Cleaning up foreclosed homes can be quite a job, but somebody has to do it. Banks and mortgage companies need to get the home prepared and ready for re-sale. This means getting the home and property in a condition that won’t drive off potential buyers.

Many foreclosed homes have been empty for many months, even for more than a year. This is a challenge to janitorial services, but can be accomplished with a bit of foresight and diligence. The home can become a real showcase if done correctly.

Extensive Services Available to Clean up a Foreclosure

Cleaning companies offer a wide range of services to cover handling foreclosed homes. Many will change the locks, take away old appliances, cut overgrown grass and board up broken windows. Draining a swimming pool may be needed as well as cleaning up the yard. Here we cover strictly the cleaning process when beginning the project on a foreclosed house.

This work can be extremely dirty and difficult. Those leaving the home often leave it in deplorable condition. They are sometimes angry at being evicted and will therefore trash the place and even damage or steal built-ins or appliances. They leave rotting food and write on the walls.

Before starting, you must have the right equipment. This can include but is not limited to:

• Cleaning solutions, including those for heavy cleaning
• Disinfectant
• Glass cleaner
• Scrub brushes
• Sponges
• Garbage bags
• Latex or rubber gloves
• Dust masks
• Commercial vacuum cleaner
• Carpet cleaner (with a deodorizing solution)
• Long-handled squeegees
• Mops
• Buckets
• Newspaper
• A truck (if doing a full clean-out of all junk left behind)

The Basic Cleaning Process

When you are fully prepared, it is time to start. The sequence is basically:

1. Take all the junk and abandoned personal items out of the house that are cluttering up floors and counters and any built-in shelves. Pull up carpets that are too soiled and won’t respond to cleaning and get them out of the house as well.
2. Vacuum everywhere to reach the cobwebs, rodent droppings and dirt that has collected. Start with the ceilings, move to the walls then do the counter tops. Follow this up with closets and shelves. Floors are last.
3. Wash all surfaces with disinfectant. For the extra dirty sections, like around stoves and cooking surfaces, use heavier cleaners to scrub and be sure to wear latex or rubber gloves.
4. Mop floors, using a brush for hard-to-remove dirt and grime.
5. Shampoo the carpets with a deodorizing shampoo.
6. Use rubber gloves and get in there and scour all the fixtures in the bathroom and kitchen, as well as the laundry room.
7. Clean windows and mirror with glass cleaner and crumpled dry newspaper.

Be Proud of Your Work

Now that you have finished, walk through and ensure everything has been taken care of professionally. Go outside and come back in like a prospective buyer. How does it look? Have you forgotten anything? This will ensure your job has truly come to an end and you have done the job expected of you.