So you’ve painted the walls, installed the carpets and checked all of the windows. Now all you need to do when rehabbing properties is to get your house cleaned up and ready to show. Although detailing and polishing up your real estate investment can be an arduous process (especially if you’ve still got your construction materials lying around), there are a few tricks you can use to make the ordeal much more bearable.
1) Make your own glass cleaner. After you finish rehabbing your real estate investment, you’re going to have a lot of glass, porcelain and tile surfaces to clean. Instead of buying a case of cleaner from a store, you can cut costs by making your own. Just mix four liters of water with 100 ml of white vinegar and a teaspoon of dish soap, and you’ll be on your way to a sparkling house.
2) Budget your time. If you’ve got a lot of cleaning to do in a little bit of time, it helps to plan out how long you’ll spend in each room before you get started. Setting a time limit for every room will help you stay focused and clean more efficiently, especially if you use an obnoxious alarm to keep yourself honest.
3) Stock up on trash cans. To speed up your final cleaning run, take a full-sized trash can with you to every room. Whether you’re throwing away chunks of drywall or used paper towels, you’ll find that it’s much easier to dispose of trash when there’s a can a few feet away.
The final cleanup might be the least enjoyable part of flipping houses, but if you follow these tips, you can breeze through it quickly and thoroughly. Just remember to stay focused. Brainstorm a few of your own time-saving ideas (like the trash can idea, which is surprisingly helpful) and put them into action. With a little bit of advance planning, you’ll experience less stress, and your real estate investment will be ready to show before you know it.
