In a housing market saturated with listings, every Toronto real estate agent needs a strategy to stand out. Use our ultimate checklist for a pre-listing house cleaning that Toronto buyers will remember in a positive way.
House cleaning Toronto item #1: Remove the “ick” factor
At the top of your real estate cleaning checklist is removing the “ick” factor. Buyers are hypersensitive to things that trigger their “ick” response, including:
- Clear signs that pets live in the home (including unsightly stains on flooring and carpets, odours, and pet hair)
- Unpleasant odours of any kind (including cigarette/cannabis smoke, food smells, mould, and mildew)
- Clutter (such as in closets)
- Signs of water damage (such as discoloured ceilings and walls)
- Filthy appliances
- Kitchen grime and grease
- Stinky garbage
- Smears on stainless steel appliances
- Hair and soap scum in tubs and shower stalls
- Dirty toilets
- Crumbs
- General disarray and dirtiness
House cleaning Toronto item #2: Scrub the bathroom
We’ve already mentioned bathrooms contributing to the “ick” factor. The bathroom is one of the most important rooms for cleanliness, perhaps even outranking the kitchen mess. Your bathroom real estate cleaning must include:
- Every square inch of the bathtub/shower enclosure
- The entire toilet area, including the floor around and behind it, and of course, the toilet bowl and under the toilet seat
- Streak-free, gleaming mirror
- Clean light fixtures
- Squeaky clean sinks and countertops
- Sparkling faucets
- Vacuumed ceiling fan cover
- Gleaming floors
- Smudge-free, clean light switches
- Sanitized surfaces and doorknobs
- Clean vanity cabinets inside and out
House cleaning Toronto item #3: Spotless kitchen
The kitchen requires a thorough real estate cleaning that matches or surpasses the bathroom, including:
- Inside and outside the fridge, oven, and microwave (the front surface is particularly important for stainless steel)
- The stovetop and between the stove and cabinets
- Removing grease and grime from the overhead fan
- Spotless, grease-free backsplash, countertops, and cupboards
- Sparkling sink and faucet
- Sparkling floor
- Crumb-free cabinet and drawer interiors
- Decluttered counters and storage
- Clean pantry shelves
- Grease-free light fixtures
House cleaning Toronto item #4: Clean and dust vents
Vents are often neglected in the real estate cleaning process. However, dust and cobwebs on vents are red flags to home buyers who often worry about things they cannot see, such as dirty ducts. Cleaning every vent in the home, including exhaust fans in bathrooms and laundry rooms, adds that special attention to detail that buyers love.
House cleaning Toronto item #5: Laundry room
Home design shows have brought attention to what used to be a humble utility room. Laundry rooms are now on home buyers’ radars, which calls for extra cleaning effort in this area. In fact, they’ve become the #1 feature on the National Association of Home Builders’ (NAHB) list.
Thoroughly clean laundry rooms and find a prominent position for them on your home staging checklist. You can help set your property apart with little laundry room staging finesse, including:
- Creating extra storage space
- Adding cosmetic features such as freshly painted cabinets
- Installing a counter over front-loading appliances to improve functionality
- Sprucing up the flooring
- Creating a mudroom in the main floor laundry rooms, such as adding a bench and shelving
House cleaning Toronto item #6: Declutter
Clutter is a sign that the home lacks living and storage space. As a result, decluttering has always been the first step on the home staging checklist. However, it is also part of your real estate cleaning strategy.
A professional cleaning will set the foundation to make it easier for your clients to tidy up before viewings. By organizing everything to free up storage, both the living space and storage space will look well. These are the types of little details that stand out in buyers’ minds. Some decluttering tips from the experts at the Home Staging Institute include:
- Have the owners clear out their closets to keep them organized and help showcase the storage area.
- Empty shelves of knick-knacks to reduce distractions, keeping a few items you feel help set the right tone.
- Remove all items from the counters in the kitchen and bathroom.
- Consider putting items used less frequently in storage.
- Use things such as baskets to keep everything organized and tidy.
House cleaning Toronto item #7: Tackle stains
Although move-out cleaning in Toronto tackles stains, it’s best to remove them before the house is even listed. A thorough real estate cleaning utilizes proven professional cleaning methods to remove unsightly stains, including those from red wine in rugs and pet stains on wood floors.
You want the home to feel lived in and comfortable, not neglected. Every little stain makes buyers worry about things like deferred maintenance and hidden issues they can’t see.
House cleaning Toronto item #8: Sanitize with deep cleaning services
A thorough real estate cleaning should sanitize and freshen the home. If a buyer suffers from allergies, they might have an instant reaction to homes that aren’t deep cleaned, such as watery eyes, sneezing, or a tickle in their throat. These symptoms will alert them to what “lies beneath” the tidy surface and the dangers lurking in your home.
A deep cleaning will also help improve the perceived value of the home, as everything looks, feels, and smells move-in ready. The deep cleaning process tackles the things you can’t see or that buyers will be quick to point out, including:
- Smells from mould spores
- Grime that can harbour bacteria and germs
- Dust containing allergens
House cleaning Toronto item #9: Professional carpet steaming
Wall-to-wall carpets always require professional carpet cleaning. Carpets hold onto odours, allergens, and dust, which can be “kicked up” as buyers view the home. Older carpets can also appear scruffy and dirty, even after vacuuming.
A professional carpet cleaning will breathe new life into the carpets while eliminating odours. Be sure to book the cleaning at least a few days in advance of open houses or listings to ensure it is 100% dry.
Contact the Real Estate Cleaning Experts
Unfortunately, buyers tend to remember the negatives when viewing homes, including odours, dirt, and a general feeling of neglect. Cleaning alone won’t be enough to drive quick offers. However, in hand with an effective pricing and staging strategy, cleanliness will definitely help set your listings apart.
For a free quote on Maid4Condos’ real estate cleaning services, click here. You can also call us at 647-822-0601 or contact us online.
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