If you plan to sell your house, the first people you will want to impress are the agents you invite to value your property. You will also want the photographs of each room to look their best so the best time to deep clean is BEFORE you make your final decision to sell.
As well as routine tidying and cleaning (dusting, hoovering, mopping, putting things away, throwing things out, recycling, doing the dishes, laundry) you will need to keep the property ‘spring cleaned’ clean (all surfaces clutter free and sparkling) for viewings because dirt, stains, bad smells and clutter are all top ten put offs for buyers considering a house’s attraction / value.
Dirty kitchens and dirty bathrooms are two of the worst offenders because noone wants to cook or bathe in someone else’s grease or grime.
It can be very difficult to keep a property as clean as good hotel standards especially for sellers with children and/or pets but children and pets are more likely to leave sticky fingerprints and dirt on handles, walls, windows, skirting boards, in drawers, cupboards and on doors so it may be worth considering hiring a cleaner to help with the bits that might not get done in a routine clean to help you sell your house faster (and probably for more money)*.
Things To Avoid
Some buyers see cleanliness as a measure of pride and pride as a measure of how much care a property normally receives. They are looking for clues about long term care and attention so it is usually better not to leave your home smelling of bleach and disinfectant which may suggest occasional deep cleans rather than a consistent state of cleanliness.
Also anything that prompts a negative (ew type) response should be avoided so although superficial, some of the things that would be buyers don’t like are:
- Dirty hobs / ovens / fridges / microwaves (inside & out)
- Stained cups
- Scale (on kettles / taps etc)
- Cluttered work surfaces
- Cluttered, unorganised cupboards
- Pet hair & smells
- Mould & grime – esp around taps, sinks, baths, plug holes, shower heads, shower curtains, bathroom ceilings, toilet u-bends
- Smelly toilets / drains
- Dust
- Fingermarks
- Scuffs
- Water marks & smears (on mirrors / tiles / windows / draining boards etc)
- Stains (upholstery / carpets / clothes / bedding / towels / tea towels)
- Dirty doors & handles
- Areas around stairs and hand rails
- Tired (grubby) paint
- Smelly furnishings (sofas, curtains, carpets,rugs)
- Full and/or smelly bins
- Pet goods (feed bowls, bedding, litter trays, etc.)