Home Sellers: Cleaning Your House to Sell
Many home sellers underestimate the importance of thoroughly cleaning their house before placing it on the market. The majority of homes that are kept neat and clean will still have spots that have been missed and need to be touched up. A complete top to bottom deep cleaning is always a good idea when home sellers are getting ready to place your house on the market.
When getting your home ready to sell, don’t forget about the following tasks:
Light Fixtures
Take a look at all of your light fixtures. Remove the dead bugs and wash the globes. Most people are surprised at the amount of dust and dirt accumulates on their light fixtures. Once the globes are cleaned your rooms will also be brighter as more light is able to pass through.
Registers and Vents
There is dirt and dust in the air that we are not able to see, unless you look at your registers and vents. If you are not keeping these cleaned regularly chances are good there will be dirt and dust built up on them.
Many times simply vacuuming the vents and registers will be enough to clean them, however there are times when you will need an all-purpose cleaner and rag to get them clean.
Check the Hardware
Make sure that the hardware throughout the house is polished. Look at doorknobs, cabinet handles and pulls. These are pieces of hardware frequently touched by members of your family; as a result, they are areas that will need to be cleaned to make them sparkle.
Light Switch Plates
Light switches and the plate covers are areas that are frequently missed when cleaning. Plate covers can usually be easily wiped clean, however the actual switches require a little more work.
Many times a toothbrush will do the trick to clean in between all of the little grooves.
If you are having a hard time getting the plate covers clean you can quickly and easily replace them for only a few dollars.
Weather Stripping
Old and rotting weather stripping needs to be replaced. It is a subtle but noticeable sign of a small maintenance item that has been overlooked. You want buyers to have faith that you have been taking proper care of your house.
Appliances
Just like buyers will open all of your appliances, they will also look inside of your appliances. Thoroughly clean the inside and outside of all appliances on display. This should include your refrigerator, dishwasher, microwave, stove and washer and dryer.
When cleaning your stovetop save yourself some time and buy new drip pans. They are relatively cheap and can make a big difference in the look of your stove.
Home sellers will be amazed at the difference deep cleaning can make in the appearance of their house. Buyers notice the cleanliness of the houses that they look at. When houses have been thoroughly cleaned it shows that the home sellers have taking care of their home. This builds trust with the buyers and helps them to believe that the seller has kept up on other maintenance as well.