After signing a lease or buying a home, you begin to realize that the apartment or house might need some work before you can move in. This guide will help you get started with a clean space.

To make it easier to clean your new house before you move in, we created a free download of our move-in checklist. This checklist covers every task you should complete before you move in to your new home.

You can either consult the checklist from your phone, or print it and place it on the fridge in your new home. Make sure to check off each item as you go. 

How to clean a house before you move in

Cleaning is a good idea before moving into a new house. It will make it easier to clean the space without your personal belongings. You don’t need to spend the time cleaning the space (and you have everything to do during the transition), so hire a move-in cleaner.

We recommend following these steps if you decide to do the job yourself:

1. The fridge is the first place to start. It is essential to have a safe place to store your food. For more information, see our refrigerator cleaning suggestions.
2. Move on to the rest the kitchen once the fridge has been cleaned. Make sure you clean everything from top to bottom. Do not worry about the floors.
3. Next up, bathrooms! You’ll need to clean and disinfect the bathroom for a fresh start.
4. The remaining rooms should be cleaned, starting from the top and working your way down. Clean out fans and light fixtures. Wipe down baseboards and clean frames. To save time, try each task in every room.
5. Complete the job by mopping the floors. First vacuum, then sweep. Deep clean carpets if you are able. This is particularly easy if your home is empty of furniture.
6. For a complete list of cleaning tasks in your new home, see our move-in checklist