Cleaning Checklist: 6 Things to Clean Before Moving Into New Apartment

Are you moving into your new apartment? Well, congratulations! However, do not get your hopes up just yet – you still need to unpack and clean everything. With unpacking, your movers can help you. But cleaning is something you have to do all by yourself. And, no, you cannot just vacuum and dust – you must deep clean. So, for the next couple of days, you will have to play the role of Cinderella. So get all the cleaning supplies and try following our cleaning checklist that tells you what exactly you need to clean before moving into your new apartment.

1. Start With Cleaning and Sanitizing the Bathroom

Assuming that you have to move in immediately and that Movers have already unloaded all of your belongings inside, it would be a good idea to start with cleaning the bathroom. Why? Because that is the room that you will be using the most, as well as the room that is possibly the filthiest. So, get all your cleaning supplies, put your cleaning gloves on, and start scrubbing.

As this is your first bathroom cleaning, make sure you clean all those unexpected areas that you would normally skip, too. When it comes to the toilet seat, we do not recommend cleaning it. Rather, we recommend tossing it out and buying a new one! In the end, as an extra safety precaution, consider spraying a sanitizing spray all over your bathroom, just to be sure everything is clean and sanitized properly.

Cleaning your bathroom should be the first thing you do once you move in.

2. Clean the Fridge

After the bathroom is finished, it is time to tackle the kitchen. It is important to start with your fridge first as this is the place you have to put all your perishable food. So, remove all the shelves and drawers from the inside of the fridge and clean them separately. A mixture of warm water and some dish soap will do the trick. While those are drying, create another mixture of warm water and white vinegar and use that to clean the inside of your fridge. Leave it to dry for another 10 minutes and your fridge will be ready for you to store all your food inside.

3. Clean the Rest of Your Kitchen

When you finish cleaning your fridge, move onto the rest of your kitchen. Start by cleaning all the high places (ceiling, tops of the cabinets, lighting fixtures, etc.) before you move to the lower ones. Then, clean all the appliances that were already there. If you do not have any specialized cleaning supplies just for your kitchen appliances, try making your own – a mixture of warm water, lemon juice, and baking soda. Try to clean your kitchen the same day you clean your bathroom – that is, the first day you move in. After all, this is going to be the room where you will have to cook your food and eat.

Clean your kitchen before you decide to cook any meals in it.

4. Deep Clean Those Closets Too

If you leave cleaning your closets for after you move in, you will regret it. That’s because after everything is finished, you will not have the time or energy to remove all your wardrobe and shoes from those closets and start cleaning again. So, tackle this task before moving into your new apartment. Simply dust all the shelves and drawers.

Then, take your vacuum cleaner and vacuum everything, especially those corners which tend to collect dust and dirt the most. As previously said, always remember to clean from higher to lower parts! Why? Gravity! If you clean the other way (from bottom to the top), you will have to clean the bottom twice! Thus, be smart, and you will be able to do the cleaning faster and in an energy-saving way. 

5. Do Not Forget the Inside of All the Cabinets and Drawers

Cleaning the inside of your cabinets and drawers is just as important as cleaning your closet. And this applies to all your cabinets and drawers – those in the kitchen, bathroom, living room, dining room, and bedroom. Again, after you unload all of your stuff, you will need a place for all the knick-knacks you brought with you. All of that will end up in your cabinets and drawers, whether you like it or not.

So, before you start looking for some of the best ways to store your belongings inside your cabinets, clean them. You can vacuum the inside first and then take a cleaning liquid and wash everything. Let it dry before you start putting your stuff inside. However, if there are some persistent stains that just will not come off, consider using vinyl or decorative paper and lining all the bottom of your cabinets. 

Never put your belongings in dirty cabinets and drawers!

6. Make the Floors Shine

Last but certainly not the last thing you should clean before moving into your new apartment is the floor! This is important for two reasons. Firstly, you will want to get rid of the footprints of the last people who lived in that apartment. Secondly, if you followed our checklist and cleaned everything properly, your floors are probably looking terrible now.

So, start cleaning your floors by vacuuming everything first. Then, take a mop (or a steam mop, if you have one) and wipe all the hardwoods, laminates, and tiles. If you have carpets, remove them and clean the floors underneath, too! Moreover, if you are using the carpet that comes with the apartment, it would be a good idea to get yourself a carpet cleaning service as well.