20 Places You Should Be Cleaning When You List Your Home

Well, you're ready to list your home… Or are you? There are a lot of things you need to do to prepare a home for the market and of course, cleaning is one of them. But this is no ordinary cleaning job. This is a clean like you may have never done before. This needs to be the best deep clean, spotless, perfected clean of your life. Even if you are neat freak and a perfectionist, here's where you need to put your skills to good use. I asked 20 different real estate agents and those familiar with cleaning about the 20 places you need to clean and a lot of them are places you may never have even thought of before.

#1. Window and door tracks.

"This is one of those areas that gets neglected often whether you've lived in the home for five minutes or five years. But, buyers will look over your home with a fine tooth comb and eagle eyes so make sure you go around to every door, sliding glass door, and window and clean those tracks out to perfection. A good way to do this would to be to take a sponge and cut out the notches in the sponge that fit the tracks ridges. Spray with bleach or other cleaning solution that won't stain the neighboring walls or windowsill and claim back and forth. If necessary, use a vacuum in the corners to pick up those little extra dirt pieces. They also make a unique "slime" material that's perfect for cars picking up little lint pieces and items that are just difficult to get to it. This slime or jelly will roll around in the tracks and pick up all of those little pieces in the corner that are difficult to get to." – Marcus Brown – Portland real estate broker

#2. Deep cleaning the carpet.

"Deep cleaning carpets are a must when you are selling your home. If your carpets have not had a good cleaning and at least six months, it's time to bring in the pros. Clean stairs, corners, and any carpeted space. It's important to clean all you have your floors and have a regular cleaning schedule for carpets, tile and floor." All Kleen Carpets, Snohomish County carpet cleaners.

#3. Blinds and curtains.

"Leveler blinds and curtains can collect dust over the years and it can be one of those things that we neglect to clean on a regular basis but, buyers will definitely notice dust, dirt, grease, and grime that is collected on your blinds. There are a lot of ingenious ways to clean blinds with feathered dusters and such, but you can also research online the best way to clean leveler blinds. This is definitely not an area to neglect when selling." Bruce Simon, Farmington Hills Realtor®

#4. Bathroom floors.

"Obviously were going to clean our bathrooms would listing our home but does your bathroom really need more of a refresher, not just a cleaning? Take a look at the caulking around toilets and bathtubs. Does it need to be refreshed, scraped down and re-done? Really scrub those floors and refresh them with either new caulking, weatherstripping, or you might even need a new toilet, which really isn't a huge expense. If your toilet is rocky, doesn't drain well, or just isn't efficient, updating your toilet can make the entire bathroom sparkle." Erica Phelan, Lake Nona buyers broker

#5. The garage.

"Many people actually completely forget about this area when listing and selling their home. They might use it as a storage area for boxes, excess furniture, and things are going to take with them when they move. But, if buyers see a full garage, they're going to assume the house doesn't have enough storage inside. While your home is on the market, you should not neglect cleaning and organizing the garage. If it is a two car garage, try to fit at least one car in the garage or leave space for one car while having the other side neat and organized. If need be, rent a storage pod or off-site storage unit while the home is on the market. Buyers will look at the garage and make their own deductions as to how clean the rest of the property is." Leah Plotkin, Heron Bay Realtor®

#6. The backyard.

"A lot of people will perform all of the curb appeal landscaping on the front yard and completely neglect the backyard. I have found that when buyers find anyone part of a home that is not perfectly cleaned and staged, they'll assume the homeowner is neglecting maintenance elsewhere that can't be seen. Unfortunately, sellers need to maintain high and curb appeal from the curb to the backyard. This might mean fixing fences, keeping the backyard mode, offering a beautiful landscaped area ideal for entertainment, and keeping trees and shrubs trimmed away from the siding of the house." Kelly Fruit, Snohomish Luxury Landscaping

#7. Front entryway.

"It's easy to take care of everything inside the house and completely forget about the first impression buyers will see. Remember, buyers and their agent will be standing at your front door while the agent is getting the key and this is their first chance to look around at the entryway or front of the house. If you have peeling paint, hardware that needs replacing, faded house numbers, or mismatched trim, buyers will notice and it could give them an indication on the maintenance with the rest of the house. Don't neglect that first impression by updating the house numbers, making the path to the front door clear and clean, and making it as inviting and updated as possible." Ellen Bruya, Snohomish County commercial real estate agent

#8. Closets.

"Yes, buyers will open your closets so you better make sure that those areas are in perfect condition. Nothing is sacred or personal anymore when your house is on the market anything of value or items you don't want buyers to see should be carefully packed away. Take out about half of the items from closet so buyers can see there's plenty of room. Have things organized, neat, tidy, and don't forget to clean the floors and any shelving from dust, dirt, and grime that can collect over the years. When you're done, those closet should look like an advertisement for closet manufacturing company." Kelly Howison, Somerset Bellevue Realtor®

#9. Drawers.

"Just like closets, buyers will check out your drawers as well, especially if they are attached to the house like in the bathrooms or kitchen. They want to make sure that the drawers work properly but they will also see how clean those drawers are. Unfortunately, this is a place that shouldn't be neglected. Those junk drawers that have been staring you in the face for years need to be organized. Remember, you're going to pack up all of this stuff anyway, why not start now by clearing out those junk drawers and making room for someone else's "junk"." Todd Blair, Mirasol Country Club Realtor®

#10. Clear out the trash.

"Buyers don't want to see, hear, or smell trash when they are browsing your property so before any showing make sure you empty the trash, recycle, or any compost to eliminate this issue. Buyers will understand that you have to have trash bins outside, but even those should be neatly organized and not overflowing. This is hard to do when you're decluttering and cleaning out a house for sale but even if you have to make a few trips to the dump, it will be worth it so buyers don't get it in their mind and how dirty the house might've been." Peter Westbrook, Cash Home Buyer in Sacramento California

#11. Ceiling fans.

"Ceiling fans and light fixtures often get neglected when you're staging your home. They're almost out of sight out of mind but they can collect cobwebs, dust, grime, and dirt so they'll need to be cleaned perfectly before listing your home. This also goes for light switches, light fixtures in bathrooms, kitchens, and bedrooms. Look up when you are cleaning your house and clear away any of the cobwebs or fuzzies that collect in the corners." PCBeach - Panama City Beach Condo Agent

#12. Baseboards.

"A lot of people simply neglect baseboards and the area where the baseboard meets the carpet or flooring in the house, specifically hallways and back bedrooms. These corners can get grimy and collected with pet hair, dust, fuzzies, and just general traction from the house. Don't forget to wipe down the baseboards with a clean cloth and run your narrow vacuum attachment down along the edge between the baseboard or wall and the flooring." Karen Baker, Sunset Beach Realtor

#13. Cupboards and pantry.

"Cupboards and pantries can get bogged down with canned goods, dry goods, sauces and packages and before long, it looks like a mismatch of items all shoved into one spot. I'm not saying you need to get all "Sleeping with the Enemy" clean on your pantries and cupboards, but some organization and cleanliness will go a long way showing buyers that you care about the little things." Dale Corpus, San Ramon Realtor®

#14. Refrigerators.

"Your refrigerator and freezer should not go neglected when staging and cleaning your home for sale. Yes, your refrigerator and freezer might go with you but buyers will still look. It's the little details that make them feel confident about buying the whole house. If your refrigerator has sauce stains, gunk in the corners, or moldy leftovers, they're going to think you don't maintain good hygiene and cleanliness throughout the rest of the house. This is a good time to purge those moldy leftovers, toss expired sauces and items, and clean out the fridge ready to move." Kenny Raymond, Brickell Realtor®

#15. Laundry rooms or mud rooms.

These are often the places that get neglected the most probably because we just come in and toss everything, throw shoes off, haphazardly hang up coats, and dump our backpacks. But, having a neat and organized mud room or laundry room will show buyers that you care about the little things. Get a shoe organizer, clean up the floor at least once a day, and organized towels and laundry detergents so it actually looks like a room you want to hang out in." Tina Saporito, Palm Desert real estate agents

#16. Trash cans.

"I'm not necessarily saying you need to run out and buy all new trash cans, but an old, dirty, stained, trash bin or container just looks bad. If your bathroom or kitchen trash containers have seen better days, it may be time to simply replace them even if you use a liner. Odors, stains, and just years of use can Rick have it on trash containers throughout the house. For bins outside, simply hose them off, so they're not covered in grime or gunk." Mitzi Cameron, Camano Island real estate

#17. Shower curtains.

"Even if you wash and clean your tub and shower frequently, the shower curtain itself can often get neglected. If you have a liner, simply replace it before listing your house. If you have a fabric shower curtain, toss it in the laundry to freshen it up. Remember, you're staging for the masses and nobody wants to see soaps come, mold, or mildew on a shower curtain." Barry Vincent, South Nashville Realtor®

#18. Hot tubs and swimming pools.

"Even if buyers are not interested in enjoying a water feature, hot tub, or swimming pool, if they see it grimy, old, and breeding algae, they really will run for the hills. Any swimming pools, hot tubs, and water features including fountains and ponds should be sparkling clean when you list your property. Even if you don't plan on using it, you can either drain it and clean it or have the water sparkling fresh. This creates an inviting place, and buyers don't think that these items are superhigh maintenance. The last thing you want to do is project an image that the property is going to be a lot of work." Stephen Proski, McCormick Ranch Realtor®

#19. Top of the fridge.

"The top of the fridge and cabinets that have space between the ceiling and the top of the cabinets can get greasy and grimy, especially if you have a cook in the house. While most buyers are not going to be climbing up on chairs and checking this area, we do know of one seller that buyers cannot insist on that but sellers should still make every effort to clean hidden spots and areas that don't get a lot of attention." Florida's Gulf Coast properties.

#20. Houseplants.

"Houseplants whether they are real or fake can get dusty over time. Wipe them down with a damp cloth or take hearty artificial plants outside for a good hose down. Let them dry completely in the sunshine before putting them back in the house. And, if they are completely outdated, it's time to toss them, however, they are making some pretty realistic artificial plants these days which can add a great splash of greenery to a dining room table or in the bathroom." Jean Wawrzyniak-Fry, Mesa AZ Realtor®

Thanks to our contributors as well as resources from Seattle Condo Sales, and Viking Construction Group