Cleaning Tips for Turnovers - What's your favorite?

Question

Cleaning tips...What's your favorite tip for cleaning an apartment or house between tenants?

I like to start with the least caustic chemicals and the least abrasive scrubbers first then work my way up.  For an apartment turn, I like to do a complete wash down of all surfaces, with a water & vinegar spray (deodorizes as well as cleans).  Then I go after the stains and grease with specialized products.  Repaint only if necessary.  I use disinfectant wipes for final touchups.

My favorite kitchen degreaser is Awesome, for a buck from the Dollar Tree store - I've tested it against the more expensive ones and it beats them hands down.

For getting stubborn mineral deposits and nasty rings off porcelain toilets and tubs, use plumber's open mesh cloth.  I like the Lenox brand sold at Lowe's. Cut off a six inch length and only use WET.  It has an abrasive bonded into it, so will scratch if used on other surfaces.  Pumice is too abrasive and will scratch porcelain, so this is a better choice.

Michael Seeker · Answer

Find an awesome cleaning person and pay them out of the tenants deposit to clean the place before the next tenant moves in or I begin showing it.

Account Closed · Answer

This issue perplexes me.  As a tenant, I do not want to rent an apartment that the previous tenant cleaned.  What standards are being used? How do you know if the toilet area was wiped down with a wet rag or actually sanitized? Are you saying if the unit "looked" clean  you wouldn't hire a professional cleaner (or do a relatively professional job yourself) before re-renting?  That's the way it works with Cruise America.  You have to return the vehicle the way you found it.  We pay upwards of $179/night and we get the vehicle cleaned by the previous renter.  As you can imagine the cleanliness varies.  You have no way to know what products were used or what has been sanitized and what hasn't.  It's disgusting actually.

The tenant should return the apartment they way the found it.  But IMO that's supposed to facilitate the professional cleaning that takes place between tenants.  Which IMO you should plan to pay for out of pocket if you don't plan to do it yourself.

Richard C. · Answer

This, except for the deposit part.  Don't think that would fly here, if challanged, even if it would fly in KY.  Dirt isn't damage.

But the finding a good cleaning person, absolutely.  I actually had a cleaning person clean my PERSONAL residence, that my family and regular cleaning lady keep pretty spotless, before turning it into a rental.  We keep things clean, but sure don't scrub the floor UNDER the baseboard radiators with a toothbrush-sized brush, like she did.  And as I recall, it was something like $125.

Account Closed · Answer

The dollar stores have everything you need.  I used to use the Awesome products till I discovered that ammonia works better.  Undiluted for heavy degreasing, diluted for everything else.  You can wipe down the windows with ammonia on a rag to remove dirt,  and then finish with a spray bottle of rubbing alcohol and paper towels.  Crystal clear and streak free in minutes.

The magic erasers can you save you from a repaint, works especially well on flat paint as it is slightly abrasive and can cause finish changes on gloss paint.  Rub the marks light with a damp magic eraser, wipe down wall with wet rag.

I use The Works to clean toilets when there are rings and deposits.  By the time you get rings and deposits, the porcelain is already compromised and etched, so no need to be gentle at that point.  Acid is where it at. No scrubbing no scratching. Just pour and let sit 10 minutes and brush.

Joel Owens · Answer

I exited the manual labor field years ago.................. :  )

Lynn McGeein · Answer

We love the Magic Eraser, cleans some really weird stains.  We are also Dawn fans, use it for practically everything.  I leave a broom on site so before showings I can quickly broom sweep carpets and floors to make them look fresher without hauling a vacuum around.

Justin Case · Answer

Get a good tenant. It is that easy.

Hire a cleaning person

The end.

Jean Bolger · Answer

I second the recommendation for "Awesome Orange" from Dollar Tree. It is truly..... Awesome! Doesn't hurt paint or wood, and all the nasty stuff just wipes right off.  With that, a magic eraser, some Windex, Clorox with bleach spray, a good scrubby sponge and a pile of paper towels you can clean just about anything.

Marcia Maynard · Answer

I too hire out most of my cleaning, but I do so with guidelines as to which products and methods work best.  Who is willing to talk about cleaning products and methods?  Thanks!

Michael Seeker · Answer

I agree about dirt not being damage, however I let my tenants know that I expect the apartment to be returned to me in the same (or better) condition than when I lease it to them.  If it's not, then things like cleaning will be deducted from the deposit until the apartment is in the same shape as when they rented it or the deposit is gone.

So do you just operate under the assumption that you will have to pay for cleaning after most turnovers?  Seems like a lot of additional cost that should be passed along to the tenant who did not take the time to keep it clean and/or clean after moving out.

I do not clean after every turnover, only ones where the tenant leaves it a mess.  If it is pretty clean and just needs a few small things I'll show up early to a showing and take care of minor stuff then.

Cleaning Tips for Turnovers - What's your favorite?

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