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Housekeeping

Find cleaning advice from other Mumsnetters on our Housekeeping forum.

The mammoth task of cleaning the home I've just moved into

10 replies

Greydee · 28/11/2024 04:40

Moved in last week on my own. House is great but previous owner clearly didn't put cleaning at the top of their priority list.

No funds to get cleaners in and have the skills to clean myself - just somewhat overwhelmed that every inch of it needs a jolly good clean. It's not filthy, just a bit grubby.

Inspire me to get started and keep going until I have a clean home

OP posts:
YearningForAWinteryWinter · 28/11/2024 05:18

How exciting! A new home! Which room are you going to start in?
A clean home in winter is so nice. It means more to me in the cold weather as we spend more time indoors.
I suggest a good audiobook or podcast while you clean. Are you a member of your library? The library app will have audiobooks and there are some on YouTube. Also bbciplayer may have some radio dramas/plays to listen too.

StrictlyAFemaleFemale · 28/11/2024 05:32

Pick one room. Start at the top and work down. Get a good podcast or music on to keep you company.

Alstation · 28/11/2024 13:58

Congratulations on your new home!

Emptier rooms are quicker to clean so the more you can clean before unpacking, the better. It'll be so worth your efforts and will really help it to feel like yours.

unsync · 28/11/2024 15:58

Do the bathroom first. Then you can have a nice relaxing bath when the rest of it gets to be a bit too much. You'll be able to get to know all the nooks and crannies as you clean and plan out how you want it to be.

Doggymummar · 28/11/2024 16:02

I've spent a fortune on mops, sponges, brushes, crevice tools to do my winter clean this weekend. Think I've watched too many tiktok reels. Planning on washing the effing walls 🧱

Bankholidayhelp · 28/11/2024 16:40

Think I'd prioritise kitchen,k bathroom and the room I was sleeping in.

Hire a carpet cleaner - not ideal time of year I know!

fivebyfivebuffy · 28/11/2024 17:34

Get some nice smelling cleaning products and a good playlist

I would be itching to help, the house next door to me is for sale and the sink is covered in limescale and I just want to clean it GrinBlush

Coconutter24 · 28/11/2024 17:40

If I ever need to get in a cleaning mood I just walk around home bargains seeing all their products makes me want to buy them lol

Greydee · 28/11/2024 18:14

Thanks so much for your encouraging comments.

I'm planning to start with the kitchen. The integrated freezer needs a serious defrost and the cooker is in a bit if a state, so will probably get someone in to do that as I've never been successful with cleaning cookers no matter what products I've invested in.

Good idea to have podcasts or dramas etc in background for company as much as anything else.

OP posts:
UtterlyUnimaginativeUsername · 28/11/2024 19:16

I'm moving in a couple of weeks and I'm making a cleaning to-do list now. I'm going to treat myself to some nice seasonal-smelling cleaning products. There may also be Christmas music Grin I watch youtube videos of people cleaning to get my head in the right place.

Since the freezer will be empty, you can just leave it open and let it defrost itself while you get on with other things; just come back and empty whatever it's draining into every so often.

A pro to do the oven is a good idea, cleaning someone else's grimey buildup can be quite foul.

Put the washing machine and dishwasher on empty on their hottest cycles while you work.

Are there curtains? Chucking them in a service wash or getting them dry cleaned if they're fussy would freshen the place up nicely.

I'll probably start with bathrooms, then the kitchen, then the sitting room so you've somewhere clean to relax when you eventually collapse.

I have overly irritable skin on my hands, so for maximum comfort for a long day's cleaning, I like to put on a pair of thin cotton gloves under rubber gloves, to stop them getting sweaty and gross.

Go in with a definite plan for breaks at regular intervals. You need to pace yourself!

Enjoy it. It's your home : )

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