A New Chance for an Old Post: How Clean is Clean?

The moving truck has just pulled away from your house, and you are totally, completely, 100 percent pooped! You spent most of the day before cleaning up years of grime and cob webs your sellers left you, and now you're looking at decades worth of all kinds of nastiness in your old house - dust bunnies (enough to knit a sweater), the mother of all bathtub rings, crust in the oven, and a cure for the next pandemic in the corners of the refrigerator's meat tray.

There's a reason that MOVE is a 4-letter word!

In most parts of the country, the written contract between the buyer and seller discuss just how clean you have to have your house for the new buyers - and how clean your sellers have to leave your new place.

When you're selling, the standard is way too clean.

When you're buying, the standard is filthy!

In this area, your place is supposed to be "broom clean" with all trash and debris gone by settlement time. And, as in most real estate contracts, the definition of clean is a little ambiguous.

Whatever the contract says, my advice to my sellers is to hire a professional to do the job.

First, it's just tacky to leave a dirty house for your buyers. And, second, I promise you won't be in the mood to pull out the oven cleaner or scouring powder to do it yourself. Finally, the last thing you want to do is invite an argument at the settlement table over whether or not you've fulfilled this part of your contract.

The condition of your house at the walk-through could very well set the tone for the entire settlement!

My advice is that, no matter what your contract say you must do, leave the place clean as a whistle - inside and out!

Have the floors swept and carpet vacuumed. Have the bathrooms and kitchen scrubbed and sparkling. Appliances, including fridge and oven, should be as close to showroom clean as you can get them. And have the windows and mirrors cleaned.

A lot of sellers forget about the garage and basement. I've been to walk-throughs where there were all kinds of cans of awful looking stuff rusting out. Sometimes it's old paint. Sometimes it's old cleaning stuff that has morphed into clutter. You are not being thoughtful leaving behind things you think your buyers might need. They don't want your old stuff! Have it hauled away!

And while you are preparing to leave your place sparkling, there is no guarantee for you on the buying end! Your sellers might be total pigs who are unembarrassed by the thought of appearing tacky! If it's totally short of whatever standard your contract sets, ask for a closing cost credit to pay for a professional cleaning.

And it's not "Do unto Others as Others will do unto You." But leaving a house clean for the next people is a great way to amass good karma.

If you are planning a move to or from the Washington, DC area, I can help! I am licensed in the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia. You may call, email or text me at:

Housepat@mac.com, 202-549-5167

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