Little Lockdown tasks that will refresh your home if you’re looking to sell or rent

Even if you’re not planning to sell your home soon, a spring clean always feels like a good idea; after all, doesn’t it feel satisfying and relaxing when things look organised, fresh and neat? With all the time most of us are spending indoors during the lockdown, DIY jobs around the home are something that can finally be caught up on. And aren’t some things that need repairing all the more obvious when you have to look at them all day long? Here are a few useful things to focus on, that can freshen up your home. If you are hoping to have some viewings soon either virtual or in person, these things could also help create a positive first impression for potential buyers.

Cleaning carpets to brighten them up

No matter the age of your carpets, caring for them correctly can help prevent excessive wear and tear and can prolong their lifespan. Clean carpets look much more appealing in photographs too. Even if your carpets don’t look dirty, it’s amazing how much brighter they can look with the right treatment. Of course, what we can do in lockdown is limited and professional carpet cleaning trades can’t visit right now, but there are some great at-home treatments that can be bought online or some quick tricks with no purchase necessary.

• Vacuum more often – ideally vacuum your carpets every day. Not always possible if you have commuting, school runs and work to juggle. Usually, a quick run around with a vacuum will clean surface dirt off the carpet but isn’t always enough to really pick up the dust deep within the pile. Focus more on each room, spending longer going over the floor space. If you have a bagless vacuum with a clear cylinder, you’ll be amazed how much more full it will get. The pile will be fluffier/less flat too from being agitated with the vacuum brush more regularly.
• If you have sticky spots on the carpet from food, children or pets, then a quick fix on these is to grab a wet towel and a tiny spot of hair shampoo and gently work it into the spot. This will lift away stickiness and any dirt – just let the spot dry before you walk on it.
• Use carpet treatments. There are some great powders and sprays available that you can leave on the carpet for a few hours then vacuum away to reveal a cleaner floor and a nice fresh smell. Make sure you’re careful with how much powder or dampness gets into your machine though as you could damage the workings. Short bursts of vacuuming before emptying the bag and cleaning the filter are safest. Be sure to let household members know about the treatment and keep pets and children safely away during the development time.

Replacing or cleaning sealant and grout

Did you know that cracked sealant is one of the most common causes of water damage around the home? A tiny bit of peeling around the edges can let drips through and damage floors, ceilings underneath, and surrounding woodwork. Cracks can also be a good place for mould to start growing, which can stain and can be hard to stop spreading. By giving all your sealant and grout a good clean with bleach or other whitening products, you’ll be casting a careful eye over it all at the same time to spot any areas that need repair. Fresh sealant will look cleaner and neater. If you’ve not laid sealant before, make sure you watch a how-to video first as there is a trick to getting it straight and smooth.

Bleeding the radiators
Bleeding the radiators in your house won’t make any visual difference, but it will support good boiler maintenance and could even help reduce heating bills and get rid of unwelcome gurgles. Now’s a good time to do it too, while the weather is getting warmer and you’re not reliant on having the heating on. Be very careful to lay down towels and buckets first, to catch any accidental overspills that could damage the floor.

Hunt for cobwebs
This is a great game to play with children who probably have much better eyesight than most adults! Cobwebs can be a distraction for buyers but aren’t always easy to spot somewhere you walk in and out of each day. After all, how often do you look at your ceiling while your watching TV or cooking a meal? Key places to check are around light fittings and lampshades, over doors and windows, over curtain poles and in the corners of the room.

Clean your extractor fans
Extractor fans in kitchens and bathrooms can get noisy if they’re filled with dust and can even start to smell. Kitchen extractors can smell of grease and bathroom fans can smell musty or damp. Most can be easily taken apart (with the electricity turned off) and filters can be soaked and cleaned or replaced entirely. Soaking a filter in some washing up liquid will help remove any grease and grime easily.

We hope these tips are useful for keeping busy at home. Remember, we are all staying at home to save lives and shouldn’t be popping out for cleaning products or DIY goods – these can all be bought online and delivered to your home following social distancing rules. Some people like to clean or quarantine packages when they arrive too, just to be safe. And also, if you’re using chemicals to clean your home, please do so responsibly and consider the environment and water systems. If you know of any great environmentally friendly products to help with the above tips, do let us know!

If you’d like to learn more about getting your house ready to sell, have a look at some of our other blog posts and chat with our Residential Sales Team over the phone or email, who’d be really happy to help you learn how to present your home to its full potential.