Deep cleaning an empty house

[polkapretty]

Hi
Hoping someone can help me. Iv been offered a council house due to my child being disabled. Its a lovely house but the person who lived there before me hasn't cleaned it in about 10-15 years. It took over 20 skips to empty the house. There is nothing as such left in the house, no carpets or appliances or anything like that, its just kitchen, bathroom and bare carpets walls etc, but it is completely filthy. I am currently 35 weeks pregnant and only have 2 days to completely clean the house before moving in. Is there any tips/advice anyone can give? am pretty desperate and will be doing it all myself other than a few hours help from a friend on one of the two days.
Thanks

[wowfudge]

Is the council/housing association not doing the deep clean for you? I thought they did in such circumstances.

Anyway - here's my plan:

Take with you buckets, rubber gloves, cloths for cleaning and drying, nylon scouring pads, sugar soap, all purpose cleaner like Flash liquid (I use Aldi's own brand), bleach, Cilit Bang Grime & Shine, step ladder for reaching tops of kitchen cabinets - a job for a friend I'd say, bin bags and Cif

1. Clean walls down with sugar soap from B&Q/ironmongers/Wilko. If you don't have sugar soap just use hot soapy water and go easy on wallpaper.
   
2. Clean windows, frames and sills, door frames, doors and woodwork with hot soapy water. Buff windows with dry, lint free cloth while still damp
   
3. Clean kitchen cabinets, tiles etc with Cilit Bang Grease and Sparkle using nylon scourers - if it's bad spray on and leave a few mins before scrubbing off. Use Cif if necessary. Scrub/mop floor.
   
4. Put bleach in the loo and leave a while before you give it a good clean. Use Cif and a nylon scourer to get the bathroom clean. Scrub/mop floor
   
5. Do other floors as last job before you leave the night before you move in then they can dry overnight.
   

I'm typing on my phone so it's awkward to change the order round, but I would do bathroom and kitchen first.

Where in the country are you? I'm wondering if any MNetters can help you out?

[TroyMcClure]

hire a carpet cleaner

[wowfudge]

There aren't any carpets or I'd have suggested that!

[mousmous]

hire a steam cleaner from a dyi store

[bochead]

Day 1.

Old school mop, broom and microfibre cloth day.

Denture tablets down the loo overnight if it's grim (yup I've lived in social housing too and this is the only solution I ever found to limescale encrusted loos) - smart price ones will do. Quick scrub in the morning. It may take 2 nights treatments but it's gotta be the worst job of all.

Stardrops from Asda plus microbibre cloths for general grime. Get large size microfibre cloths from amazon not the handkerchief size ones the supermarkets sell.

A steam cleaner after the the stardrops treatment with a micofibre cloth wipe.

Sugar soap the walls paintwork

Day 2

I'm gonna go out on a limb and say hire a professional cleaning company for light fittings, windows & high up places etc that you couldn't tackle on day 1 and go out for the day. At 35 weeks pregnant step ladders and harsher chemicals than those I've mentioned just aren't worth the risk.

Also some councils offer a handy man service for the disabled - worth seeing if yours does - was a lifesaver for me when DS broke some light fittings once, leaving them really unsafe. You may need a few minor DIY jobs done to make the place properly safe for the kids (eg did any fence panels come down in this years storms?)

[theuncivilservant79]

Where are you op? Could you ring home start and see if they might help?
Washing powder in kitchen cupboards if thru are v greasy.

I would plan which rooms to start with - then when you move you can pile the boxes in there first.

[wowfudge]

Judging by her OP, she should be moving in today!

[ItsDinah]

I've done similar cleans and in an empty house Vileda supermops or 99p knock offs are my secret weapons. They can be wielded on all surfaces including the kitchen cabinet doors,walls,windows,sink- everything- with a cleaning fluid of your choice to get the worst of the grot off. Less effort than scouring with little cloths. If you do that on day one you can detail clean with microfibre cloths etc on day 2. Hot mops and cloths work better,so take the kettle,and take many tea breaks. Lots of people really enjoy helping with this kind of thing. Sociable,you don't need to dress up and you get away with eating sustaining snacks. What about getting up a House Warming cleaning party with the promise of pizza/chocolate cake as a lure? The neighbours are going to be curious about who's moving in so invite them too. If you see them peeking at you wave ,point at a mop while making beckoning motions and looking hopeful. Then act despairing and point at biscuits. Good Luck.