Making sure your home looks and smells clean is a top priority when staging your home for sale. That’s why it helps to know a few trade secrets for a cleaner house from a professional home stager! We’ve put together a list of some of our favorite cleaning hacks and best household cleaning products to use when preparing a home for sale.
These must-have cleaning supplies are the products that can make a real difference in the presentation of your home, from our favorite eco-friendly all-in-one cleaner to the perfect tool for cleaning dust out of hard-to-reach spaces. Read on for some of the best household cleaning products on a budget and some of our favorite hacks for using them to create a cleaner home.
1. Best Eco-Friendly DIY All-In-One Cleaner: This DIY Recipe!
This eco-friendly, budget-friendly multipurpose cleaner is one of my favorite cleaning hacks for home staging! It’s made from ingredients you may already have around the house (vinegar, dish soap, water, and lemon juice) and is tough enough to tackle a dirty oven and shower scum. Don’t believe it? Read our blog post to see photos and learn how to make it.
2. Best Scratch Cover and Touch-Up for Wood: Old English Scratch Cover
This is a great cleaning and updating hack when you don’t have the time or budget to refinish your wooden front door, cabinets, or furniture. Wipe on a little Old English Scratch Cover to give it a fresher look. I took advantage of the cooler weather to wipe down my own front door (the Texas sun is brutal on wood, y’all). Looks like new!
Old English Scratch Cover
3. Best Streak-Free Glass Cleaner: Sprayway
When I used to stage vacant properties, I brought a can of Sprayway Glass Cleaner with me every time. And so did the installers from the furniture rental companies I used. Why? Because the pros know this stuff works. This cleaner contains no ammonia and leaves nothing behind – no streaks, no residue. I still use it at home every weekend.
Sprayway Glass Cleaner
4. Best Eco-Friendly Granite Cleaner on a Budget: Our DIY Recipe
Unfortunately, at around $7 per bottle, the cost of commercially made granite cleaner can add up quickly. If, like me, you prefer to save your money and still enjoy all the shiny beauty of clean granite countertops, you can make your own (neutral pH) granite cleaner for pennies! Take a look our recipe for DIY eco-friendly granite cleaner on a budget.
5. Best Pet Stain and Odor Remover: Nature’s Miracle Oxy Formula
I shared my last home with two very sweet, very geriatric pets. In their heyday, they were exceptionally housebroken, but in their later years, they became a bit incontinent. Nature’s Miracle Oxy Formula came to the rescue several times for us. Its bacteria-based formula produces enzymes when in contact with bio-based messes to target spot stains and odors while freshening with a light, citrus scent. It’s also safe for use around children and pets when used as directed. If you’ve got pets who have ever had an accident in your home, I definitely recommend the gallon pour size on any questionable areas of your home before putting it on the market.
Nature’s Miracle Oxy Formula
6. Best Non-Toxic Degreaser That Really Works: Krud Kutter
Krud Kutter is an eco-friendly, water-based product that is biodegradable and odorless…and amazing. It knocks out hard-to-remove grease, oil, and other nasty food splatters in the kitchen. Perfect for taking on burner grates, range hoods, and even microwaves, this degreaser banishes grease with ease.
Need to clean up your exterior? This stuff is also safe for exterior siding (wood, vinyl, aluminum), roofing of all types (asphalt shingles, fiberglass shingles, cedar, tile), gutters, wood fences and decks, walkways and walls, even RV’s, patio furniture, and boats. Just spray it on and let it sit for a few minutes, then wipe it with warm soapy water (or just rinse it with clear water). Krud Kutter makes cleaning incredibly easy.
Krud Kutter Concentrated Cleaner/Degreaser
7. Best Extra-Long Duster: Boomjoy Microfiber Feather Duster
Let’s face it — areas that are hard to reach can get pretty gross. One of our favorite cleaning hacks for home staging is an extra-long feather duster. The Boomjoy Microfiber Feather Duster has a 100-inch extendable pole that can extend far enough to clean your vents and ceiling fans or that funky spot underneath your refrigerator. If you’re a short homeowner (or have really high ceilings) — this is the cleaning product for you!
Boomjoy Microfiber Feather Duster
Need Help Prepping Your Home for a Faster, More Profitable Sale?
Do you need a little guidance preparing your home for a faster, more profitable sale? Three Bears Home Staging can help you make it “just right!” Take a look below at all the ways we’re helping homeowners.
Book an Online Consultation
We specialize in positive and empowering virtual home staging consultations! Our practical, no-nonsense advice helps homeowners sell more quickly and for more money.
Enroll in Our Online Courses
Our online courses are designed with you, the DIY homeowner, in mind. From home staging to paint color selection, we break down the process for you from start to finish!
Read Our Book
In this brand new third edition of her popular book, Just Right! Easy DIY Home Staging, professional home stager Vannessa Rhoades walks you through the step-by-step process of staging your home for a faster, more profitable sale. Available on Amazon in paperback and Kindle editions!
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