Top 10 Things You Need to Clean When You Move In

Moving soon? Here is a list of things you should clean, even if they appear clean. Moving can already be extremely stressful, thinking about cleaning is just another item on your endless to-do list. Here are some of the most important tasks you should be hitting before you move your stuff in. If at all possible, give yourself a whole day to clean before you start moving boxes and furniture into your space. It will be so much easier than having to clean around your stuff.

Before you begin: Make yourself a large batch of hot water, bleach and Tide® and have gloves on hand. We are going to be using this almost everywhere. Wear old clothes you don’t care about. You are going to be getting down and dirty.

1. Kitchen cabinets and drawers.

Start by opening each and every drawer and cabinet and vacuuming them out, then give them a wipe with water, bleach and Tide® (WBT). Your utensils and dishes will live here, so you want to clean out other people’s crumbs before you put your dishes in their new home. The fronts of cabinets are important too, but if needed they can wait until you’re moved in..

2. High touch areas – light switches, door knobs, etc. 

These are the most germy surfaces in a house. Water, bleach and Tide® on a microfibre cloth will clean and disinfect all door knobs, light switches, walls, or any other high touch surfaces. Not to mention, deal with fingerprints and smudges that aren’t yours.

3. Fridge.

Start by taking out all the shelves and drawers, and allowing them to come to room temperature. Then you can bleach and disinfect them all. Make sure you are not putting new food in a smelly fridge.

4. Microwave.

Cleaning your microwave with vinegar is a great way to get the old stench out. Simply microwave 1 cup of water with 2 TBSP of vinegar for up to 5 minutes, then wipe away all the sins. 

5. Dishwasher.

Your dishes will not be getting clean when the filter is covered in someone else’s old dinner. Remove the filter and carefully scrub it with bleach. Then run a long, hot cycle with a cup of bleach. Bleach will disinfect and clean, without creating a foam party. Detailed instructions here.

6. Shower/Tub.

The last owners may have moved out, but their foot fungus didn’t. Clean the shower and/or tub (with water, bleach and Tide®) from top to bottom, every nook and cranny.

7. Washing machine.

Don’t forget to clean out the washing machine. Will your clothes really be clean if the machine is full of mold? Pull open the seal, and pour in some straight bleach and get scrubbing. Remember to clean not only the drum but also the detergent drawer and filter. 

Cleaning out the dryer is just as important. Make sure there is no leftover lint!

8. Toilet.

Moving onto something a little more personal, the toilets. This can be a dirty job, so make sure you’re gloved up and ready to go. Most toilet lids will easily detach from the bowl, making it easier to clean, research your toilet model and brand to find out. Using water, bleach and Tide®, wipe down your toilet top to bottom, not forgetting behind and around.

9. Sinks – all of them.

Using the same water, bleach and Tide® recipe, wipe down all your sinks. Bathrooms and kitchen. Pay special attention to any nooks and crannies where food or germs can be hiding in plain sight. Then shine it up with some Bar Keeper’s Friend® or Windex®, depending on your sink material.

10. Floors.

Lastly, it’s time to clean your floors. Give all your floors a good vacuum. Then mop your hard floors with, you guessed it, water, bleach and Tide®. Get a fresh batch going in your spin mop bucket. Now do it again. Yep, we mop floors twice around here. ESPECIALLY when you don’t know how dirty the last tenants were. If you are opting to add bleach to disinfect use extreme caution near carpet transitions. Finish up with a final vacuum to get any stray dust and hair that has floated down from the rafters and stuck to the wet floors.

For a more detailed checklist on ALL of the things you need to clean when moving, grab yourself a copy of our moving checklist. Now you are ready to start moving in some boxes! Congratulations on your new home. 

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– Brinlyn and Becky @GoCleanCo