Moving into a new home is exciting. Cleaning someone else’s mystery crumbs out of the kitchen drawers? Less exciting. That’s where hiring a move in cleaner can help.
Even a home that looked spotless during a showing can feel a little different once the previous owners move out. When you take away the furniture and decor, suddenly you can see all the dust, buildup, and forgotten corners that were hiding everyday life. But should you hire a cleaner before moving in, or clean the house yourself?
There’s no universal answer. But there are a few situations where hiring a professional move in cleaner is especially worth considering.
You want to start with a truly clean slate.
There’s clean, and then there’s I feel comfortable putting my silverware directly into this drawer clean.
When you move into a new home, you’re inheriting someone else’s definition of clean. They may have kept the house beautifully. They may have done a quick wipe-down before handing over the keys. Or they may have packed the moving truck and never looked back. Having the home professionally cleaned before you move in gives you the chance to start fresh, on your terms.
We focus on not just cleaning but also sanitizing the space, using high-temp steamers and incredible natural products. When you finally start unpacking, you’re putting your belongings into a home that actually feels like yours.
You’re moving with kids, pets or a very full schedule.
Sometimes the deciding factor has nothing to do with how dirty the house is. It’s simply your time. If you’re juggling work, children, pets, packing, utilities, address changes and everything else involved in moving, cleaning an entire empty house may not be where you want to spend the few free hours you have.
You can clean it yourself. The better question may be whether you want to. Hiring a move-in cleaner is essentially outsourcing one part of the move so you can focus your attention somewhere else.
You don’t want to clean and move at the same time.
Moving day is already a lot. You’re coordinating movers, carrying boxes, keeping track of keys, figuring out where the bed frame hardware went and trying to remember which box contains the coffee maker. Adding several hours of detailed cleaning to that schedule can turn an exciting day into a very long one.
If you have possession of the home before your belongings arrive, scheduling a move-in clean during that window can be ideal. The cleaners get an empty house to transform. You get to walk into a clean one. Then, your moving-day time can go toward actually moving in.
The home sat vacant for a while.
Empty doesn’t necessarily mean clean. A home that has been sitting can accumulate dust, dead insects, cobwebs and other debris even if it was professionally cleaned before it was listed. Construction, repairs and renovations can add another layer.
You’re sensitive to what the previous homeowners left behind.
Moving into a home that previously had pets, smokers or simply years of everyday occupancy can sometimes require additional cleaning. Pet hair can collect along edges and underneath appliances. Grease can build up in kitchens. Dust settles on trim, doors and other surfaces we don’t necessarily clean every week.
A detailed cleaning won’t solve every possible issue in a home but starting with a thorough clean can help remove a lot of what the previous occupants left behind. And if you have specific concerns, let us know!
An empty house is faster to clean.
If you’re ever going to have a house professionally cleaned, it’s best to do it before you move in. There are no couches to clean around, no rugs covering your floors, no toiletries to move around. An empty home gives cleaners access to areas that become much harder to reach once you’ve unpacked. So we’ll clean deeper and it will also be budget-friendly.
It’s a great time for tackling things like cabinet interiors, drawers, closets, shelving, baseboards, and other areas that would be more time-consuming during a regular house cleaning.
Once the moving truck arrives, that opportunity disappears pretty quickly.
When should you clean a house before moving in?
The sweet spot is after the previous occupants are completely moved out, but before your belongings arrive. That’s when the home is at its emptiest and most accessible.
If you’re hiring a move-in cleaner, try to avoid scheduling cleaners and movers or other professionals at the same time. That will maximize our time and help us to move quickly.
What should a move-in cleaner clean?
This is an important question to ask before you book, since every company is a little different. Our move-in cleaning checklist is comprehensive including inside of cabinets, drawers, the oven, fridge, and deep cleaning. However, if there’s something you specifically want cleaned, or want us to leave out, just let us know. We’ll build that into your free estimate.
How far in advance should you hire a move-in cleaner?
As soon as you have a reasonably firm possession date, it’s worth checking availability. Your cleaning window may be surprisingly small. You need the previous owners out, you need access to the house, and ideally you want the cleaning completed before your movers arrive.
That might leave you with only a day or two for the cleaning. Additionally, we often book 2-3 weeks out, so giving us notice in advance helps to secure a time.
You can always ask the cleaning company how far ahead they recommend scheduling in your area. Lemon Fresh Cleaners is located in Grand Rapids, Rapid City, Salt Lake City, and Sioux Falls.
Thinking about having your new home professionally cleaned?
Lemon Fresh Cleaners helps make empty homes feel fresh, clean and ready for what’s next.
You’re already spending plenty of energy getting everything to the new house. It’s okay to want the house ready for you when you get there. And there may never be another time when every cabinet is empty, every floor is uncovered and absolutely nothing is sitting on the countertops.
Take advantage of it!
If you’re getting ready to move, contact our team for a cleaning estimate and let us know when you’ll receive the keys and when your belongings are scheduled to arrive. We’ll help you determine what makes sense for your home.
