping, dusting, and mopping to complete the deep cleaning of your house.
Maintain, maintain, maintain
The best way to prepare to sell your house is by maintaining a clean home. Your deep cleaning will not have to be as intense if your house is already cleaner than most.
Whether you’re selling tomorrow or never, a clean home is a happy home.
Clean your driveway
Don’t forget about cleaning your driveway, either!
First impressions matter. When potential buyers come to see your home, the first thing they’ll see is your driveway. A dirty, oil-stained driveway will give them a bad impression of your home and give them a reason to lower their offer.
Pressure washing your driveway will make it look clean, fresh, and well-maintained, which will give potential buyers a positive first impression, and more importantly, you’ll increase the perceived value of your home due to improved curb appeal.
You’ll demonstrate that you care for your property – astute buyer’s love this.
Here are some tips for pressure washing your driveway before selling your home:
- Test the pressure washer on a small, inconspicuous area of your driveway first to make sure that it doesn’t damage the concrete or other materials.
- Start by sweeping or blowing off any loose dirt or debris from the driveway.
- Apply a detergent or cleaning agent to the driveway and allow it to sit for a few minutes before pressure washing.
- Rinse the driveway thoroughly with clean water.
Consider hiring a professional company to do the work for you. Look for an operator who uses environmentally friendly pressure cleaning products, too. This will ensure that the job is done properly and safely.
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