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Sellers, Before You Hand Over Those Keys… Clean Please!

Sellers, Before You Hand Over Those Keys… Clean Please!

You’ve accepted an offer on your home; you’re nearly through the closing process; your boxes have long been packed and maybe you’ve even already moved into your new place. OK, sellers, it’s time to turn over your keys, right?

Not so fast! Before your vacate that home that is no longer your own, you’ve got to do your due diligence in making it shine just one more time. What? Clean a home that you’re not even going to be living in?! Yes… let’s remember here… this was the home that not so long ago, you were proud to show off as your own.

But, now that your heart may not feel so at home there, what can you do to make your soon-to-be-former-home shine before you leave it behind? The immediate answer may be to just hire a cleaning service; but, if you’d rather spend that extra money on something for your new home, here are five quick and not-too-dirty tips for cleaning your home before handing your keys over to a new owner:

Don’t be Crummy… Clean the Kitchen

The place where so many families spend so much of their time can be one of the dirtiest places in a home. So, when you’re leaving a home for good, it is a great place to start the cleaning process.

Of course, you’re going to remove everything from your kitchen cabinets, drawers and appliances. But, after they’re clear, they need to be wiped out, too. Do not leave any crumbs or other food behind. While you’re wiping things down, don’t forget about the countertops, sinks and walls, either. Though it may never have been your favorite cleaning task, it is necessary to thoroughly clean the stove and oven, too.

 

Royally Clean the Throne

From tubs and showers to toilets and sinks, when doesn’t the bathroom need a good cleaning? Yes, this can be one of the toughest rooms to clean, but when you’re moving out, you’ve got to remove that grime one more time! Don’t forget about wiping down the insides of the cabinets, plus the walls and floors in the bathrooms, too.

 

Drive Yourself Up (and Down) the Walls

We’ve already mentioned the walls in the kitchen and bathrooms, but it is a good idea to do a thorough check and cleaning of all interior house walls before moving out. You may not need to meticulously scrub down every wall; but, if you’ve had a lot of photos, art, mirrors or other décor hanging, you may need to repair and repaint any holes. Remember, you want to give your home’s new owners a fresh start to make their own memories.

 

Leave Everything Behind… Except Your Dust

Just when you’re ready to leave the home you just sold in the dust, you’ve got to get rid of that dust! Once you remove all of your personal belongings, you may be wondering what could be left to gather dust; but, a quick check of your blinds or any other window treatments will tell another story. Don’t forget to run a feather duster over light fixtures and window sills.

 

Sweep the New Owners Off Their Feet

Now are you getting into the spirit of impressing those new homeowners? Well, you should be; because, it is time to sweep them off of their feet… yes, literally! Certainly, you need to vacuum the carpets, but if you’ve got visible spots or stains, a steam-cleaning may be in order, too. Whether the rest of your home has hardwood, tile or vinyl flooring, it needs a final scrub-down before you leave. In fact, this may be the last thing you want to do before you walk out the door. That way, you’ll leave no footprints behind!

Once your soon-to-be-former-home is just as pristine as the one you’re planning to move in to… you’re done! Now, sellers, grab those keys, hand them over to your buyers and begin the next chapter in your own new home!