The best time to clean a home is the one moment it's completely empty — before the first box comes through the door. Every cabinet is reachable, every floor is clear, and nothing has to be moved to get at a corner.
In a newly built house, the job is mostly construction leftovers. Final builder cleans vary a lot, and even a good one usually leaves fine drywall dust on ledges and inside cabinets, stickers and adhesive on windows and appliances, paint specks on fixtures, and grit packed into window and door tracks.
In an apartment, the job is about the last occupant. Even when a unit has been cleaned between tenants, it's worth a thorough reset of the places people rarely check: inside cabinets and drawers, the tops of door frames, light switches and outlets, bathroom fixtures, and the corners of floors and closets.
A good move-in clean covers the kitchen — counters, sink, cabinet interiors, and appliance exteriors — the bathrooms top to bottom, closets and shelves, baseboards, window sills, and every floor. It's also the easiest time to wipe out the inside of drawers before they fill up with your things.
Timing helps. Schedule the clean after any painting, repairs, or carpet work are finished, and before the movers arrive. If you're a landlord or property manager, booking the clean for the gap between tenants means the next resident's first impression is a good one.
Moving into a new home or apartment around Columbus? Call (614) 384-1400 and we'll get your move-in clean on the calendar.