How to Deep Clean a New House Before Your Furniture Arrives
An empty house takes a fraction of the time to clean properly and you will never get another chance at the back of the cupboards. Work top down and back to front so you finish at the front door and never walk over cleaned floors.
The short answer
- Always clean top down: ceilings and lights first then surfaces then floors
- Kitchen and bathrooms take over half the total time
- An empty three bed house is roughly four to six hours for two people
- Take a cleaning kit in your car not in the removal van
- Do it the day before completion if the seller allows access
What to take with you
Pack this in a crate that travels in the car so it is never buried in the load.
- Multi surface spray bathroom cleaner and a degreaser
- Limescale remover and bleach
- Microfibre cloths and a couple of sponges
- Rubber gloves and a scrubbing brush
- Vacuum cleaner mop and bucket
- Bin bags and kitchen roll
- Step ladder and a long handled duster
- Light bulbs and toilet roll
The correct cleaning order
Gravity does half the work if you respect it. Dust falls, water runs and dirt walks in on shoes so the sequence matters more than the products.
| Step | Task | Rough time |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Open windows and check the heating and hot water | 10 minutes |
| 2 | Cobwebs ceilings light fittings and extractor vents | 30 minutes |
| 3 | Kitchen cupboards inside and out and the oven | 90 minutes |
| 4 | Bathrooms including grout and behind the toilet | 60 minutes |
| 5 | Windows sills frames and internal doors | 45 minutes |
| 6 | Skirting boards radiators and switches | 40 minutes |
| 7 | Carpets vacuumed or shampooed | 45 minutes |
| 8 | Hard floors mopped working towards the front door | 30 minutes |
Kitchen: the big one
Start with the empty cupboards inside because nothing will ever be easier to reach. Then the extractor filter, the oven, the hob and finally the worktops.
Pull the fridge space and the washing machine gap forward if you can and clean the floor and wall behind them. Once your own appliances are in that area disappears for years.
Bathrooms
Limescale on taps and screens needs soaking time rather than scrubbing so apply the treatment first and come back to it. Clean the shower head, run the extractor, check the seals around the bath and replace the toilet seat which most people prefer to do in a second hand house.
Floors carpets and smells
Vacuum every carpet twice in different directions then consider a hire machine for anything stained. If the house smells of previous occupants or pets the source is almost always soft flooring or an unused extractor rather than the air itself.
Leave hard floors until last and mop your way out of each room and finally out of the front door.
Should you pay a professional
A professional end of tenancy style clean on a three bedroom house usually costs £180 to £350 and takes half a day. On completion day when you are also managing a removal crew that is money well spent, particularly if you can book it for the morning while the van is still loading at the old house.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to deep clean an empty house?
Around four to six hours for two people in an empty three bedroom home. Kitchens and bathrooms account for more than half of that.
Can I clean the new house before completion?
Only with the seller's written permission through the agents. Many sellers agree to access the day before but you have no right to it until completion.
What should I clean first in a new house?
Ceilings light fittings and extractor vents. Anything you dislodge falls onto surfaces you have not cleaned yet.
Is the seller supposed to leave the house clean?
Contracts usually require the property to be left clear of rubbish rather than professionally cleaned so assume you will be doing it.
Planning a move?
BlueSky Removals gives fixed written prices after a free video or home survey. Call 0800 090 3125 or request a quote online.