Short answer: clean a new home while it is still empty. Start high and work down, deal with the kitchen and bathrooms first, clean inside every cupboard, and consider fumigation before you clean so you are not cleaning twice.
Before you start
- Fumigate first if needed. If there are signs of cockroaches, ants or rodents, book fumigation before cleaning and allow the recommended time before re-entry.
- Check water and power so you can actually clean.
- Note existing damage with dated photos, especially if you are renting.
Kitchen
- Inside and outside every cupboard and drawer
- Cabinet fronts and handles, degreased
- Wall tiles and splashback
- Extractor hood and filter
- Inside the oven and fridge, if supplied
- Sink, taps and drain
- Counters and shelves
- Floor, including under appliances where they can be moved
Bathrooms and toilets
- Toilet, including under the rim, the base and behind
- Basin, taps and plug holes, descaled
- Shower or bath, screen and tiles
- Grout lines scrubbed
- Mirror and cabinet inside and out
- Floor and floor drain
Bedrooms and living areas
- Ceiling fans and light fittings
- Inside wardrobes and built-in storage
- Walls spot-cleaned where safe
- Doors, frames, handles and switches
- Skirting boards
- Floors swept and mopped
Windows and doors
- Glass inside, and outside where reachable
- Sliding tracks cleared of dust and grit
- Sills and frames
- Burglary-proof bars dusted
- Door tracks and thresholds
Outside and services
- Compound swept and cleared
- Refuse area cleaned
- Drains clear
- Ask the landlord or agent when the water tank was last washed
After the clean
Air the house well, then bring in furniture. If you want help, our move-in and move-out cleaning service covers everything on this list except tank washing and repairs.
