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Original poster

How far do you go with cleaning when you move out?

13 replies

puffylovett · 08/04/2011 09:56

When I helped my parents move, I scrubbed their house from top to bottom - even wiped down the internal doors and got rid of finger marks on the walls, culminating in scrubbing the parquet in the hall as we backed out of the front door.

It was filthy within about 30 seconds of the new buyers walking in.

Parents think I was insane and should not do the same with our house (we're hoping to complete in a few weeks).

I don't want people moving in to a dirty house and thinking I'm scummy dirty Grin

So, how far do you go with the cleaning?

OP posts:
BlingLoving · 08/04/2011 10:06

I think there's a balance. I would clean a new house obsessively anyway so I don't expect previous owners to hvae done a lot. But I'd leave it "domestically" clean ie clean bathroom (and TOILET), carpets and floors quick vacuum, counters clean etc. My house is generally quite clean all over though eg windows and blinds so that would just stay as before.

Realistically, the process of moving in will mean the place will get messy and dirty pretty fast again for the new owners.

nocake · 08/04/2011 10:38

Agreed... I would make sure it was dusted and vacuumed, particularly after furniture had been taken out, but wouldn't get obsessive over it. I would also make sure the kitchen was clean as I've moved into houses with filthy kitchens and that's revolting.

dickcheeseandthecrackers · 08/04/2011 10:42

I wasn't obsessive about it, but made sure kitchen was spotless, floors done, carpets hoovered and bathroom clean. I'm sure they (new owners) would go over it anyway.

GoldenBeagle · 08/04/2011 15:45

Clean enough for them to unpack stuff into cupboards without having to clean them first.
I have always cleaned each room as the removal men have emptied it - floors, any big marks on paintwork, inside cupboards, sills.
Very bad for to leave a dirty house.
But I have moved into a couple. Angry

inkyfingers · 08/04/2011 18:01

Reasonably clean so that they can move in easily without doing it again unless they want to. Basicially a clean house always says 'welcome'. IF you leave it in a state they won't stop talking about it to their friends ever - and to your neighbours.

LynetteScavo · 08/04/2011 18:07

It's the only time I am obsessive about cleaning. I either get professional cleaners in, or have two houses at the same time so I can spend the day cleaning(I always seem to go from rented to bought or the other way round, so have been able to overlap).

bibbitybobbityhat · 08/04/2011 18:14

Gah, I think its so disgusting to leave one's house dirty before moving out.

I have rented properties that still had unwashed baking trays lurking in the oven, and none of the kitchen cupboards cleaned out.

Its so so so annoying when you have to spend moving in day cleaning, especially if you have just been conscientiously cleaning the house you have moved out of.

Ponks · 08/04/2011 20:54

When we completed on our current house the previous owner had left it in a really terrible filthy state. Luckily we still had our old house for a week or so, so didn't have to move in straight away, had to get professional cleaners and throw out 2 skiploads of rubbish. Angry
So when it came to moving out of our old house I made sure that it was absolutely spotless. Cleaned it far better than when we lived there! Smile But wanted to make sure the new owners wouldn't have such a bad experience as us!

ChupaChups · 09/04/2011 11:20

I would always scrub my house before I move out.

Although this house was generally clean when we moved in the oven and fridge were filthy. I was a bit disgusted tbh.

Original poster
puffylovett · 10/04/2011 10:22

Oh good, it looks as though most people concur, that we need to leave it in a nice clean state. I'd forgotten about the cooker Blush - it's pretty grim and needs a good scrub. I can do that a few days before we move though, can't I.. and the integrated washing machine needs a good scrub too....

OP posts:
TinyPawz · 10/04/2011 13:03

Seems that all the houses I have moved into have be filthy....really really filthy.

Everything needs to be put into one room, the rest of the house scrubbed and then unpack. Not fun when 7 months pregrenant, or with 4mo or with 9mo.

I tend to pack the same way, pack 1 room at a time and store in a single place. Clean the near empty rooms.

Kandinsky · 10/04/2011 14:24

We moved into our current house just before Christmas a number of years ago. I almost cried when I saw the disgusting state of the oven including foil over the grill tray still covering charred oven chips. The combination of dirty house, when I had washed all my kitchen units inside and out with bleach and backed out of the front door with hoover in hand etc, and the very dodgy DIY made it very difficult to look the owner in the eye when I met her out and about in the town. Think carefully when you move out about whether you will still meet the people that move in.

noddyholder · 10/04/2011 14:26

No matter how much you do people still like to do their own. I always over do it I think but when I move this time I may lighten up!

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