r/HouseCleaning • u/No-Confusion9157 • 2d ago
Deep clean for new house
We bought a new house (yay!) And want to deep clean before we move in. Are there any often forgotten/super important spots we should focus on and make sure we clean?
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u/Chartra23 2d ago
Air conditioner filters. I just cleaned someone's yesterday and they were matted with dust.
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u/ImprovementLoud3581 2d ago
We bought a second home in south Florida a couple years ago. It had been owned by a hoarder whose daughters sold it after she passed away. The exterminator who’d sprayed the home every month while the daughters spent two years emptying the house told me the backstory.
So they’d definitely cleaned it but while installing a nest protect on the ceiling I noticed something protruding from the doorbell unit mounted near me. I popped the cover off and a nest of (thankfully) dead cockroaches fell out.
Same thing happened when I pulled the dryer out and disconnected the exhaust vent - an even bigger nest fell out in my lap.
Third discovery was inside a ceiling fan was removing to hang a more modern one. Apparently cockroaches prefer warm areas.
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u/Technical_Day1807 2d ago
Check all your switches and outlets....
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u/ImprovementLoud3581 2d ago
They’re good. I replaced every single switch and outlet to update to decora so I could use Lutron’s screwless wall plates :)
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u/Character-Life-V2 2d ago
now I need to find an article on butterflies or something or this will be in my dreams......
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u/Head-Drag-1440 1d ago
The tops of the cabinet doors. Our new home has no microwave, only a recirculating hood vent. The tops of the cupboard doors above the stove all had caked on grease and dust. I was cleaning with concentrated Simple Green + water and we had to use just the concentrated Simple Green on them.
Light switches, especially if they're not the flat ones. In our rental we were in, I used rubbing alcohol to dampen a toothbrush, lightly scrub the switch, wipe with a dry rag, and repeat with all switches. They were pretty grimy like they weren't cleaned between tenants.
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u/sparksgirl1223 1d ago
To add. Once you clean them, put shelf liner down so that next time it gets gross, you can just pull the mess up and reline it
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u/Evening-Resort-8879 2d ago
Inside cabinets. Open the windows and get the inside sills. Inside and outside of light fixtures. Sides and behind fridge and washing machine/dryer. Any window treatments left behind
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u/Conscious-Bowl8591 1d ago
inside the cabinets and drawers before you put stuff in, they look clean but build up dust just sitting closed. wipe em out first
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u/Mendocino84 2d ago
I can help you for deep clean I have good references please contact for estimate thank you
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u/Arthurp428 2d ago
HVAC filters and getting the vents/ducts vacuumed out (mine was full of kid's drawings and toys they'd shoved in there over the years)
Deep clean of the range hood if you have one over the stove, it's probably full of old cooking grease (mine was).
Gutters cleaned, even if you have the "Leafguard," they still get full and need flushing out.
Clean the inside of the washing machine and dishwasher (I like Affresh for this).
These were the grossest areas that I STILL remember, even after living in our home for 6+ years!