Regular House Cleaning Protects the Value of Your Home
We all know that sense of stress when guests are expected and you are behind on house cleaning. How many times have you said (or heard) “come in, but please excuse the mess!” We also know how great it feels when the house is freshly cleaned. You almost want to say “please use the bathroom before you go…it is spotless in there!” What you may not realize is that regular house cleaning protects the value of your home. Over the past 16 years, we’ve worked with many realtors, stagers, and property managers to prepare homes for sale. When regular house cleaning has been neglected, it is a long and expensive job to get the home fresh and appealing for potential buyers.Here are 5 reasons why you should keep up with regular house cleaning:
1. Carpets – Regular carpet cleaning ensures that dust and small debris doesn’t settle deep into your carpet. Dust is made up of organic material like dead skin cells from humans and pets, and fecal matter from dust mites. If that builds up over time, it will dull the appearance of your carpet. To extend the life of your carpet and ensure your home remains attractive to potential buyers, vacuum regularly.
2. Air Quality – Dust and mold in your home contribute to a distinct Not Fresh scent in the house. On a daily basis, the health of your family and pets will benefit from good indoor air quality. To protect the value of your home, keep up with regular house cleaning and replacing furnace filters so your home feels fresh for that Open House.
3. Bathrooms – Regular house cleaning really retains the value of your bathrooms. We’ve seen beautiful bathrooms buried in grime, shampoo build up, and mildew. Over time, grout, caulking, and finishes can stain. When no amount of cleaning will make it look good again, it may mean expensive renovations and repairs before you can list your home for sale.
4. Kitchen – Food preparation can really build up in a kitchen – grease buildup, clinging odors, or splashes and stains. Regular house cleaning will keep all the surfaces smelling and looking fresh. An outdated kitchen that is perfectly clean is far more appealing to a new homeowner than a modern kitchen with grime.
5. Baseboards – Ahh, the lowly baseboards. Everything that happens in a room ends up on the baseboards. What a difference it makes to the feeling of clean in a home! When these are not vacuumed and wiped on a regular basis, they dull and darken to the point where only a fresh coat of paint can save them. Avoid costly repainting projects and keep up with the baseboards.
