Once you find that ideal place to live in, all you want to do is unpack your stuff and move on to exploring the new neighborhood. However, before you can do that, it’s important that you tackle the cleaning first.
This might not be the most exciting part about moving in, but it’s certainly essential. Here’s a couple of cleaning essentials and tips that will come in handy when moving into a new rental.
Get these general cleaning tools first
First things first, when tackling rental apartment cleaning, you want to make sure you’ve got all the right tools. For starters, get a pair of rubber gloves – these will protect your skin from coming into contact with chemicals and keep your hands and arms from getting messy.
Next, get a caddy to load all the cleaning supplies and have everything on hand. Whether you’re working with tiles or hardwood floors, you want to bring a mop and broom as well as a dustpan. Vacuum cleaners will work on these surfaces as well, but they’ll come in especially handy when cleaning dirty carpets.
Finally, make sure you have a microfiber sweeper with you as these are quite helpful when tackling pet hair.
Make a checklist of essential cleaners
According to Breathemaids, “After you’ve prepared all the cleaning tools, you want to go through a checklist of essential cleaners that will help you in your battle against dirt and grime. Grease cleaner will come in handy when tackling stubborn and sticky messes, while a glass cleaner will leave the windows and glass surfaces sparkling. Commercial window cleaners are fine, but you can make an equally effective DIY version by mixing water and white vinegar.
Speaking of natural cleaners, make sure you have some baking soda with you as well as some lemon. Baking soda is great for eliminating nasty odors from the carpets, and when combined with lemon juice, it becomes a thick scrub that can be used for various surfaces.
Cleaners with bleach will ensure your bathroom is gleaming with perfection, wood cleaners are ideal for making wooden furniture look all shiny and new, while the dishwashing liquid can be used to clean upholstery and carpets.
Consider calling in the pros
Calling for backup is a great way to get these chores off your to-do list, but what do you do when you’ve just moved in and have no friends and family who could help you out? You call in the pros. As our schedules get longer and our days shorter, more people are foregoing the cleaning altogether and letting others do the tedious tasks for them.
According to statistics, 10% of all US households rely on cleaning services to help maintain their properties, and renters from the land Down Under are no strangers to calling in the pros either. According to a study, 31% of people admit to putting off a clean for as long as three weeks, with many households going without cleaning for up to a month or longer. Fortunately, for renters all across the world, hiring a cleaner like this can be an easy way to escape the time-consuming household chores and still get a squeaky clean apartment. In situations where you have to move in fast, calling backup is certainly a godsend.
Cleaning room by room
While hiring professionals has its perks, if you ultimately decide to tackle the cleaning yourself, there are a few guidelines that’ll help you do it properly and efficiently.
Kitchen
This is the area of the apartment where you can expect a lot of stubborn grease. Since brushes and sponges don’t stand a chance of combating it, consider using steel wool as well as scrubbing pads instead. That said, brushes and sponges will come in handy when tackling the dishes – just remember to get new ones often to prevent the bacteria from spreading. After you’re all done, use some antibacterial wipes to wipe down kitchen countertops and disinfect the surfaces.
Living room
The living room is the area with the most foot traffic. It’s also an area where the rugs and furniture are commonly covered in lint, dust, and even pet hair in case your new place is pet-friendly, which is one of the questions to ask before moving into an apartment. That’s when a lint roller comes in handy – simply roll it over areas such as couches and upholstery to pick up the annoying lint and pet hair. There’s also a chance that there’s dust on top of the furniture and shelves. Make sure you get a duster with a long handle to tackle those hard-to-reach spots – either microfiber or feather will do the trick.
Bathroom
First, remove any toiletries and other bathroom add-ons to create a blank slate. You want to have all the areas disinfected, especially bathtubs and toilets. Aside from effective bathroom cleaners, you should also get different types of brushes such as a toilet brush, toothbrush, and grout brush for all those stubborn stains. Combined with strong cleaners, these tools will help you get rid of the germs and turn your bathroom into a bacteria-free oasis that’s both clean and fresh.
Although you’d much rather start unpacking and decorating your new rental, giving it a deep clean first is a must. Follow these tips and you will have your new place gleaming with perfection in no time.
