Move-In Cleaning for Bathrooms and Bedrooms: What to Do First

That Cleaning Girl · Move-In / Move-Out

After the kitchen, bathrooms and bedrooms are the rooms you will want clean on the first night. Bathrooms because you will use them right away, and bedrooms because once the beds go in, the floor under them is gone for years. The kitchen came first in Move-In Kitchen Cleaning: Where to Start Before You Put Dishes Away. Here is the order for the rest.

Bathrooms first, because you will need them first

On moving day, everyone needs a bathroom: you, your family, your friends helping and the movers. Clean at least one bathroom completely before the truck arrives.

• Toilet: inside the bowl, under the rim, the seat and hinges, the tank, the base and the bolt caps.
• Shower and tub: descale the glass and fixtures, scrub the tub and the walls, rinse well.
• Sink and vanity: wipe the top, clean the faucet, then wipe inside every drawer and the cabinet below.
• Mirror and lights: glass cleaner and a dry cloth for the mirror, dust the fixture.
• Exhaust fan: dust the cover. Many are thick with lint in older homes.
• Floor: behind the toilet and in the corners.

The bathroom details that matter most

In a new-to-you bathroom, focus on what you touch. Faucet handles, the flush lever, the light switch, the door handle and the towel bars all get a good wipe. Then look at grout and caulk. If they are stained, cleaning may lighten them. If caulk is dark from inside, it may need replacing, which you can plan for later.

Hard water is common across Ellis County and south Dallas, so expect to spend time on the shower glass and faucets. Spray a descaling cleaner, let it sit and come back to it. Patience does more than elbow grease.

Run the exhaust fan while you clean and for a while after. Many bathrooms in older homes have weak fans or none at all, and good airflow keeps the products from building up fumes and helps the room dry out.

Bedrooms: clean before the beds go in

Here is the key thing about bedrooms: the carpet or floor under the bed will not be cleaned again until you move the bed. Do it now.

• Dust the ceiling fan, using the pillowcase trick to catch dust.
• Wipe light switches, outlet covers and the door handle.
• Wipe window sills, vacuum tracks and dust the blinds.
• Wipe baseboards, especially where the bed and dresser will go.
• Vacuum slowly in two directions, starting with the edges.

If you plan to have carpets cleaned, do it before move-in so they have time to dry in the empty room.

Closets deserve a full clean

Closets collect dust on shelves, lint on the floor and sometimes old hangers or forgotten items. Take everything out, vacuum the corners, wipe the shelves and the rod. If the closet smells musty, leave the door open with a fan running. Then your clothes go into a clean space. Do the same for the linen closet before your towels and sheets go in.

Kids' rooms and nurseries

If you have little ones, give their rooms extra attention. Wipe low surfaces, the bottom of the walls, the doors and the window sills, which are all at kid height. Vacuum thoroughly, especially if a baby will be crawling. Check outlets and blinds cords while you are at it. A clean floor gives a lot of peace of mind for the first night in a new place.

Plan the flow with your movers

Tell the movers which bedroom gets which furniture and where the beds go before they start. That way, they put things down once, in clean rooms, without dragging heavy pieces across the floor. If one room is not ready, have them stack boxes in the garage or a finished room while you finish it.

A paper sign taped to each door with the room name, like "Primary" or "Kids", saves a lot of shouting across the house. It also keeps boxes for a room you have not cleaned yet from landing in the middle of one you just finished.

The small extras that make it feel like home

Once the bedrooms and bathrooms are clean, put out a few comforts: fresh towels, toilet paper, soap, a nightlight and clean sheets on the beds. After a long moving day, nothing feels better than a clean bathroom and a clean bed. For most people moving around Midlothian or DeSoto, that short list is the first thing they want done when the keys are handed over.

A good first night

The first night in a new house is always a little strange. Clean sheets, a clean shower and a clean bedroom floor make it a lot easier. For help with the whole move, see our move-in cleaning services.