When showing your house to potential buyers, you want to present it in its best light. In order to do that, there are some chores that you must take care of. Those include cleaning the windows, floors, garden, etc. We will walk about what those chores are and why they are so important when it comes to showing your house for sale.
Keep in mind that if you take no action before presenting it, your house may appear unkempt and leave the impression that it has not been taken care of throughout the years. By simply tackling those few tasks, you will not have to spend a lot of time and effort, yet you will ensure that your house looks neat and well maintained, increasing the chance that your house will be quickly sold for the listed price.
1. Yard maintenance
Even though the garden is not inside the house, it is the first thing people will notice when they pull up in front of your property. With all the hassle around moving and selling, it might be easy to forget about the rapidly growing grass. However, it is of crucial importance that you show it is fresh, luscious, and clean. Get rid of the falling leaves, and spreading weeds, cut the grass, and make a great first impression on anyone that comes by to see your house. Keep doing that weekly, in order to be prepared for all visitors.
2. Clean and polish hardwood floors
Hardwood floors are a feature many people look for when looking to buy a house. If you have them, you already have an advantage. However, a grimy dull floor will hardly make a good impression. Sweep your hardwood floor – that will remove loose soil, debris, and dust. Then use a suitable wood cleaner to get rid of any sticky residue, dirt, and grime. Scrub a little harder if there are any stubborn spots or stains. When the floors are dry, use a wood polish to buff them. This will give them a glistening sheen that will reflect lights beautifully and protect your floor from dirt and oils.
3. Carpet cleaning
Similar to hardwood floors, carpeted floors that are not cleaned will make a bad impression. Ideally, you should vacuum your carpet once a week and do stain removal and steam cleaning at least once a month. That will keep your carpets looking clean and beautiful, and also prolong their life. However, if you have been behind with the cleaning schedule, you may want to give your carpet a good vacuuming and a deep steam cleaning before you start having people over. That will instantly brighten the space and ensure the people checking your house out that it is clean and well-maintained. To go the extra mile, you can get a carpet deodoriser and give your whole place a beautiful, fresh scent.
4. Clean doors and walls
Doors are used all the time, so it is not uncommon for stains, dirt, and grime to build up on them. When showing your house, you want to make the best impression. Give them good scrubbing to remove scuffs, dirt, and oil. For your walls, use a damp microfiber cloth and wipe down dust, dirt, and other grime. Give scuffs and fingerprint stains a gentle scrub. Do not forget to wipe down all door knobs and light switches.
5. Clean your kitchen appliances
Kitchens are a favourite part of any house for many people. If you are still inhabiting the house you are about to sell, you are probably using the kitchen as well. If your stovetops, countertops, and sink are greasy and dirty, take care of them immediately. When used regularly, they quickly build up dirt. Use a soft cloth and a cleaning solution (ideally a degreasing one). Do not forget about the hidden parts of the kitchen, for example, the inside of the refrigerator or the oven. If the people visiting your house with the idea to buy it open the oven door and see a bunch of burnt-on spills and grease all over, they will be far from impressed.
6. Jet wash deck and fencing
Bringing things outside once more, and power cleaning your deck/patio and fencing will give your house’s exterior a bright and beautiful look. When potential buyers come to your property, they will be invited by a well-maintained outside that will instantly make a wonderful first impression, giving you a good head start. Use pressure cleaning (you can rent all the equipment you need from your local hardware store). You will be able to deep clean those exterior areas and efficiently remove all stains and built-up grime with no effort.
Additional tips on how to make your house look presentable:
• Regularly dust everything. Do not allow any dust particles to build up on any of the surfaces inside your house.
• Steam clean your upholstery. You can do this along with the carpet deep cleaning. Even if you are not leaving the furniture in the house, freshly cleaned, bright upholstery will give the whole house a beautiful and neat look.
• Clean the bathroom. Wipe down all tiled surfaces, sinks, and faucets. Hard water spots and soap scum can be noticeable but it will only take you 20 minutes to get rid of them.
• Clean all windows and mirrors. Clean windows will let in a lot more natural light, making the overall atmosphere in the house cosy and beautiful. Streak-free glass surfaces and mirrors will also make a good impression.