Cleaning tasks sellers should do before every showing
Real estate experts agree that dirt and clutter are the anti-staging elements that can send buyers running for the door before they ever think of making an offer on a house. Prior to staging your home for showings, invest some time in deep cleaning it, paying attention to everything from the front walk to the garbage disposal to the air inside your home.
Once you’ve created a clean foundation, follow through with these quick cleaning tasks before showings:
• Sweep in front of the house.
A pot of flowers on the front step is great, but those pretty blossoms won’t look that welcoming if dirt and debris are visible, too.
Thoroughly sweep front walks, stairs and entryways — and don’t forget to clear any cobwebs above the door. Put away any children’s toys or gardening tools that may be in the front yard, and make sure trash and recycling containers are out of sight.
• Freshen the aroma inside your home.
Pet and cooking smells are major turnoffs for homebuyers — but even if your house has neither, freshening the indoor scent can have a positive effect on a buyer’s mood.
However, you don’t want to saturate your home with overpowering, chemicalbased scents, either. To deodorize more naturally, try cleaning with essential oils.
In a 16-ounce bottle, mix 2 teaspoons of citrus-based essential oil — such as Aura Cacia Main Squeeze Essential Oil Blend — with 1 3/4 cups of water, 1/2 teaspoon of borax and 1/4 teaspoon of unscented liquid soap.
Before each showing, use the mixture to wipe down the kitchen counters, leaving behind clean countertops and a fresh, energizing citrus scent.
• Speed-clean the kitchen.
Now that your counters are clutter-free, sparkling and smelling good, just a few more tasks will get your kitchen ready to show.
Wipe away any fingerprints on the appliances, and put away all pots, pans, dishes and glassware in their proper place. Store pet bowls out of sight, give the floor a quick sweep, and dry the interior of the sink with a paper towel.
• Put your best foot forward in the bathroom.
It’s tough but critical to keep the mostused room in the house looking its best.
You probably used your bathroom to get ready this morning, so wipe down surfaces to ensure that no hair or debris lingers. Check the mirror for spots, and wipe and dry the sink. If the bathtub or shower door shows signs of recent use, dry each of them off. Store used soap, shampoo, loofahs, wash cloths and towels (except for those carefully arranged, really nice ones) out of sight.
• Vacuum the carpet.
Nothing says “show home” like fresh vacuum tracks in the carpet. Just before you leave the house for a showing, give carpets a quick pass with the vacuum.
Before vacuuming, mix 1 teaspoon of essential oil, such as Aura Cacia Petal Power Essential Oil Blend, with a cup of baking soda and sprinkle on the carpets. After 10 minutes, vacuum away the powder, and leave a light, refreshing floral scent behind.
• Take out the trash.
Check every room that has a trash can, and make sure they are all empty. It may not seem rational, but many buyers will equate trash in a wastebasket with an untidy home.
It’s especially important to take out any trash that may stink, such as in the kitchen. Remove trash, store it in a sealed receptacle outside the house, and give potentially stinky trash cans a refreshing shot of aroma using your essential-oil cleaning solution.