Guest Blogger: How to Clean your New Rental Home Before you Move In

Guest Blog #217, Entry #711, October 19, 2011

You’ve found the perfect home for you. Everything is all lined up for you to move in, but before you bring your things into your new place, you need to give it a bit of tender love and care. Moving into a new home can feel like bliss, but can also overwhelm us when we start to think about everything that needs to be cleaned. When you undertake cleaning a new home, you may need to devise a plan of attack for just where to start and what needs to be finished.

Before you make yourself at home, do a through cleaning in your rental!

• Make a Detailed List

Whether you’re working alone to clean your house or with a team, you are going to need a comprehensive list of what needs to be done. If you’re busy with other commitments within your life, make yourself a schedule and stick to it. You have time constraints and you want to get this done as soon as possible. Organization is a key aspect to making this job as easy as possible.

The first time you clean as you move in, make sure that you create a list of anything broken or unclean that you landlord needs to fix. Even cosmetic details should be noted so you aren’t charged with damages when you move out.

• Carpets and Floors

Carpets and floors need to be cleaned when you move into a new place. Either rent a carpet cleaner, or schedule a professional to handle it for you. Carpet cleaning is important if you want to start your tenancy on a clean slate. Most of the time, you can even negotiate with your landlord to have him or her pay for it.

Rent a carpet cleaner to give them a deep clean

• Deep Clean

Move appliances and clean behind them. Pay attention to small details. Clean hood fans, ceiling fans, small cracks, and crevices, as well as inside appliances should all be detailed with great attention and care. For tiny spaces, employ a toothbrush or other small bristled utensil to ensure you’ve gotten right into the space. This goes for faucets and handles as well. Use strong, but eco-friendly cleaners like vinegar and baking soda.

• Blinds and Shades

Sometimes people accidentally overlook their window dressings and sills when they’re cleaning a new apartment. Dust gathers on window dressings quickly and without mercy, so don’t forego the clean regime on these oft-forgotten areas.

• Bathrooms

It’s no secret that bathrooms have the potential to be bacterial time-bombs. Spend extra time making sure that areas in the bathroom are well cleaned and looked after to ensure the safety of yourself and your family.

Make sure the bathroom feels comfortable for your family to use

Cleaning your new home is just one of the many ways that you are going to be protecting yourself and your family members. Make sure not to overlook other important details, such as winterization and home renter’s insurance. Be proactive today to avoid heavy costs and issues tomorrow.

This guest post is from Allison with RentersInsurance.com, where you can go to learn more about purchasing renters insurance today to avoid problems in the future.

For more moving tips on Stagetecture, click here.