Investing In A Better Home

You have your new apartment, and you are more than ready to move in . . . or are you? Though your landlord made have tidied up a little bit in between tenants, there is likely still a ton of deep cleaning that needs to be done before you move your belongings in. So get out your pen and paper and write down this list of all of the areas that you need to deep clean before you start moving your boxes into your new apartment.

Overhead Fixtures

If you wait to dust until you are fully moved in, you are going to have dust over everything. You are going to spend your first week in your new apartment just washing your dishes and clothes to get rid of the dust. Before you move anything in, dust the ceiling, ceiling fans, overhead lights, and blinds.

If you get that itch of excitement and have to move everything in before you clean, use an old pillowcase. Turn the pillowcase inside out and collect all of the dust on the inside. This will keep the dust contained and stop it from going everywhere in the house.

Exhaust Fans

There are exhaust fans in each bedroom and over your stove. Most people don't even think about cleaning these areas, but they are dust and dirt magnets. The fan in the kitchen is probably full of grease. To remove the dust from the fans in the bathroom, you can use the extension hose on your vacuum. To wash the fan in the kitchen, use a combination of one cup of baking soda and one-fourth cup of apple cider vinegar. This concoction will cut right through the grease.

Toilet Seats

This cleaning project speaks for itself. You don't want to wash the toilet seats; you want to change them out. Think about the many people who have placed their bums on these seats before you did. Replacing the toilet seats will be sanitary, and it doesn't cost much to do.

Dishwasher

If your new apartment comes complete with its own dishwasher, you need to clean it before you use it. Dishwashers catch dirt and food particles that can stick to the bottom of the unit. Place one cup of vinegar in a measuring cup on the top rack of your dishwasher and turn on the heat. After the cycle is over, sprinkle one cup of baking soda in the dishwasher and run it again on a short cycle. This will make your dishwasher clean, fresh smelling, and ready to use.

People often don't think of cleaning certain things in a new apartment because they figure the landlord already did it. However, your landlord may not have gotten as down and dirty with cleaning as you might like. Use the checklist above as your guide to getting your apartment ready for a complete move-in.

If you're still looking for an apartment, look at sites such as http://www.tinaharper.com to find a real-estate agent who can help you find a new home.