Prescott, Arizona, has a fantastic Spring season. Who am I kidding? Prescott has fabulous seasons all year long! With spring, we are brought fresh new flowers, opened windows, and Spring cleaning. This time of year also marks the beginning of a busy home-buying season.
Spring cleaning takes on a new meaning when you are trying to sell your home. Below are some ideas that I found by searching the web that may help you get your house ready to sell this Spring. You may have to dig deeper than your typical cleaning, but these are sure to help your house stand out in the market.
Get out Stubborn Stains
If your carpet has stains, don’t despair, there are some remedies that can get out even the worst stains. Vinegar, dish soap, warm water, baking soda—these simple household items can get rid of anything from wine stains to mud tracks to coffee spills. All it takes is a little time and some elbow grease!
Try this recipe from TipsBullet.com
Homemade Carpet Spot Remover
- One tablespoon clear, liquid dish soap
- One tablespoon white vinegar
- Two cups warm water
Mix the ingredients in a spray bottle. Spray the stain with the solution and scrub the stain with a clean, dry washcloth. Using a fresh, dry towel blot the area dry. Before using this on your carpet, be sure to test the colorfastness of your carpet fibers by doing a quick spot test in an inconspicuous place.
Clean Kitchens Get Noticed
In the kitchen, focus on scrubbing every surface—floors, cabinets, countertops, etc. Take warm soap and water and a scouring pad to the fronts of ALL of your cupboards. You will need to remove all of the pictures, magnets, and calendars from your fridge to scrub it – leave those items off when you are done. A clean, decluttered fridge makes a great look in the kitchen.
Make the Shower Shine
The condition of your shower speaks volumes. If your shower’s glass door is looking a bit dingy, no need to replace it. Instead, bring it back to life by giving your shower door a good scrub-down with vinegar and dish-soap or a product similar to Kaboom, and scrub with a fine steel wool pad.
Clean toilets are a must! Apparently, according to the web, for clean toilets you need to use Tang?!? Woman’s Day magazine says so! Tang, the powdered orange drink, makes a pretty good toilet cleaner. Just drop a teaspoon of the stuff into your bowl, give it a few scrubs with the brush, and all those nasty stains just disappear. Whether you use Tang or not, toilets are on the top of the list for a deep cleaning!
Clutter Be Gone
This isn’t new information, but it is important to remember … the number one thing you need to do when staging your home is to get rid of all the junk that’s piled up over the years. Box up as much of your personal stuff as you can and put it in storage or in the garage. These items should be out of sight when it comes time to show your home to potential buyers.
Wash Those Windows
Nothing can drag down a home’s curb appeal faster than dirty windows. Rooms appear fresh and inviting when the windows are clean and full sunlight can beam into the room. If you are not able to clean them yourself, consider investing in a professional cleaning service to spruce up the windows. So, make sure to add clean windows to the top of your to-do list!
Please the Nose
Neutralize a nasty-smelling carpet by sprinkling on, and then vacuuming up, a box of baking soda. Leave the soda on overnight if possible. Deodorize your disposal by running a few lemon or orange peels through for a fresh citrus scent.
Spring cleaning may seem like work, but I assure you, these steps will help you be ready for a close-up inspection from potential home buyers.
If you need more help getting your home ready to sell, give Tim Anderson with Better Homes and Gardens BloomTree Realty a call at (928) 308-9595. Tim has helped hundreds of sellers get their homes ready to sell, tap into his experience, you will be glad you did!
