Best Way to Clean a New House Before Moving in

When yous commencement move into a new place, it tin can be tempting to plummet on the nearest soft surface and grab some much-needed rest. A cursory repose may be well-deserved, but the unavoidable motion-in tasks look—boxes are begging to be unpacked, piece of furniture needs to be shifted around, and, of course, y'all need to clean.

Cleaning a new dwelling house is the start matter many of united states practice when we first motion into a new place. Fifty-fifty if it was professionally cleaned prior to your motion-in, there's something nigh cleaning information technology yourself that really makes a new business firm or apartment feel like home.

In the midst of a pandemic, giving your new home a thorough cleaning before you start unpacking is more important than e'er—moving is riskier than usual, with a greater take a chance of exposure to illness throughout the procedure, especially if you're moving long distance.

To reduce your risk of spreading a virus after you move, you may wish to self-isolate for 14 days after your move-in, peculiarly if you're moving long altitude. Some states may even require y'all to self-isolate if you're arriving from out of state. If you're stuck at habitation, giving your new place a thorough scrub is a bully way to stay occupied.

According to the CDC, the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-xix can alive for up to iii days on plastic and stainless steel surfaces, and so even if your new identify has been empty for a day or two, you'll nevertheless want to give information technology a skillful cleaning earlier you begin unpacking. Merely when it comes to cleaning in a pandemic, your normal new-dwelling house cleaning routines may not be effective. Keep reading for our communication on how to deep clean your new home.

Cleaning vs. disinfecting

The most important thing to continue in mind in a pandemic is that "cleaning" is not the same every bit "disinfecting":

• Cleaning involves using regular soap and water to remove dirt, crud, and debris.
• Disinfecting involves using a chemic agent like bleach to help kill germs, such as the novel coronavirus.

While but "cleaning" your home may have been sufficient a year ago, in a pandemic y'all'll want to ensure that y'all are too adequately disinfecting the surfaces in your new domicile.

You lot should e'er clean before y'all disinfect—disinfecting won't do much if you're working with a dirty surface. Make sure y'all requite those countertops, cupboards, and any other surfaces or high-affect areas a good clean earlier wiping them down with a disinfectant.

What cleaning materials should you lot use?

In a pandemic, your normal cleaning supplies may non be strong enough to truly disinfect your surfaces.

Bleach, isopropyl alcohol, and hydrogen peroxide are all recommended by health authorities. Resist the urge to use DIY or natural cleaning materials—cleaners containing vinegar, lemon juice, and blistering soda are non considered constructive against viruses and are not registered disinfectants past the U.S. Ecology Protection Agency or the CDC.

How to clean your habitation in a pandemic

1. Start by cleaning surfaces. Mop, dust, vacuum, and clean surfaces using soap and water to remove clay and other grime.
2. Disinfect surfaces using a compound that kills microorganisms like viruses and leaner. Bleach, alcohol, or hydrogen peroxide-based disinfectants are best. Follow the directions carefully—they will tell y'all if the solution is effective against viruses and what surfaces information technology can exist used on, too as something called "contact or dwell time", which indicates how long the surface must remain wet in guild for viruses to be killed.
3. Clean and disinfect loftier-bear upon surfaces oft.

Get-go here: Frequently touched spots

The kickoff thing yous should practice when you lot enter your new home—earlier you plummet on the couch—is disinfect things you (and others) touch on often, including:

• Door knobs within and exterior the home
• Light switches
• Taps and toilet levers
• Thermostats and electrical panels
• Banisters and railings
• Doorbells
• Electric outlet covers
• Window clasps
• Blind cords
• Mailbox handles

Disinfect these spots repeatedly as you unpack, especially if you hired professional movers.

Adjacent upwardly: High-traffic areas

Once y'all've disinfected hotspots similar doorknobs, y'all can turn your attention to high-traffic areas in your dwelling.

Entryway

Whether it's professional movers or a member of your household heading out for another moving-related errand, people will exist entering and exiting your dwelling often throughout the move. Keeping your entryway clean and disinfected can help reduce the adventure of spreading the infection, equally long every bit anyone entering your home follows proper hand washing protocols after entering.

Pay special attention to:

• Door knobs and locks
• Lite switches
• Keys, bowls, and central hangers
• Closet doors
• Knobs or drawer handles on any storage cabinets or article of furniture

Kitchen

• Wash and disinfect inside the cupboards, as well equally any countertop surfaces, knobs, and drawer pulls.
• Disinfect your appliances. Start by cleaning and disinfecting the inside and exterior of your fridge so y'all can start unloading nutrient, then take care of the stove, microwave, and dishwasher.

Bathroom

• Wash and disinfect inside the cupboards, likewise every bit any countertop surfaces, knobs, and drawer pulls.
• Thoroughly make clean and disinfect the shower, bathtub, toilet, and sinks. Pay special attending to fixtures like hand-held showers, knobs, flush levers, and faucet handles.

Laundry

• Launder and disinfect inside cupboards and laundry storage, including knobs and drawer pulls.
• Make clean and disinfect the surface of your washer and dryer, paying special attention to knobs and control panels.

Domicile role

In one case you've unpacked your home function, take a moment to disinfect your computer, keyboard, mouse, and telephone.

Cease upward: Lower priority spots

While you've got your gloves on and your cleaning supplies out, you might as well give the lower priority surfaces in your new home a little TLC as well:

• Dust surfaces like fans, light fixtures, shelves, blinds, and windowsills.
• Wash your windows—they may wait clean plenty, but yous'll be surprised what a divergence a quick rinse with vinegar and h2o will make.
• Dust or wash baseboards
• Launder the floor

Should I hire a professional cleaner?

Nether normal circumstances, you might adopt to hire a professional cleaner to scrub down your new place before you motion in. However, cleaners often visit multiple homes in a single day, so hiring a professional person cleaner will increase your risk of exposure as well as theirs. If you are physically able, the safest option is to deep clean your new identify yourself.

If you lot do hire a cleaner, follow these safety tips:

• Always maintain physical distancing while they're in your dwelling house. The all-time way to exercise this is to cocky-isolate in a room that doesn't need to be cleaned (yes, this means you lot'll need to clean that room yourself).
• Confirm that no ane on your cleaning team has symptoms of COVID-nineteen or other affliction earlier entering. If anyone in your household has symptoms, reschedule your cleaner.
• Confirm all cleaning materials (brooms, mops, etc.) volition be disinfected earlier the cleaner enters.

Earlier you book with any cleaning service, consult their prophylactic policies before you book. Look for:

• Sanitation: How oftentimes are they washing their easily?
• Affliction: What is the cleaner or cleaning company doing if anyone exhibits common cold or flu-like symptoms?
• In-habitation: What is expected of you lot before the cleaner arrives or while they are in your home?

TSI TIP: Industrial strength deep cleaning isn't necessary if there's no known or suspected example of the virus associated with your new home.

Best practices when cleaning your new abode

• Wear a mask while yous clean—it volition discourage yous from touching your face up (which you shouldn't be doing while you lot clean anyway).
• Gloves will protect your hands from harsh cleaners, but they won't do much to cease the spread of illness.
• Stock up on cleaning supplies before yous movement so you don't take to become to the store after your move.
• Continue doors and windows open to increment fresh air apportionment, as well equally reduce the utilize of doorknobs. If you're cleaning with bleach, ever open as many windows as you lot tin can to ensure proper ventilation, and turn on any exhaust fans you take in the room.
• Clean periodically every bit you unpack. Regularly wipe down door knobs, counter tops, plumbing fixtures, and other loftier-bear upon items.
• Read instruction labels on all cleaning and disinfecting materials to ensure you're using them properly. Using cleaning supplies improperly tin actually spread the microorganisms that are responsible for infections and affliction.
• Once you've cleaned and disinfected loftier-traffic areas, start high and work your way down. That way, any dust or droppings that gets kicked up will settle downwards and be taken care of as you lot progress through your cleaning.

Conclusion

Cleaning is the first thing many of united states do when nosotros first move into a new home. In the midst of a pandemic, thoroughly cleaning your new home is more of import than ever.

Start by cleaning and disinfecting high-traffic areas and high-touch items like doorknobs, light switches and electric panels, and plumbing fixtures, then turn your attending to lower priority spots similar kitchen cupboards, floors, and windows.

Be sure to use the proper cleaning materials—bleach, alcohol, and hydrogen peroxide are effective, simply vinegar, lemon juice, and other natural cleaners are non—and follow the instructions closely.

For more skilful communication on moving during a pandemic, read our pandemic preparedness resources:

Well-nigh the writer: Stephanie Rosenlund is the Director of Strategic Solutions at TSI, the long distance move and shipment provider for thousands of businesses, families, and individuals every yr. Stephanie knows all the tips and tricks to make your motility or shipment uncomplicated and specializes in freight shipping and interstate relocations. In her free time, she loves exploring the world with her husband and two kids.

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Source: https://www.tsishipping.com/blog/moving/right-way-deep-clean-your-new-home-moving-pandemic