Before You Unpack a Single Box
Moving house in Melbourne is stressful enough without discovering your new home is not as clean as it looked during the inspection. Whether you are moving into a Carlton apartment, a Fitzroy terrace, a Brunswick family home, or a Northcote period house, the same principle applies: clean it thoroughly before your belongings go in. It is far easier to clean an empty space than to work around furniture and boxes.
Why the Previous Occupants Are Not Enough
Even if the previous tenants had a professional end of lease clean, there is a difference between cleaning for a bond return and cleaning to your standard. Walls may have been wiped but not painted over scuffs. Grout may have been bleached rather than properly cleaned. Kitchen appliances may have passed inspection without being fully sanitised. When you move in, you are starting fresh in someone else’s home. Make it yours properly.
Room-by-Room Priority Order
1. Kitchen (Top Priority)
Before you put a single item in a cupboard or cook a single meal, the kitchen needs to be clean. Check: oven interior, rangehood filters, inside all cupboards and drawers, fridge (if included), under the sink for any residue or previous spills.
2. Bathrooms
Bathrooms should be cleaned and sanitised before use. Pay particular attention to grout, behind the toilet, the showerhead (run it hot before using), and any soap scum on tiles. Replace the toilet seat if you want to start completely fresh.
3. Bedroom Wardrobes
Wipe all wardrobe shelves before putting your clothes in. Dust and residue from the previous occupant is invisible until you see it on your clothes.
4. Windows and Tracks
Melbourne winter often leaves windows with condensation residue and mould around seals. Clean windows, tracks, and any mould on sills before the room is furnished.
5. Floors
Vacuum and mop all hard floors before furniture goes in. If the property has carpet, consider a professional steam clean before you move in, especially if there were pets in the previous tenancy.
Common Hidden Areas to Check
- Inside the dishwasher: check the filter and spray arms
- The washing machine drum and door seal
- Air conditioning filters
- Range hood filters if not already replaced
- Behind and under the stove
- The tops of high cupboards and built-in wardrobes
Make It Professional
A professional move-in clean takes 3-5 hours for a typical Melbourne apartment and gives you the confidence that your new home is genuinely clean. Many of our clients across Carlton, Fitzroy, Brunswick, Parkville, North Melbourne, Collingwood, Abbotsford, and Northcote book us in before they move furniture, then start fresh in a properly cleaned space.
Call 0410 103 243 to book a move-in clean in Melbourne’s inner north.