woman wearing cleaning gloves with back against the camera

4 Tips To Deep Clean A Rental Property Business Before A Move-In

Endless cleaning cycles eat into the profits from your rental property. Turning over tenants can often be a whirlwind of scrubbing, dusting, and repairs, but what if there was a way to make the cleaning process more efficient, save time, and keep your property sanitized and hygienic without breaking the bank?

This guide reveals 4 actionable tips for a cleaner, more efficient, and ultimately more profitable rental property business. Without further ado, let’s get right into it.

closeup of a microfiber mop on hardwood flooring

Maximize your cleaning efficiency and ensure tenant satisfaction by prioritizing these key areas of your rental property:

  • Kitchen: The kitchen is the most frequently used and scrutinized room of any rental property. Appliances and high-touch surfaces like countertops, cabinets, and sinks should be deep cleaned. The floor should be spotless as well. For instance, if you have kitchen tile flooring, make sure you have the proper floor cleaning materials to ensure the grout is clean and there aren’t any hard stains.

     

  • Bathrooms: Bathrooms are another focus area due to hygiene concerns. Thoroughly clean and disinfect toilets, tubs/showers, sinks, mirrors, floors and other surfaces that will often come into human contact. Hire maintenance services to check for possible sources of leaks and mold, and address them, ASAP.

     

  • Floors: No matter the type of flooring that makes up the majority of your rental property, they make a huge difference in the overall impression of the next tenant. Vacuum, mop, and shampoo them as thoroughly as possible.

     

  • Windows and mirror: Smudges, streaks, and hard window stains are tell-tale signs of an unkempt property. Invite some natural lighting and improve your asset’s appearance by washing and wiping both interior and exterior surfaces with appropriate cleaning. Alternatively, explore window cleaning services to ensure you get a professional job. 

Use these time-saving hacks to make cleaning your rental property business efficient

1. Come up with a cleaning checklist

Having a detailed cleaning checklist ensures you don’t miss out on cleaning certain areas and surfaces of the premises. It also helps you stay organized and efficient, as you can prioritize various stages of the deep cleaning.

Here’s a sample cleaning checklist for your rental property business to get you started:

rental property business cleaning checklist

2. Invest in microfiber cloths, all-purpose cleaners, and a reliable vacuum cleaner

Microfiber cloths change the game as they can trap almost all sorts of dust and dirt more efficiently than a typical rag. Further, microfiber cloths can be reused indefinitely without accelerated wear and tear.

Another cleaning solution you must have in your arsenal is all-purpose cleaners. Most of the all-purpose cleaners available in the market are versatile and can tackle most surfaces without needing other additional solutions. Plus, most that are available commercially are non-harsh and eco-friendly.Finally, make sure there’s a reliable vacuum cleaner.

Whether it’s a handheld, upright, or canister model, it will make quick work of floors and carpets. Choose the right vacuum cleaner for your rental business’ cleaning needs to save you time and energy.

3. Work your way from top-to-bottom in high-traffic areas

One of the top mistakes homeowners make when cleaning a rental property is forgetting to clean ceilings, rafters, etc — basically any high surface. 

Most admins or property managers are so fixated on hiring commercial cleaning companies to clean only the surface, that they forget these areas should also have the same level of TLC.

Start with ceilings

To avoid this from happening, employ a top-to-bottom approach when cleaning rental property. Start by lightly dusting or wiping down high surfaces like ceiling fans, light fixtures, and the tops of shelves or cabinets. 

The method above will cause any dust or debris that’s been sitting to fall onto lower surfaces. You’ll thank yourself for doing this, as later on you’ll avoid the trouble of having to reclean eye-level equipment and appliances.

Clean the walls next

Next, move onto the walls. Wipe them with a damp microfiber cloth or sponge to remove smudges and fingerprints. Pay special attention to areas around the light switches and doorknobs, as these tend to be among the top sources of grime.

Address the floors

Work your way downwards, tackling furniture surfaces like tables, desks, shelves, ottomans, countertops, and what-have-you. Use an appropriate cleaning solution and microfiber cloth to wipe off dust, fingerprints, and spills.

Have the vacuum or mop ready to remove debris from the floors. Finish off with a suitable cleaning solution that’s made for the specific flooring of your rental property.

4. Clean as you go

image of a person wearing yellow gloves, holding a red bucket

Remember that towering stack of boxes the former tenant swore they’d deal with? Well, it’s the end of their lease, and it’s now a Jenga-like obstacle course in the hallway! This is a prime example of why “cleaning as you go” is the golden rule of rental property management.

A little elbow grease goes a long way. Implementing a clean-as-you-go policy goes a long way and drastically reduces the workload during a crucial turnover. It’s much easier and cheaper to spot clean spills immediately than to deal with a stubborn stain later on.

Here are a few ways to inculcate a “clean as you go” mentality among your tenants (and yourself):

  • Stock each unit with basic cleaning supplies like all-purpose cleaners, disinfectant wipes, and a microfiber mop, broom, and dustpan

     

  • Gently remind tenants by including a friendly note in your welcome packet to keep their space tidy and report maintenance issues as promptly as possible

     

  • As a rental property owner, it’s your responsibility to conduct regular inspections. Alongside help from a property management cleaning company, the maintenance staff should periodically inspect potential property issues before they snowball into costly problems in the future.

Who is responsible for cleaning rental property?

Tenants and landlords share the responsibility for ensuring a rental property is clean and well-maintained. Yes, we’re talking to you, the landlord, or the rental property manager! Just because you’ve handed over the keys doesn’t mean your job is done.

While tenants are typically responsible for the day-to-day upkeep and cleanliness of the property during their tenancy, landlords play a crucial role in establishing a clean foundation and addressing larger cleaning needs. 

Before a new tenant moves in, it’s the landlord’s responsibility to ensure the property is thoroughly cleaned and sanitized, setting the stage for a positive tenant experience.

Save precious hours, and hundreds of $$$, and speed up the tenant move-in process with Craddock’s expert property management cleaning services

Maintaining a clean rental property is an ongoing process requiring effort from both landlords and tenants. Use the cleaning strategies above and implement a regular cleaning schedule so your space is sparkling and inviting for the next tenant.

Save yourself hours of scrubbing, and hundreds of dollars in potential repairs, and speed up the tenant move-in process by entrusting your rental property cleaning to the experts at Craddock’s Cleaning Services. 

Claim a FREE, no-obligation quote today and get a cleaning plan that fits your specific needs and budgets. Let us handle the cleaning, so you can focus on maximizing your rental property profits.

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