Cleaning Checklist Before Moving In

A new apartment or home presents a wealth of possibilities. You have an uncluttered space, bare walls and an empty canvas upon which to start fresh. However, before you can start decorating and making memories, you need to take care of the basics — namely, the new home deep clean.

Cleaning a house before unloading boxes is ideally the way to go, as trying to work around a bunch of packages can slow you down.

To make the transition to your new home more manageable, we’ve put together an all-encompassing cleaning checklist that you can use as a starting point. 

Cleaning Checklist for Bedrooms

Cleaning bedrooms thoroughly before moving into a new house or apartment is essential, as you’ll be exposed to any residual irritants such as dander, pollen or dust mites here when you sleep. 

As with all rooms, we recommend working from top to bottom while completing the following list to ensure you avoid transferring debris to previously cleaned areas. You’ll want to:

• Dust all surfaces.
• Clean closet interiors and exteriors.
• Clean any marks on the baseboards and walls.
• Clean mirrors.
• Clean window tracks and interior windowsills.
• Wipe the baseboards.
• Wipe doors, door frames and doorknobs.
• Wipe light switches.
• Vacuum and damp-mop hard surface floors.
• Vacuum area rugs and carpets.

Cleaning Checklist for Kitchens

Our kitchen move-in cleaning checklist includes the following tasks:

• Dust and wipe shelves and countertops.
• Clean cabinet interiors and exteriors.
• Clean all the kitchen appliances such as refrigerator, oven, dishwasher and microwave.
• Wash sinks and backsplash.
• Wash dishes once you unpack them.
• Dust all surfaces.
• Clean window tracks and inside windowsills.
• Wipe and dust baseboards.
• Wipe doors, door frames and doorknobs.
• Wipe light switches.
• Clean baseboards and marks on walls.
• Wash and vacuum the floor.

Cleaning Checklist for Bathrooms

To ensure all bathrooms in your new home are clean, you should:

• Clean and disinfect glass doors, shower walls and bathtubs.
• Clean and disinfect the sink.
• Clean and disinfect the toilet inside and out.
• Clean the mirrors.
• Clean cabinet interiors and exteriors.
• Dust and wipe down countertops and shelves.
• Dust all surfaces.
• Clean window tracks and inside windowsills.
• Wipe down doors, door frames and doorknobs.
• Wipe light switches.
• Wipe and dust baseboards.
• Clean marks on walls and baseboards.
• Vacuum and wash the floor.

Cleaning Checklist for Living Rooms, Common Areas and Libraries

Clean living spaces and libraries by taking the following steps:

• Dust all surfaces.
• Clean any mirrors.
• Clean window tracks and inside windowsills.
• Wipe and dust baseboards.
• Clean doors, doorframes and doorknobs.
• Wipe light switches.
• Clean marks on walls and baseboards.
• Vacuum and damp-mop hard surface floors.
• Vacuum area rugs and carpets.
• Clean closet fronts and insides.

Schedule a Professional Cleaning for Your New Home Today

While our cleaning checklist is the ultimate guide to make your house shine, you don’t have to go it alone. If your move happens suddenly and your time is limited, or you feel like you could use some help to spruce up your new home, Maid Bright can help.

With more than 15 years of service, quality staff and flexible cleaning schedules, our team can offer professional, customized cleaning services based on your needs. 

Ready to get a fresh start on the next chapter of your life? Fill out a free estimate form and schedule a cleaning with Maid Bright today!