Cleaning before an open house in Greer

When an agent says the open house is Sunday, the sellers we talk to in Greer usually have the same list in their heads: mow, mulch, put the dog somewhere. Then Saturday night they notice the shower door, the oven window and the dust on the ceiling fan, and the list doubles. This post walks the house the way a visitor does, so you can put the effort where a buyer's eyes actually go.

Start at the curb and the front door

The first look at a home in Greer or anywhere in the Upstate happens before the door opens. Sweep the porch, wipe the door and the handle, knock down cobwebs in the corners of the entry, and clear pollen or leaves off the mat. In spring the yellow film is on everything; in November it is wet leaves tracked inside. Wipe the glass on the storm door, since fingerprints show in daylight.

Inside, the entry sets the tone. Clear the shoes, put away the mail and wipe the light switch plate. A buyer's hand lands on that switch before anything else.

The kitchen, where buyers linger

People open cabinets and drawers during a showing, and they look at the oven. Counters should be nearly bare. Wipe the fronts of the appliances, clean the sink and shine the faucet, and run a cloth over the cabinet handles around the stove where grease builds up. Empty the dishwasher and the trash. If the fridge has been neglected, wipe the shelves and check for odors, because a buyer may open it.

Inside the oven is an add-on we do on request, and it is the kind of job that is worth doing before a showing, not after.

One more habit worth copying: before an estimate, our team opens the oven and the cabinet under the sink. Those two spots tell you the true state of a kitchen faster than the countertop does, and they are what a curious buyer checks.

Bathrooms: shine, grout and smell

Bathrooms make or break a first impression, mostly through smell and soap film. Descale the shower glass and faucets, wipe down the vanity, clean the toilet base, and take a toothbrush to the caulk line if it has darkened. Put out one fresh towel set. Leave out the personal items.

• Mirrors streak-free, checked from an angle
• Shower floor and drain free of hair
• Toilet seat, hinges and base wiped
• Trash can emptied and lined
• Exhaust fan cover dusted
• Floor edges wiped, not just the middle

Bedrooms, floors and the details above eye level

Bedrooms are easier: make the beds tightly, clear nightstands and dust the headboard and the lamp shades. The details people miss are above eye level. Ceiling fan blades, tops of door frames, window sills and the track of a sliding door all collect dust, and a buyer who stands in a doorway sees them in a way the owner never does.

Floors come last. Vacuum first, then mop hard surfaces from the back of the house toward the door. If you have carpet, vacuum in lines so the pattern shows, and pay attention to the stairs. Greer homes range from older houses near Downtown Greer and Trade Street to newer builds near GSP Airport and the BMW plant, so floor types vary, and so does what a buyer expects to see.

Smell and light, the quiet part

Buyers say a house "feels" clean before they can say why, and often it is smell and light. Open the blinds, replace burned-out bulbs and turn every light on, even in daytime. Take the trash out, run the disposal with a little citrus peel, and skip heavy candles, which can read as covering something up. If you have pets, vacuum furniture and wash the pet bed in the days before. A fresh, neutral house beats a perfumed one.

How much does one-time cleaning cost in Greer?

The price of a one-time clean depends on home size (rooms and square feet), the condition and time since the last professional clean, add-ons like the oven, fridge, cabinets or windows, the date, and pets. Weeks near holidays book quickly, and so do the days before a weekend showing. Perfect Services gives a price only after a free in-home estimate, a short visit with no commitment. Request one at our free estimate form, call (864) 399-5168 or text (864) 666-8520.

A typical one-time clean of an occupied family home takes a team most of a day, and we tell you the window after the walkthrough. If you are listing soon, ask for a visit this week so the cleaning date fits the showing date.

Plan the weekend backward

Book the clean for the day before the open house, not the morning of it. That leaves an evening to put away the last personal items and to do a fast touch-up. After the open house, a second visit is an option if showings continue. For help with the cleaning after a big crowd, our post on cleaning in Greer the morning after a party has the same logic.

You can learn more about what we do on the one-time cleaning service page, and a seller in Duncan would follow the same plan. When you have a date, one-time cleaning in Greer is the place to start, or use the booking form for a Greer one-time clean to get on the schedule.

More answers in our house cleaning FAQ: one-time cleaning →