WHAT ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS TO CLEAN IN MY NEW HOME? A GUIDE TO POLISHING YOUR FRESH SPACE TO ITS FULLEST POTENTIAL
WHAT ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS TO CLEAN IN MY NEW HOME? A GUIDE TO POLISHING YOUR FRESH SPACE TO ITS FULLEST POTENTIAL
What are the most important things to clean in my new home? In the excitement of viewing your house before you purchased it, and looking over the professional real estate pictures while you eagerly anticipate moving in, it can be quite difficult to gauge just how clean things really are. Barring some kind of visible and disgusting disaster of course, at first glance surface cleans can be very deceiving. Furthermore, what you consider to be a standard of basic cleanliness may or may not have been shared by the previous homeowners that you bought from. In the midst of a pandemic, regular flu season, and simply wanting a general peace of mind about literally starting fresh; a strategic and overall clean of your new property is highly recommended. With that said, it can be shocking to discover just how many nooks and crannies a home has when you go to scrub every square inch of it for the very first time! Although a general deep cleanse of your entire new home is advised, check out the guide below to create a strong, and more importantly safe, jumping off point from which to begin your cleaning.
Clean Air Is A New Home’s Best Friend
Start off your cleaning mission strong and schedule a professional company to come and clear/vacuum out your vents. This is about the quality of the air you breathe (particularly when most of us are currently spending more time at home than we ever have before) and the prevention of a major fire hazard. Dust, debris, and skin particles can build up in your home’s ventilation system, and when the furnace/heating system fires on to warm you up; all of this can be pumped out for you to breathe right in. This type of service can vary in how much of your home is covered, averaging in investment from $200-$500. Most packages typically include 10 vents in one overall cost, with extra charges per additional vent. Because winter is the busiest maintenance season for this system within your home, many companies will offer seasonal bundle deals and specials. Look to make sure that your home air filters will also be replaced during this service. Additionally, you can have your dryer duct vacuumed out, and Air Conditioner filter also replaced. Clearing out your vents and breathing space are a major clean reset for your new home.
Take Hard Water Seriously
While the overall functionality of a water heating system can be checked and tested during a general home inspection; typically only a licensed expert can actually get into the unit and discern where it’s at in terms of remaining life expectancy. What does this mean for you, the new homeowner? Having a professional come to clean and assess your hot water tank can give you a better idea on how much time you have left, if any, before an appliance replacement is necessary. Booking this type of service is an investment certainly, but one that is worthwhile. Neglecting regular maintenance of this home system can be very expensive in the long run. A hot water tank breakdown is the type of unforeseen cost that can be a hard reality for a new homeowner. Avoid heartbreak here and keep cleaning consistent, especially if you live in an area with hard water. Having your tank flushed annually can reduce sediment build up, keep energy efficiency high, and water lines clear. Show your new home love by sprucing up one of its most used and critical interior functions.
Fresh Carpets, Fresh Foundation
There are notably times of the year where it is easier and/or faster to have your carpets cleaned and completely dried (aka summer). However, it is never a bad time, nor a bad idea, to have dirt, sweat, and other allergen buildups steam cleaned and removed from large carpeted areas within your new home. Ideally, the best opportunity to execute this procedure would be before you move all of your furniture in. Whether you are hiring a professional or renting out a machine to do the work yourself, having more room and flexibility to move around is preferable. If possession date and move in day fall at one and the same time though, it is always better to clean your carpets than not.
That’s Not Smoke And Mirrors, It’s Just A Dirty Fireplace
The aesthetic value of a fireplace can bring the warmth and livability factor of essentially any room in your new home way up. Of course, fireplaces are cozy and relaxing too! Despite being used regularly throughout winter months, or even on the occasional rainy fall or spring afternoon; regular maintenance of these add-on home heating systems can be an afterthought. Yet, whether you have an old school wood or new age gas structure, your new home’s fireplace needs to be cleaned annually, at the minimum. Ensuring your fireplace is not only beautiful, but also functional and safe is an essential step to getting your new home in order. Pro tip: when covering your bases for all things fire related, take the time to replace the batteries in each one of your smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. Next, set a monthly appointment to test these alarms. You can never be too cautious when it comes to protecting and preventing the incident of a fire in your new home.
DO NOT Forget The Baseboards!
As you get comfortable and set into daily life in your new home, the time lapsed between deep and detailed, entire house cleans can become greater. One of the most commonly overlooked areas, or regularly left at the bottom of the priority list, are your baseboards. Give yourself a strong and hygienic launching point here and scrub these house details when you first move in! As baseboards are generally not within our eyeline, they become easy to overlook and subsequently slide. However, once they are polished and sparkling, your home will simply look and feel better.
Moving is time consuming and can be incredibly stressful. Understandably, once you are all settled in, sometimes just the idea of conjuring up the energy to clean things from top to bottom is borderline offensive. However, there is almost no chance that once you have made these cleaning investments, that you will regret them. As COVID-19 rages on and the outside world remains a tumultuous place, give yourself the gift of knowing that your new home and sacred space is clean and fresh. The dictionary defines the term ‘clean slate’ as: an absence of existing restraints or commitments. So go on, free yourself! Happy cleaning!
