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Quick Cleaning  – You have made no appointments to show your home today and frankly, you're relieved. After all, you're sick of the constant, and seemingly never-ending scrubbing, dusting and mopping. Today is your break.  That is, until your agent calls with a serious buyer who desperately wants to see your home. . . but will only be in town for today. You look around at the house.  In two days, it has become a disaster again. You need to clean your house fast.

 

Quick Clean Priorities

 

o                 Vacuum.  Focus on the living room and the family room, but get those carpets vacuumed. You'll be amazed how much neater the entire room appears once it has ben vacuumed.  Remove any odors by sprinkling some carpet deodorizer on the carpets.

 

o                 Wipe off counter-tops.  The buyer does not care what you had for dinner last night or breakfast this morning, particularly if the remnants of the meals are on your kitchen counter. Put the dishes in the dishwasher and wipe those counter-tops clean!

 

o                 Sweep and spot check your floor.  You don't have time to get out the cleanser and the mop.  Just thoroughly sweep the floor and then wipe up the scuff marks or smashed food with a rag and some warm water and detergent.  If you have time, you can quickly drag the mop over the floor for a more finished look.

 

o                 Keep an empty laundry basket ready.  Don’t worry about putting everything in its proper place.  Quickly go through the house and place scattered items in an empty laundry basket for later disbursement.

 

Hiding Places for the Quick Clean

 

o            Under the bed.  Toys, papers, books. . . anything that's lying around and shouldn't be . . . just quickly shove it under a bed.

 

o            In the washer and dryer.  Dirty clothes, stuffed animals, shoes, throw them in the washer and dryer.  Buyers have no reason to look inside there. However, you ought to tell the rest of the family your tidying-up secret so they do not try to toss in a load of laundry with dad’s dress shoes.

 

o            Your car.  Unless you are selling your car too, buyers have no reason to look there, particularly the trunk.  The trunk of the car is a great temporary depository for dirty casserole dishes, clothes and bags of trash.

 

o            The refrigerator.  As long as you do not mind it getting a little cold, shove it in the refrigerator.  Even buyers who may look in all your cabinets and drawers, wouldn't dare open your refrigerator.  Most people consider opening the refrigerator at someone else's house as rude.

 

o            Behind the sofa.  Put big stuff between the wall and your sofa.  The space underneath the sofa cushions is also a good place to temporarily hide papers, bills and letters that are lying around.  Do not hide things in the oven, closets, drawers, laundry room, or the kitchen pantry.  Buyers always inspect those spaces.