Why Is Thorough Cleaning So Important While Moving In/Out?

Over 60% of surveyed individuals rank moving as one of their highest stressors, higher than beginning a new job or divorce. Nearly 30% of surveyed people experience more stress on moving days than during their weddings.

Logistics can be a nightmare when moving, from organizing trucks, routes, and cargo space to paying for movers or wrangling a group of willing friends to help out. 

There are enough moving parts (pardon the pun) to make your head spin and make you wonder why you’ve decided to relocate in the first place.

Do you know what is psychologically proven to reduce stress (as we’ve established, a common symptom of moving/relocation)? 

Cleaning!

However, cleaning isn’t only going to be something you do to destress during the moving process.

Instead, cleaning is a functional matter while moving in/out. 

Cleaning the house you’re leaving makes getting all your belongings out easier. It’s also considerate towards others moving in. Similarly, giving the home you’re moving into a thorough pickup, scrubbing, and mopping will make it feel pristine and ease your transition.

Below, we’ll discuss the ins and outs of cleaning when you move in and out, providing a helpful playbook for streamlining the entire process.

Benefits Of Cleaning When Moving In/Out.

Here are the benefits of cleaning the home, apartment, or office you’re leaving:

• Is your home still on the market? A deep clean will make it pop and sparkle for potential buyers. Then, come moving time, the hard work will be done.
• Typically, deep cleaning a space you’re leaving means decluttering and minimizing, making the overall moving process more manageable.
• A deep clean before you move enables you to perform inventory on all belongings you’ll take with you to your next place. Thus, you’re less likely to leave anything valuable behind.

Now, we’ll delve into the benefits of cleaning the home, apartment, or office you’re moving into:

• You start with a clean slate by scrubbing your new home, apartment, or office clean. It’s a chance for new beginnings and to make your new space feel entirely your own.  
• Deep cleaning your new place reduces airborne pollutants (e.g., dust and dirt) to ensure you and your family breathe the cleanest, healthiest air. 
• Thoroughly cleaning your new space will help with unpacking and organizing your belongings. You’ll have a blank slate, enabling you to maximize the surface area and layout.

What About Cleaning Supplies?

The answer to the above question depends on the level of cleaning we’re discussing.

If you’re only looking for a surface-level clean, liquid dish soap, old rags, a mop, and some old-fashioned elbow trick can do the trick.

However, a deep clean is a different story with different aims.

The objectives (and benefits) of deep cleaning include improving air quality and eliminating mold and dust (and much more).

Deep cleaning targets dust and contamination in all hard-to-reach places (e.g., gaps and corners). It also involves multiple sanitizing and disinfection stages. 

Here are the types of supplies that aid the deep-cleaning process:

• Clean paint brushes (to dust your more delicate belongings).
• Magic Eraser sponges (Mr. Clean sells these).
• Baking soda in a shaker.
• Multipurpose cleaner.
• Rubbing alcohol.
• Streak-free glass and window cleaner.
• A toothbrush with stiff bristles (to scrub drains, shower door racks, etc.).
• Wood cleaner and conditioner.
• Telescoping duster with attachments (e.g., microfiber, cobweb, squeegee, and ceiling fan).
• Distilled white vinegar.
• Powered/liquid dish soap.
• Gloves.
• Microfiber mops with covers for various floor types. 
• Microfiber cloths (glass-only and multipurpose).
• Lint roller.

How Can You Ensure The Smoothest Possible Cleaning Process While Moving In/Out?

Planning is critical to the smoothest possible cleaning/moving out. First, you must integrate your deep cleaning plan with your general moving plan to fit with and streamline the bigger-picture process. 

From there, you must draw out a specific cleaning plan on a more micro level.  

Here are the steps for cleaning the space you’re leaving:

• Target all doors and knobs.
• Get each window.
• Dust ledges, ceiling fixtures, and all other reachable surfaces.
• Remove all nails and screws from your walls. Putty the resulting hole. 
• Clean light switches and outlets.
• Rigorously clean all bathrooms from top to bottom.
• Vacuum (and deep clean carpets if stained).
• Clean the entire kitchen, from your emptied cupboards to your refrigerator.
• Vacuum, sweep, dust, and mop all empty rooms (in whatever order works best). 

Here’s what to do when cleaning the space you’re relocating to:

• Give the bathrooms a vigorous scrubbing, targeting tubs, showers, and sinks.
• Dust and vacuum in empty rooms.
• Sweep and mop all floor surfaces.
• Thoroughly clean the kitchen, targeting the stove, counters, cabinets, fridge, etc.
• Sweep the garage floor. 

Solving Your Cleaning Problems When Moving In/Out.

Unless you’re a professional cleaner, there will always be areas you can’t reach, carpet stains too stubborn to go away, or physical hurdles outside your control. 

You’ve also read the list of supplies required for proper deep cleaning. It’s extensive and could prove itself a migraine headache to satisfy.

Troubleshooting these issues can initially seem daunting until you realize you can hire a professional cleaning service to deep-clean your spaces, old and new. 

Professional deep cleaners have specialized cleaning supplies and equipment (e.g., powerful stain removers and industry-strength vacuums). They’re also highly trained to deliver exceptional results beyond what any DIYer can do.

Hiring a deep-cleaning pro to perform your move-in/move-out cleaning tasks means you have one less thing to worry about as you relocate. As such, you can focus more energy on other relocation logistics. Just be sure to factor cleaning services into your moving budget. 

Conclusion: The Value Of Clean Endings And Pristine Beginnings.

A thorough moving-in/out cleaning process (using the tips we’ve provided) will reduce stress while leaving room for clean ends and pristine beginnings.

Streamline the move-in/out cleaning process by hiring a professional deep-cleaning company like Luxury Cleaning NY to leave your old space and new place sparkling.