Moving house- cleaning etiquette?

[Thistledew]

All being well, fingers crossed, touch wood etc, we should be selling my flat and moving to our new house sometime in the next month.

What is the general etiquette regarding cleaning the houses?

My flat is by no means dirty, but there are some bits such as the tops of fixed cabinets and wardrobes, and shelving in the spare room, and also behind sofas and beds, which I have not cleaned ever very often in the past 6 years. Also jobs such as wiping out the kitchen cupboards, and scrubbing and waxing the floors that I do as part of a thorough clean every 6 months or so, but not as part of general housework.

How much effort is one expected to put into making the property one is moving out of spotless?

I recon it would take 2-3 hours to thoroughly clean my flat in this way, and am not sure I would have this time spare on moving day.

Has anyone paid a cleaner to do this? How much should I expect to pay (London rates)?

It seems that what is generally accepted is to find a seller of shit and general rubbish, buy loads of it and spread liberally around the house before you move out.

I would makes sure it was vacuumed and dusted all over, I would have the windows cleaned - I would also wipe the insides of cupboards but I would not clean the tops of kitchen cupboards. Are you selling with furniture? Because otherwise you will take the sofas and wardrobes - then you just clean the space.
I wouldn't leave a house dirty - think about how you would like to find your new house.

That's the thing though- when I do a thorough spring clean I do leave things completely spotless and do the little extra things such as polishing the woodwork (I have quite a lot of bare wood).

Would you do all the little extra tasks as well? Or just a normal clean?

I did a general clean, not a deep clean. Eg didnt do tops of cupboards but wiped the insides out with a damp cloth- did this the night before we moved as they were all empty by then anyway. Much easier to clean it when its empty.

Cleaned bathroom well, swept and hoovered everywhere.

I wouldnt bother scrubbing or waxing floors,definitely.

I wouldn't polish wooden surfaces or wax the floor. The floors will be trodden all over when the new occupants move in so there wouldn't really be that much point. I would have windows clean and the skirting boards wiped.

Yes, I would clean out the kitchen cupboards and the tops of the cabinets. There is probably a lot I would overlook, not being much of a housewife, let's be honest. I am sure when people move in they will notice the things that are not tip top and do them anyway. The basics need to be clean though.

It shouldn't strike the eye as dusty,dirty anywhere, I think that is the main thing.

You could call round a few cleaning companies/cleaners just to get a general idea of what they would charge.

Only ever rented but do a thourough clean when I leave usually. 2/3 hours for the entire house doeas not seem that much TBH I would do most things befor actual moving and just wizz round with the hoover after removal people have been. I would draw the line at polishing though.

I have always paid a cleaner to come in after we've left to give the place a good clean.

I rarely have found the the house we've moved into is in the same state.

Yes to kitchen cabinets. I did this last week and then lined them with paper so they will stay clean while we use them for a few more weeks. I have done most of what I am planning to do already - there is no time of removals day. I wanted to get a company in to clean throughout but when would they get a chance? We will have to be out by 12 and we can't move into our new place until 12.

No point in spotless, the removal men will make it spotty again.

If you call some cleaning agency it wont cost you more than 200 paunds. You cando it by your self but especially if you dont have time is worthy to call somebody

www.homecleaninglondon.co.uk/flat-cleaning/

www.homecleaninglondon.co.uk/prices/

I think Orm has it - most house moves involve the new people chuntering at the bit outside as you pack the last odds and sods into the car and leave. Certainly was the case last time! Everyone seems to take legal occupation at the same time in a chain, so there's no time to have someone in after you to clean.

Thanks for the tip about pre-cleaning the cabinets and then lining them. Ours are grotty because I never do them unless I spill something and I know I won't have time on the day. I do draw the line at the tops of them, but I'm pregnant and have no desire to be grappling with dusty grease while perched on a stepladder! Maybe DH will do them. I'm not doing a massive window-clean either - ours were professionally done just before the house went on the market so they're not too scuzzy, and I'll just Windowlene DS's charming hand and nose prints off before we leave!

I just hope the vendors clean up behind them too.

My cleaning for a house move is dependant on how cooperative purchasers have been during the process