Getting your home ready to sell often requires more than just a quick once-over with the vacuum. You’ll need a deep clean of every room to truly make it sparkle for potential buyers. Follow this guide to deep clean your house from top to bottom before putting it on the market.
Start with the Exterior
First impressions matter, so focus your cleaning efforts on the outside of your home before moving indoors.
Power Wash the Exterior
Use a power washer to remove dirt, grime, and mould from the exterior walls, paths, patio, fences, and decks. Get into every nook and cranny. Consider hiring a professional power washing service if you don’t own a power washer.
Clean Windows
Wash all windows, inside and out, removing streaks and dirt.
Tidy up the Garden
Mow the lawn, trim the hedges, prune the trees, and clear the leaves and debris from the garden. Edge the walkways and drive. Weed the flowerbeds. Sweep the porch, steps, and patio.
Consider Professional Roof Cleaning
Over time, roofs accumulate dirt, moss, and mould. For a truly clean exterior, use a professional roof cleaning company or a controlled wash to restore the roof’s original colour and appearance.
Shift Your Focus to the Interior
Once you’re satisfied with the outside, move inside and tackle each room.
Concentrate on the Kitchen and Bathrooms
Kitchens and bathrooms are make-or-break rooms for home buyers. Thoroughly clean these spaces first when working on the interior.
Clean Inside Kitchen Cabinets and Drawers
Remove everything from all cabinets and drawers. Vacuum out crumbs and wipe down the inside surfaces with a degreasing cleaner. Organise the contents neatly before putting them back.
Scrub the Oven and Stovetop
Use oven cleaner to remove baked-on grime inside the oven and on burner drip pans. Clean the stovetop surface thoroughly, including the exhaust hood filter.
Disinfect All Bathroom Surfaces
Clean and disinfect sinks, showers, baths, worktops, mirrors, cabinets, and toilets using a bathroom disinfecting cleaner. Remove soap scum, mineral deposits, mildew, and mould.
Deep Clean the Floors and Carpets
Floors must be spotless when selling a home. Clean, wax, and buff hard surface flooring. For carpets, move all furniture and vacuum thoroughly before having them professionally cleaned.
Clean Walls, Ceilings, and Light Fixtures
Use a cleaning extender tool to remove dust and cobwebs from ceilings and upper walls. Clean the skirting boards and windowsills. Take down light fixtures to clean and dust them. Wash walls and ceilings to remove grime.
Don’t Forget Storage Areas
Clean and organise any cupboards, removing unwanted items and neatly arranging contents. Vacuum and dust built-in storage areas like under the stairs. Clear out and clean the garage or shed.
Freshen Furniture and Décor
Dust and polish all wood furniture. Vacuum upholstered furniture and wash removable slipcovers and cushions. Wipe down ceiling fans. Clean lampshades. Wash window treatments.
Finish with a Deep Clean of Bedrooms
Strip the beds and wash all linens. Move the furniture and thoroughly vacuum under and around it. Clean ceiling fans, lampshades, and windows. Make sure the wardrobes are organised.
With some time and elbow grease, you can thoroughly deep clean your entire home before listing it for sale. Your sparkling clean house will make a great first impression on potential buyers.
