First ever big clean before move - product help?

[Ymamiss]

Hi, we have been renovating our house for the last 3 years and it’s finally nearly moving in time... now obviously there is a lot of building dust, especially on the windows and floors, the kitchen and fireplace etc. So for the first big clean before moving in, what would be your best buys in terms of cleaning products? I also need to wash my fabric sofa with something other than a washing machine as dh isn’t keen on removing the covers. It’s been in storage for a year and is very dusty.

Thanks in advance!

After having our extension I hoovered everything and then just used a damp cloth and zoflora to wipe down the surfaces. I'd hire a rug doctor or get in professional cleaners ( they are worth their weight in gold! ) to clean floors and your sofa, especially before you put all of your furniture in. I use method products for everything in our house and it always smells nice and not like chemicals. Good luck with your move!

I know this isn't what you asked but personally I would hire a cleaning company to do a deep clean, many also sort out dry cleaning etc.

Thank you both. Hoping not to have to shell out for a cleaning company tbh as we have already overspent.

You have more energy than me! Good luck op

I brought a fab product on recommendation from my cleaner, it’s called Elbow Grease (yes! I thought she was joking too!) in a yellow trigger spray bottle, very cheap, about a £1 or so. Brilliant degreaser, and can be used on most surfaces. Barkeepers friend is also very good stuff. Good luck with the clean OP.

Hi fellow renovated here
Hoover everywhere including the walls but make sure you have a Hoover with a good dust filter ( that's clean) then damp dust everywhere. Have you decorated yet? If not wash it all down with sugar soap solution including windows and frames let it all dry walls too

Then Hoover again you will be surprised how much comes up on the second go

If you kept carpets down ( we didn't) get in a carpet cleaning company it's much easier quicker and dryer as the extraction vacuums are much better

For tiles and vinyl it depends how dirty they are? If not to bad a good Hoover then couple of good mops with any floor cleaner I use Tesco own brand it works and it's not expensive

Bathrooms clean or not ? If cleanish again good Hoover wash down with sugar soap then wash down with floor and wall cleaner ( Tesco's is as good as any)

Arm yourself with a couple of clean buckets each a different colour and use one for dirty ( first wash) and the other for clean ( second wash) this is so much easier in the long run

The Hoover needs to be hoovered a couple of times and then the only sensible way to clean is remove the covers and wash or get professionals in. The risk of leaving to much water in the sofa upholstery and thus it being very damp? Ewww on the smell.

I do understand as we just got our furniture and belongings out of storage this weekend and are now playing house tetris to fit it all in

The Hoover needs to be hoovered lol the Sofa needs to be hoovered

You really don't need any fancy products. Hoover everywhere first, skirting boards, window sills etc. Grab a feather duster and do all your walls, window sills again, behind radiators etc. Then buy yourself some good micro fibre cloths, Costco do brilliant ones. For your bathroom use a cream cleaner like cif for the tiles and sink/bath/toilet. Furniture polish is great for lots of things, tiles, any chrome, cooker splashback etc. For your windows I would use water with a small amount of fairy liquid, you'll want 3 cloths, one wet to wash them, one to remove excess water and one to buff them up. Don't forget things like light switches and plug sockets, furniture polish is great for this. It's your cloths that make a difference and remember to do the bits that people forget as it makes the room cleaner as a whole and that makes the difference

Oh and hoover again at the end!

Thank you so much! Everything except the sofa is brand new, kitchen bathroom, carpets etc so aren’t dirty. It’s mainly the hallway where we’ve put tiles down and builders have been walking through, and the Windows, again which are brand new but covered in dust etc.

Thanks again.

We hired a carpet cleaner from hss and carpet cleaner from Screwfix for a week for the process for of a rug doctor for a weekend and we've got 4.8l of the cleaning solution still left. Well worth it.