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Cleaning Up from Your Move: Best Tips for Getting Back Your Deposit
Summer is finally upon us, which means that the busy moving season has begun, as many people take advantage of warmer weather and a break from school. While Apple Moving can help you handle the logistics of moving your household to your new home, there are several other moving to-dos to consider before you can say your move is complete.
If you’re a renter, make sure you add giving your apartment or house a thorough cleaning to the list. Many people miss out on getting their deposits back, simply because they fail to clean their rental unit! Getting a month’s worth of rent back would likely completely offset the cost of your move. We got together with our friends at local cleaning service, Veronica’s Maid Services, to give you some tips on getting your old place spic and span so it passes inspection. While Veronica does offer deep cleaning service, putting in a little elbow grease yourself can have a big payoff.
1. Dusting
When your landlord does their final walkthrough, one of the things they’ll be looking for is clean surfaces. Make sure you don’t forget to vacuum off those floorboards that were likely forgotten in your weekly cleanings. Pristine floorboards go a long way in making your apartment shine and sparkle. Also make sure to vacuum off hard to reach places, like the top of ceiling fans and dust blinds and windowsills, where bugs can sometimes accumulate.
2. Stove
This one is a biggie. Most leases specify that the tenant is responsible for cleaning the oven. Most moms recommend making a small investment in Easy Off, an oven cleaner that takes a lot of the hard work out of cleaning your oven. You simply spray on, put your oven on the self-cleaning cycle, and wipe down for a shiny, clean oven. Additionally, you’ll want to assess the cleanliness of the stovetop burner plates. If you’re a messy cook, these probably have lots of baked on grit and grime. Sometimes soaking them overnight in the sink will help you restore these bad boys, but if not, you can order new ones for cheap on Amazon or pick some up at a restaurant supply store like Ace Mart. Spending a little to get the kitchen in good shape will likely save you from getting a ding on your deposit refund.
3. Carpet
Though most apartments will hire a professional carpet cleaner to come behind you and clean, it’s wise to take a stab at cleaning up any stains you may have behind, especially if you have a pet. Use a stain lifter like Resolve, or an equivalent generic brand. Just spray on, let it sit for 15 or so minutes, and then vacuum up. If that doesn’t work, you can rent a small carpet cleaning machine from your local grocer or hardware store.
4. Sinks, Tubs & Toilets
Our gals at Veronica’s recommend giving your faucet handles a nice final scrub down with vinegar and baking soda. This will make your bathroom fixtures sparkles like new. If you weren’t diligent about keeping your tub or shower clean, you might need to roll up those sleeves and bust out some Scrubbing Bubbles or bleach to get the pink mold and mildew out of the shower. An icky bathroom is one of the top reasons landlords take a deduction from your deposit.
5. Walls
Did you hang pictures or do some painting over the course of your lease? If so, check your lease agreement and see what it says. Many apartment complexes will require that you spackle over holes in the wall and repaint the walls a neutral color if you want your deposit back. Spackle is cheap and easy to apply, so there’s really no excuse for not at least patching up all those holes you put in the dry wall. Here’s a helpful how-to video:
So pullout those vacuums, dust rags, and cleaning supplies and to scrubbing! You’ll be relieved that you can put that deposit refund towards your move or something in your new home.