If you’re getting ready to sell your home in DC Ranch, you know you need to keep it spotless for tours – buyers can, and do, schedule tours with very little notice. But what are you supposed to do about your bathrooms? As some of the most highly-trafficked rooms in your home, they have the potential to get really messy, really quickly. Fortunately, there are seven little-known tips you can use to keep your bathroom spotless while you’re trying to sell your home – and they’re all in the following sections.
7 Little-Known Tips for Keeping Your Bathroom Spotless While Your Home is on the Market
Check out our best tips for keeping your bathroom sparkling-clean while your home is on the market:
- Declutter first
- Keep an empty laundry basket handy to whisk away toiletries
- Maintain two sets of towels: One to use, one to show
- Don’t be afraid to use the vacuum
- Set aside a cleaning bucket with all your supplies
- Clean offensively, not defensively
- Use vinegar to remove calcium build-up
Here’s a closer look at each.
Bathroom Cleaning Secret #1: Declutter First
Before you can get your bathrooms ready to show, you need to pull out everything that doesn’t belong. If you have old toiletries, raggedy towels or anything that you haven’t used in six months or more – whether in the cabinets or on full display – take them out. You don’t have to get rid of these items, but they can’t stay in your bathrooms right now. (Remember, though: Getting rid of things now makes moving easier.) Ideally, you’ll have completely clear counters, cabinets and drawers that aren’t stuffed to the brim, and shelving that appears more for decoration than for stashing a bunch of “stuff.”
Related: 5 things most home stagers do to help sell homes
Bathroom Cleaning Secret #2: Keep an Empty Laundry Basket Handy
An empty laundry basket can be a lifesaver when it comes to keeping your bathrooms clean while your home is on the market. When you’re doing a last-minute tidy before a showing, you can use it to quickly gather up all of the clutter – toiletries, dirty towels or whatever else has made its way into the space – and whisk it away to another room. This is much better than leaving everything out in the open, where it will just make your bathroom look messy.
Bathroom Cleaning Secret #3: Maintain Two Sets of Towels
When you’re trying to keep your bathroom clean for showings, managing your towels can be a real challenge. The best way to solve the problem is to maintain two sets of towels: one to use, and one to show. This way, you always have a clean set of towels on hand when buyers come through, and you don’t have to worry about them seeing your used towels. If you don’t have enough storage space to keep two sets of towels in your bathroom, consider storing the extra set in a linen closet or another out-of-the-way place.
Pro Tip: Invest in brand-new towels to use for showings, and put them in all your bathrooms before buyers stop by for a tour. Don’t let anyone actually use them; you can bring them out and use them after you move into your next home.
Related: 10 tips to keep your home ready to show all the time
Bathroom Cleaning Secret #4: Don’t Be Afraid to Use the Vacuum
Your bathroom may not be the first place you think to use your vacuum, but it can be a real lifesaver when it comes to keeping your bathroom clean. Use your vacuum’s hose attachment to get rid of dust and cobwebs in hard-to-reach places, like behind the toilet or under the sink. You can also use it on tile floors to pick up any hair or other debris. It’s a lot faster than sweeping – and certainly faster than getting on your hands and knees to check for dust bunnies beneath the cabinets.
Bathroom Cleaning Secret #5: Set Aside a Cleaning Bucket
To make cleaning your bathroom quicker and easier, set aside a bucket with all of your supplies. This way, you don’t have to go rummaging through cabinets looking for cleaning products every time you need to tidy up. Fill your bucket with items like a toilet brush, all-purpose cleaner, scrubbing brush, paper towels and rags. When you’re not using it, don’t store it in plain sight; put it in the garage or in another out-of-the-way place, such as the back of a cabinet in your biggest bathroom.
Bathroom Cleaning Secret #6: Clean Offensively, Not Defensively
When you’re trying to keep your bathroom clean for showings, it’s important to remember that you’re not just cleaning up after yourself – you’re cleaning up for potential buyers, too. This means that you need to take a proactive approach to cleaning, rather than just waiting for things to get dirty and then cleaning them up. Every day, take a few minutes to do a quick tidy-up, such as wiping down the counters, taking out the trash and straightening up any towels or toiletries that may have been left out. This will help you keep your bathroom clean on a daily basis, rather than just trying to play catch-up all the time. If you live with other people, delegate some of the responsibility so you’re not taking it all upon yourself.
Related: Why you should never try to sell your home without staging it first
Bathroom Cleaning Secret #7: Use Vinegar to Remove Calcium Build-Up
You live in Arizona, so you’re probably familiar with the white, chalky residue that can build up on fixtures over time. This calcium build-up can be tough to remove, but there’s an easy solution: vinegar. If it’s on your faucet heads or shower head, fill a plastic bag with vinegar and use a rubber band to wrap it around the head. Let it soak for a few hours, and when you remove it, let hot water run through the faucet or shower head for a minute. Then, wipe the head down with a clean cloth. Presto – the calcium build-up should be gone.
Pro Tip: If your bathroom mirror is starting to look a little cloudy, give it a good cleaning with vinegar. Just apply it with a clean cloth and wipe it down.
Are You Selling a Home in DC Ranch?
Thinking about selling your home in DC Ranch? Call us at 602-694-3200 to find out how we’ll market it to all the right buyers. If you’re also looking for a new home, we’d love show you any listing in the community. Let us know what you’re looking for and we’ll be happy to search for something that’s a perfect match for your needs.
While you’re here, check out our:
- Country Club Village homes for sale
- Desert Camp Village homes for sale
- Desert Parks Village homes for sale
- Silverleaf Village homes for sale
Don Matheson
Realtor | Founder
The Matheson Team
RE/MAX Fine Properties
21020 N. Pima Rd., #100, Scottsdale, AZ 85255
602-694-3200
