You’re probably too excited to move into your new apartment or house. Perhaps you already have a picture of what you want your new home to look like. Unfortunately, it’s not always a smooth transition with previous tenants leaving behind some filthy remnants or the dust gathering in every corner of the house due to no occupancy. Your new home needs some deep cleaning before you even start unpacking. Here are five cleaning tips to get you started.

1. Start high

Dust settles everywhere, but the floors and countertops don’t hold much due to regular cleaning. On the other hand, ceiling fans, top shelves, and overhead lighting fixtures are notorious for getting grimy since they don’t get the cleaning touch regularly. It would be logical to start from the top, clean all the items and fittings placed high in every room then recollect all the dirt at the bottom.

2. Replacing the toilet seat

The toilet seat is certainly one of the most important seats in a home. The thought that anyone else used that seat regardless of the hygiene levels can make you sick. Make a quick stop at the store and get yourself a new toilet seat and cover. They are easy to install and equally inexpensive. The next stop is scrubbing the toilet hard with some bleach and toilet detergent to give it a sparkling look and a freshened smell. Don’t forget to give the floors a good scrub too.

3. Disinfect bathrooms

Everyone likes a clean bathroom where you can look up to every day after a hectic workday. Whether it’s a shower, tub or both, you will need to scrub through all the surfaces in that room. For easy cleaning, a new clean sponge and dish soap will do the trick. If there are any stains, you may want to turn to a tougher detergent and baking soda. Be sure to sanitize the soap dish, light switches, door handles, faucets, and sinks. The medicine cabinets and any other shelves located in the bathroom should count in the in-depth cleaning process. This should leave your bathroom clean and germ-free.

4. Clean the refrigerator

A deep scrub for the fridge is vital whether the appliance looks clean or not. Throw away any food leftovers from the refrigerator. Detach the shelves and drawers and wash them independently in some warm water and soap. For the interior part of the fridge, mix equal parts of water and white vinegar and dip in a clean sponge or rag to clean all the surfaces. Repeat the process with clean water to take out any remaining streaks of food left behind.

5. Finish with the bottom

Now that everything located at the top looks and feels clean, you are ready to finish with the floors. You could start by sweeping and discarding all the dirt and debris. Depending on your type of floor, you will mop gently, cleaning the top surface from corner to corner. For instance with wood floors, you are not required to use water, get a wood-cleaning detergent that’s safe for the wooden floors. For carpet cleaning, you will want to use a steam cleaner or call in a professional cleaner to handle the tasks that you are conversant with.

Using these five tips, you should be able to finish the entire cleaning process. The tips will usher you into a clean house that you can comfortably turn into a home.