Preparing Your Home to Sell

Maids Home Service, The
Published: April 4th, 2008

[startIf you are looking to sell your home, make sure to present it in its best condition, the cleanest one! Home sales peak during the months of April and May. Take advantage of the seasonal upswing and make your home clean and clutter-free. Pay particular attention to the kitchen and bathrooms. These areas have become increasingly important in realizing your home's full sales potential.
Follow these house cleaning tips from THE MAIDS(R) Home Services to get your home market-ready.

• Wash windows inside and out. Use a drop of liquid dish soap per two gallons of water and a good squeegee. Dry the window with crumpled newspaper. You'll get the best results if you wash windows on a cloudy, not sunny day, because sunlight dries the glass quickly, causing it to streak.
  
• Odors can get trapped in drapes and window treatments; if washable take them down and wash in water heated to at least 130 degrees. For blinds, fully tighten blinds before removing them from their brackets. Loosen and wash them in a bathtub of warm, soapy water and a cup of white vinegar. Rinse and lay flat on a towel outside to dry. If in a rush, vacuum blinds using vacuum's brush tool.
  
• Clean the stove and oven. If you have burner drip trays, replace them. These cost very little and really make the stove shine.
  
• Clean and dust all areas, paying particular attention where dirt and dust can accumulate – tops of ceiling fans, wall trim, door and window ledges, window sills and chair rails. These areas can get overlooked in weekly cleaning but potential buyers will notice the care and maintenance of your home!
  
• Shampoo carpets or hire a professional carpet cleaner. Vacuum high-traffic areas daily. Nothing screams clean like visible carpet pile lines!
  
• Diminish evidence of having pets by moving items like food bowls and litter boxes to discreet places. Change litter boxes daily and put down rubber placemats under food bowls for quick clean up of spills.
  
• Box up all non-essential items to eliminate clutter. Even junior's toys can be an eyesore. Keep only the most used toys in a container that can be stored in the closed.
  
• Clean showers, sinks, and tubs, and wash all hard floors. To clean hard water spots and scum off of showers, use undiluted, heated white vinegar. Put it in a spray bottle, spray on and let soak 15 minutes before scrubbing. Tackle grout with a powerful cleaner if mold is present.
  
• Clean all light fixtures and replace lights with higher wattage bulbs.
  
• After a squirt of window cleaner, buff any chrome fixtures and porcelain sinks, with a dry cloth to give them a sparkling finish.
  Remember, a clean home shows pride of ownership. If a potential buyer feels the house isn't well kept, they may wonder what other home maintenance has been overlooked.

About THE MAIDS Home Services:

THE MAIDS Home Services, founded in 1979, is the most trusted name in home services due to their consistent quality service and premium products which meet or exceed customers' expectations. THE MAIDS promises to deliver a cleaner, healthier, happier and more comfortable home…guaranteed because "Nobody Outcleans The Maids." Rated as the top residential cleaning franchise in Entrepreneur magazine for the past two years, THE MAIDS is one of the oldest and largest residential cleaning franchisers in the United States and Canada, serving over 40 states and four provinces in North America. For more information, visit THE MAIDS Home Services' web site at www.maids.com or call 1-800-THE-MAIDS, "Nobody Outcleans The Maids."