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Housekeeping

Find cleaning advice from other Mumsnetters on our Housekeeping forum.

Original poster

How to survive the grime of a rented house??

15 replies

CatFaceCrayola · 31/08/2014 18:54

Me and DH live in a rented house. On surface level the house is quite nice but I'm 6 months pregnant and in nesting mode.

Problem is, the more I clean the more gross bits I find. nothing major but stains on the carpets and walls. mould/dust/grime in the little nooks and crannies.

I would love to rip out/replace some carpets/bannisters/bathroom laminate floor/ the shower in general. But I don't see it as being worth the hassle/money when hopefully we'll eventually be able to buy our own place.

Any tips for survival?

OP posts:
LIZS · 31/08/2014 20:07

Hire a carpet cleaner or invest in a steam mop. Could you pay someone to give it a deeper clean before the baby comes?

Original poster
CatFaceCrayola · 31/08/2014 20:49

I'm debating doing this. Will have to see what the cost is though

OP posts:
erin99 · 31/08/2014 22:03

Hiring a Rugdoctor will help with the carpet grime. Minimal outlay (£30ish), much more effective than a domestic carpet cleaner, cheaper than getting the professionals in. It's heavy and noisy but it works and doesn't take too long.

On the rest I don't know really, I have blasted many a rental house with bleach and cream cleanser but there is only so much you can do. I decided anything that remained after my scrubbing was firmly staying where it was, so it wasn't going to rub off and spoil anything else. Can you buy, say, new shower curtain and change sealant to perk the bathroom up? Bright towels and bath rug to distract from flooring? Massive, plainish rugs (ikea) over grotty carpets?

Whereisegg · 31/08/2014 22:13

I have been quoted £55 for a professional clean of our large living room carpet and stairs, and actually when you factor in the £10 for cleaning fluid to go with the rug doctor, plus wrestling the thing in and out of the car, I think it's totally worth it.

I hired the rug doctor last year and despite cast quantities of filthy water being poured away, the carpet didn't actually look much cleaner.

Whereisegg · 31/08/2014 22:14

*vast

Original poster
CatFaceCrayola · 31/08/2014 23:03

I'm liking the rug plan.
Think I'll get DH on the case with shower sealant too!

The stairs and landing carpet is the worst though. Don't think I'd be able to handle a rug doctor on my own on tge stairs

OP posts:
erin99 · 31/08/2014 23:40

Our carpets must have been much filthier than yours Whereisegg! It's always made a huge difference to ours. However OP, much as I was happy to paint etc in pregnancy, hoiking a rugdoctor about is probably not sensible even on the flat in late pregnancy.

specialsubject · 01/09/2014 10:41

doesn't sound like it needs everything ripping out and wasting - more the good clean that you are doing.

if the shower is leaking and needs re-sealing, that is for the landlord to do. So let him/her know ASAP.

Original poster
CatFaceCrayola · 01/09/2014 13:15

DH says he's going to re-seal the shower :) it's not leaking, there is just mould IN the sealant.

Emailed for a couple of carpet cleaning quotes. For the most in need carpets, lounge stairs and landing, i'm being quoted £70-80. Sounds expensive. Does that seem reasonable?

OP posts:
DiaDuit · 01/09/2014 13:22

If the stairs are very bad i have replaced stair carpet with new for £85 (fitted) Some carpet places have left overs that they reduce to get rid of. Might be easier than trying to shampoo stairs.

specialsubject · 02/09/2014 14:06

it is a rental - not for the tenants to replace the carpet. Or do a deal with the landlord; they replace the carpet for a rent reduction.

DiaDuit · 02/09/2014 14:18

Mine was a rental too. Some LL dont give a shit about keeping the place in good nick and are happy for tenants to replace carpet/redecorate. There isnt one fixed rule of what is or isnt for tenants to do.

Original poster
CatFaceCrayola · 02/09/2014 23:05

She's happy for us to redecorate the "nursery" but I get the impression they're quite attached to the offending carpet. The maintenance guy told me at great length about it being good quality expensive carpet

OP posts:
specialsubject · 03/09/2014 13:36

well, if that carpet was there when you took out the tenancy, that's it.

my point is that it is not generally for you to pay to change things. We did a deal with tenants where they changed the carpet and we reduced the rent; so in effect we paid for it (as it should be).

that said, generally in rentals carpet is not expected to last more than 8 years or so.

but I would not put a new carpet in with a baby expected, I'd wait a couple of years knowing what is likely to end up on the carpet!

e1y1 · 03/09/2014 15:06

True on there not being a fixed rule on what tenants can do, I'm in a rental currently and had the entire bathroom refitted (part my fault for breaking the bath) and also had a new boiler fitted.

Only excpetion is, I know this is long lease, I have been here 6 years and landlord indicated he wanted someone here for 15-20 years if possible.

He said he liked me and partner :P he actually turned down a couple who were offering higher deposit/rent to have us instead.

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