Moving In

Move-In Cleaning: How to Deep Clean a New Home Before You Unpack

There's one window of opportunity that never comes again: the time between getting the keys and moving your furniture in, when every surface of your new home is empty and reachable. Even a professionally cleaned property benefits from a fresh once-over before you make it yours, you don't know exactly how the previous occupants lived, and an empty home is dramatically easier to deep clean. Here's how to do it room by room before the boxes arrive.

Why clean before you move in?

Cleaning an empty home is faster, more thorough and far less frustrating than cleaning around furniture and boxes later. You can reach inside every cupboard, behind where appliances will sit, into corners and along skirting boards with nothing in the way. It's also the moment to start fresh hygienically, sanitising the surfaces and spaces the previous occupants used most, before they become yours.

The move-in cleaning order

As with any deep clean, work top-to-bottom and start with the rooms you'll need first (kitchen and bathrooms), so they're ready to use from day one. Leave floors until last in each room.

Room-by-room move-in clean

Kitchen

• Wipe inside and outside of every cupboard and drawer before you put anything away
• Clean the oven, cooktop and rangehood, even if they look fine
• Sanitise the fridge interior and clean the seals before stocking it
• Run an empty hot cycle with a dishwasher cleaner or vinegar in the dishwasher
• Clean the sink, taps and benchtops, and behind where appliances will go

Bathrooms

• Disinfect the toilet inside and out, including the base and behind
• Scrub the shower, bath, screens and grout; treat any mould
• Sanitise the basin, taps and vanity inside and out
• Wipe out drawers and cupboards before storing your toiletries
• Clean the exhaust fan cover and polish mirrors

Bedrooms and living areas

• Wipe inside built-in wardrobes and vacuum their tracks
• Clean skirting boards, door frames, switches and handles
• Dust ceiling fans, light fittings and vents
• Wipe windows, sills and tracks, and dust blinds
• Vacuum and mop or steam clean floors and carpets last

Whole-home jobs

• Change or clean air-conditioner and rangehood filters
• Replace the toilet seats if you prefer a fresh start (a cheap, worthwhile swap)
• Check and clean the laundry, including behind the washing machine space
• Sweep and mop the garage, balcony and entryways

Don't forget the high-touch points

Before you settle in, give a sanitising wipe to everything hands touch constantly: door handles, light switches, taps, cupboard knobs, the doorbell and intercom, and remote-controlled blinds or air-con units. These are the spots that carry the most germs and the ones most often skipped in a standard handover clean.

Should you DIY or hire a move-in clean?

If you have a day before the furniture arrives and the energy to spare, a DIY move-in clean is very doable with the checklist above. But moving is exhausting, and many people would rather walk into a freshly deep-cleaned home and spend their energy unpacking. A professional move-in deep clean gets the whole property done in a few hours, while it's empty and at its easiest to clean.

Frequently asked questions

The previous tenant had a bond clean, do I still need to clean?

A bond clean targets what property managers inspect, but it may not cover everything to your personal standard, and time may have passed since. A quick move-in clean of high-touch points and food/bathroom areas is always worthwhile for peace of mind.

What's the one thing I shouldn't skip?

The kitchen and bathrooms. These are the spaces where hygiene matters most and where you'll want to feel confident from day one, so prioritise sanitising them before anything else.