What You’re Probably Forgetting to Clean Before Moving Out

You’ve packed the boxes, cancelled the Wi-Fi, and maybe even scheduled the moving van. You’re about to start a new chapter in your life, maybe you’re moving to a new apartment, maybe you’re moving into your dream custom home, but it’s all so exciting. Honestly, things are feeling pretty on top of it, well, until you realize the fridge smells a little off and there’s a thick layer of dust on the windowsill behind your bed. You might have guessed, but moving out has a way of uncovering a lot of forgotten messes, especially when your focus is on the big stuff.

If you’re trying to avoid last-minute cleaning chaos or awkward messages from your landlord after you leave, and well, who would want to deal with those thing, then here’s some things you might be missing.

The Ceiling Fan Situation

Ceiling fans are like dust magnets with a license to sprinkle grime all over your freshly cleaned floors. Because they’re up high and out of sight, they tend to get skipped. But once that fan kicks on, all that dust gets spun right back into the room. Honestly, the fix is super quick and easy, you just need a quick wipe with a microfiber cloth or a Swiffer duster, and this can make a huge difference, especially if you’ve been living with pets or in a city with a lot of air pollution.

All the Weird Little Ledges

Okay, so what exactly does this even mean? Well, it’s that shelf above the fridge, the tops of door frames, window sills, the bathroom fan grille, but overall, there’s always a spot that gets missed. You don’t need to be obsessive, but if the light hits the dust just right, it’s going to be obvious. Like, it’s going to be way too obvious.

If you’re running low on time or energy, which is entirely understandable, then it’s going to be a really smart move if you went ahead and looked into calling in a service like Sparkly Maid, since they can help knock out those oddly specific spots without the stress. Actually, this is especially helpful if your move-out is part of a bigger life shift and your to-do list is already bursting.

Behind the Oven

Yes, really, this is one you seriously need to look at (and you’d be surprised how often landlords check here as well). So, nobody wants to see what’s been going on behind the oven. Usually, you can expect crumbs, burnt spaghetti noodles, maybe a bottle cap from that party you hosted months (or years) ago. Honestly, it’s probably going to look pretty gross there. But again, most landlords do check.

And if you’re selling, it’s one of those hidden zones that can weird people out. You just need to pull the appliance out if you can and sweep or vacuum first, then go in with something that cuts grease. It doesn’t need to sparkle, but it shouldn’t be a crime scene either.

The Baseboards

There’s a joke that goes that pregnant women who are nesting will have the urge to clean the baseboards, and yeah, this is a part of the house that does get a lot of neglect. Anyways, baseboards collect everything, like dust, pet hair, and whatever your shoes drag in. And because they sit so low, they’re rarely part of your regular cleaning routine. But you can’t forget about these either though.