Cleaning Tips Checklist for Home Sellers

Read time: 5 mins

Selling your home is never an easy process. On the bright side, it’s the ripest opportunity you’ll get for a full-on purge. Imagine the satisfaction you’ll feel after emptying the house of old stuff, taking enormous pride in getting the presentation of your home in tip-top shape so potential buyers will drool with longing for a house as clean as yours. After all, selling is the reason you’re going to all this trouble!

Start Out Right by Planning Ahead

When home sellers are gearing up to give their entire house a thorough cleaning, creating a checklist is essential. Like most projects in life, planning ahead will speed up and simplify the process. First perform a walkthrough of the property both inside and out, integrating each room into your checklist. Pay close attention to what you will be able to clean yourself versus areas with old stains that may need a professional cleaner or damage requiring repairs.

Declutter Your Home

No, we’re not going to recommend you record all 82 reruns of Hoarders. However, decluttering your home is an absolute must. If you plan far enough in advance, you can take advantage of spring or fall cleaning and hold a yard sale to get rid of old stuff. You might even make a little extra cash too!

For bulky items which are difficult to dispose of, you can always post them on Craigslist—you might be shocked to see some of what people will pick up for free, regardless of the shape it’s in. Getting everything you don’t want out of the way makes it possible to perform the deep clean that will dazzle potential home buyers.

Thoroughly Clean Every Room in the House

The bigger items in your home will be the first thing potential buyers notice, but be sure not to neglect the details. When you clean the house, include the walls, door handles, baseboards, ceilings and fans, mirrors, and cubby spaces. Also clean behind and underneath appliances, doors, furniture, and other spots where you might think people won’t look (but potential buyers will).

Room Checklist

#1    Entryways & Hallways: Consider the importance of first impressions. Whether you have old carpet or wood floors, restoration means saving on the cost of its full replacement to make the existing flooring look clean as new.

#2    Kitchen: Professional cleaners like COIT use advanced technology that utilizes heat to completely eradicate mildew, dirt, and contaminants. If you want to combat the future staining and discoloration of tile and grout, our expert technicians can apply Grout ColorSeal™ to restore appearance and keep it that way. Additionally, COIT specialists will polish solid stone surfaces such as marble or quartz countertops, making them shine once again.

#3    Bathroom: When looking to fight off hard water stains, remember that vinegar and baking soda are your friends. Avoid using bleach on porcelain. For tile and grout that you can’t properly clean yourself, COIT trucks are armed with superior equipment to defeat stubborn lime stains and GUARANTEE they won’t be coming back anytime soon. Using COIT’s Grout ColorSeal™ application, your tile and grout is easily restored to its like-new beauty.

#4    Bedrooms: Why not have your draperies and blinds thoroughly cleaned? COIT will even perform takedown and reinstallation, plus repairs and/or alterations to fix existing damage.

#5    Family Room: The centerpiece of most family rooms is the furniture. In addition to the wood, tile, carpet floors, or rug, expert cleaners can work wonders with couches and upholstery by customizing the cleaning plan according to the material, and even providing a stain-resistant protective coating.

#6    Laundry Rooms, Nooks, Spare Rooms, & Dens: These are the areas of a house that most frequently get ignored. Make it a point to move the washer and dryer to clean around and underneath, as well as moving furniture or other staging items to ensure they’re free of dust and grime.

#7    Garage: In addition to the garage floor and shelves, be sure to carefully clean the walls and corners. Professional cleaners like COIT are also highly skilled in cleaning concrete floors, knowing how to remove the toughest forms of debris to get rid of pesky garage stains.

#8    Windows: Sparkling, spot-free windows are stunning. To achieve this result, it’s best to avoid washing windows in direct sunlight. You don’t want the sun’s rays dissolving your cleaning solution before you can polish them properly.

#9    Patio / Exterior: Renting a power washer is one route many home sellers take to clean their concrete driveways, sidewalks, and even stonework patios, yet if this isn’t done correctly using the right chemicals, it can actually damage the concrete or masonry. Consider consulting a professional for this step.

Extra Cleaning Tips

Potential buyers experience a walkthrough of your home with more than just their vision. Consider how the different senses will perceive your home upon entry—for example, the smell, as well as the visual appeal. If you follow the advice above, and employ professional cleaning experts where necessary, your home will be able to sell more quickly.

Repairs While Cleaning

When performing a deep-clean of each area of the house, inspect for damage and problem areas that may require the attention of professional technicians. Make special note of these issues by adding them to your checklist. These repairs could include everything from door handles to light fixtures. Repairs are going to be inevitable, and fixing them as you go will keep the list shorter and keep you from getting overwhelmed.

Hire a Professional Cleaner or Take the DIY Path?

In some cases, hiring a professional for expert service will make all the difference. If you aren’t 100% satisfied, COIT will reclean, refund, repair, or rectify. Home sellers who don’t have the time or don’t want to take the risk of DIY cleaning damaging their home can reach out to long-established professionals in their area for advice and a quote to put their home at its best.

Schedule an appointment with COIT for the industry’s best cleaning services that are completely guaranteed.
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