How to Clean Your New Apartment Before You Move In

Follow these steps when cleaning your apartment to ensure your new space feels fresh and ready for you to move in.

1. Clean large surfaces efficiently

   When you begin cleaning your new apartment, make sure dust and debris don’t contaminate areas you’ve already cleaned. One approach is cleaning top to bottom. Start with the ceiling fan, overhead lights, and ceiling. Your vacuum’s extendable wand can help you reach up high. Move down to the walls and the tops of high cabinets, then scrub your baseboards before mopping or vacuuming the floors. Once you get to the floor, start at the far side and move towards the door. This way you won’t make marks over your newly cleaned floor.

2. Deep clean the closets

   Take the time to deep clean the closets of your new unit before you fill them with your belongings. Take advantage of their empty status with a deep clean before you unpack. Wipe down every shelf with a soft cloth and surface spray, making sure to get into the corners. If there are any mysterious marks on the shelves, consider covering them with some decorative vinyl or paper. Look for easily removable solutions so you can collect your deposit when you move out.

3. Clean out the cabinets and drawers

   Your cabinets and drawers will house the small appliances, plates, and utensils that will touch your food so they should be clean enough to eat off too. A mix of white vinegar and water is a great food-safe cleaner for any cabinets and shelves you’ll use for mealtime gear. 
   A little surface spray can get the job done in your bathroom. Just like in the closets, decorative liners are your friends if stains still show.

4. Wipe windows and mirrors clean

   There are few things as satisfying as looking at a clean window or mirror. A commercial glass cleaner can remove streaks and spots from these surfaces. If your windows have curtains or blinds, vacuum them to remove any settled dust. Spot clean any stubborn marks with a mix of water and liquid dish soap. Window sills and frames are often neglected, but a mix of three parts warm water to one part bleach should make them like new. Scrub the solution in with an abrasive sponge or old toothbrush.

5. Give the toilet a thorough clean

   Simply cleaning the toilet with a toilet brush won’t cut it when you first move in. Wipe down the outside, then the inside with disinfectant and paper towels. For a really deep clean, pour enough white vinegar into the toilet’s tank water so the liquid sits just below the top rim. Leave it for 12 hours, then flush a few times to get rid of most of the vinegar. Turn off the water valve at the back of the toilet and flush again to drain the rest of the vinegar. Scrub the inside of the empty tank with an all-purpose cleaner. Turn the water valve on and flush the toilet until the water runs clear.

6. Tackle the bath

   A long soak in your new bath sounds relaxing until you think about all the other renters who’ve done it first. Remove every trace of past occupants with a good deep clean. Dish soap and a sponge should take care of the job unless there are stubborn stains. Attack those with a heavy-duty commercial cleaner or natural blend of baking soda, kosher salt, and borax, unless your tub is new or reglazed. If it is, you’ll have to rely on non-abrasive cleaners to protect the surface.

7. Scrub out the shower stall

   Before you take a shower, you’ll need to tackle the soap scum that often lingers on shower walls and doors. Tile and stone shower stalls need a commercial stone cleaner to look their best. If you have any other kind of shower stall, a solution of equal parts white vinegar and dish soap should dissolve the minerals. Spray it on and let it work its magic for around 30 minutes. Then you can simply rinse it clean with a sponge or cloth. If the soap scum is especially stubborn, employ an abrasive sponge.

8. Disinfect everything

   If you think about every surface that past renters and their guests touched it might make your skin crawl. You can wipe out their germs once and for all with a commercial disinfectant. Apply it to a soft cloth and wipe over every high-contact surface. Think countertops, handles, switches, buttons, locks, and dials. Tackle each room systematically and you can feel confident there are no germs lurking behind.

9. Clean the air

   Most people focus on cleaning surfaces before they move in. While that’s important, don’t forget about the cleanliness of the air. If the apartment’s air smells stale, give it a refresh by airing your apartment out. Open up the doors and windows to let the stale air out and the clean, fresh air in. Running fans can move the stale air out and get the fresh air circulating. If the last renters smoked, a stale smell may linger. Deodorizing the carpet and wiping the walls down with that vinegar and water mix can help. If the odor persists, speak to your property owner. They may agree to repaint the walls or find another solution to the problem.

10. Don’t forget your appliances

    Your new appliances deserve a little love too. Use your trusty vinegar and water mix to wipe out the shelves of your fridge and your microwave. Don’t put away the vinegar just yet. Sit a cup of vinegar in the top rack of your dishwasher and let it run for a cycle. Swap it out for a cup of baking soda on the bottom and set the dishwasher for a second cycle. Soaking your oven racks overnight in a bag of sealed ammonia should remove even the nastiest grime.