Florida’s scorching real estate markets raise the bar for home sellers. Spending a fortune on extravagant upgrades is ill-advised because you’re unlikely to recoup 100% of your expenses. What you must do is make your house presentable enough to grab the attention of buyers with plenty of tantalizing property options to choose from.

Deep-cleaning your home and fixing minor structural and aesthetic issues this spring can increase its perceived value and outshine comparable residences. Learn how to do it correctly to build considerable sweat equity in your house before listing it.

How to Properly Clean Room by Room

Most living areas have unique cleaning needs. Here’s how to make various rooms spotless and functional.

Living Room

Making this space immaculate mainly involves these cleaning tasks, including:

• Scrubbing the baseboards, walls and ceiling: Dust these overlooked and inaccessible areas from the top down with a vacuum connected to a bristled brush hose attachment. Afterward, use a microfiber cloth damped with an all-purpose cleaner to wipe them down.

• Vacuum and mop the floor: Fire up your vacuum to remove dirt and crumbs. Then, use a mop to finish the job and get rid of stubborn grime.

• Wash rugs and carpets: If you have natural rugs, powder them with baking soda to deodorize them, let sit for a few minutes and shake them off. Vacuuming works wonders, too. If you have synthetic furnishings, send those without backings to a professional cleaner. You need rotary shampoo and hot water extraction machines to scrub waterproof ones properly.

• Buff hardware: Use pastes, creams and liquid polishes to reinvigorate medium- and heavy tarnished metal door, window, cabinet and drawer fixtures — such as knobs, handles, hinges, locks and pulls.

• Wax wooden surfaces: Use a soft cloth with mild dishwashing liquid and water to cleanse the wood. Once it has no dirt, wax it with a cotton rag a few feet at a time. Shine the covered area with a clean cloth when the wax dries.

• Dust cooled-off lights: Switch off and unplug lighting fixtures to let their surface temperatures decrease before cleaning them.

• Machine-wash throw pillows: Clean pillows with mild detergent and warm water in a front load washer on a delicate cycle. Check their fabric care labels to know which ones you must air-dry or put in a dryer with no heat.

These tasks are universal, so do them when deep-cleaning your other rooms.

Kitchen

Making this space move-in ready can be demanding because stubborn substances soil its contents. These duties are essential in a thorough kitchen cleanup:

• Degrease your cabinetry with soapy, warm water.

• Empty the pantry, wipe down its items and reorganize everything.

• Rid appliances of spills and splatters with vinegar — which contains 5% acetic acid — and baking soda from the inside out.

Your refrigerator needs extra attention. You must move it to dust its coils and vacuum and mop the area behind it. Take out its contents and then wash its inside and outside surfaces. If your freezer has no auto-frost functionality, defrost it first to thaw the ice buildup.

If you have a kitchen hood, remove grease from its filters, body, vent and fan blades. Soak non-dishwasher-safe filters in hot water or mix 1 tablespoon of baking soda with an equal amount of lemon juice.

If any of your kitchen appliances malfunction, repair them or buy new ones. There’s no telling when a buyer comes along after putting your house on the market. Getting replacements allows you to continue enjoying your kitchen while you wait for offers.

Bathroom

Declutter your bath and throw away expired beauty products. Update your first-aid kit and replenish your toiletries. Disinfect your tub, shower area, toilet and sink with a potent germ-killing solution. Read the product’s instructions for guidance. 

Moreover, wash bath mats and shower liners. Replace old towels and linens with fresh ones.

Apply new grout to repair gaps and cracks one line at a time. Removing stains and mildew with vinegar is safe and eco-friendly while scrubbing grime with a toothbrush dipped in soapy water gets the job done.

Apply a penetrating grout sealer slowly and deliberately, then remove excess material with a cloth before it dries. Let it sit for as long as the manufacturer recommends before applying another coat.

Bedroom

Clean out dressers and closets. Toss garments you don’t need to help you organize your wardrobe.

Follow these eight steps to clean your bed:

1. Remove and wash bedding and pillows.

2. Flip your mattress over.

3. Let it get as much sunlight as possible to allow ultraviolet radiation to work its magic as a bacteria killer.

4. Vacuum debris before sprinkling it with baking soda to remove any unpleasant odor.

5. Let baking soda deodorize for at least 15 minutes before vacuuming it again.

6. Wipe it generously with a sponge damped with a gentle dishwashing soap.

7. Allow it to dry completely.

8. Clean under your bed frame.

Garage

Regardless of how you use your garage, you must clear away its contents to free up the floor and coat it with epoxy. It will improve your space’s appearance, make it resistant to oil and render it maintenance-friendly.

After applying an epoxy coating, sealing the gaps beneath your garage door must be your priority. Installing rubberized strips will make it airtight upon closing, preventing outside air from seeping in, maintaining low indoor humidity levels and keeping pests at bay.

Put a premium on organization when putting your stuff back in. Sort your belongings by category first to know which storage solutions to buy. Bulky equipment can go into stackable bins. Hazardous substances belong in lockable cabinets. Small items can fit in clear jars. Label everything accordingly to find your supplies more quickly.

Vertical shelving can maximize your garage’s height for storage. About 54% of Gen Xers, 51% of baby boomers and 40% of millennials rent or plan to rent self-storage solutions. One of the primary reasons is inadequate room at home. Addressing this need with additional storage space in the garage can make your house stand out.

Spring Cleaning Is Home Staging

Deep-cleaning your Florida home this spring sets the stage for open houses during the busiest real estate season. It’s backbreaking work, but this activity is worth the trouble to ensure your property is in good condition and give it one last deep-cleaning before handing over its keys to the new owner.