Cleaning Before Selling Your House: Photos and Viewings Checklist

Before you sell, declutter, then give the house a thorough deep clean before the photographer arrives, paying most attention to the kitchen, bathrooms, windows and floors. After that, a short routine before each viewing keeps it looking the same as the photos.

Buyers see the listing photos before they see the house, and a camera shows up smudged glass, limescale and clutter clearly. Here is a practical plan.

Step 1: Declutter before you clean

Cleaning around clutter wastes time and money, especially if you are paying a cleaner by the hour or by the job. Before the deep clean:

• Clear kitchen worktops apart from one or two items
• Empty the fridge door of magnets, photos and notes
• Thin out wardrobes and presses so they do not look overfull when opened
• Remove most personal photos and paperwork
• Pack away toys, shoes and coats from the hall
• Clear out the shed, garage and attic stairs of anything you will not move

When you clear out, dispose of things properly. Old paint and chemicals belong at a civic amenity site or council hazardous-waste collection, not in the bin or down the drain: use the MyWaste locator to find a site that accepts them. Old electrical items can be recycled free at designated centres.

Step 2: Deep clean before the photos

The listing photos last for the whole sale, so this is the clean that matters most. Work room by room:

Kitchen

• Oven, hob and extractor hood degreased
• Press doors, handles and the tops of units
• Inside presses that buyers might open
• Sink and taps descaled and polished
• Splashback, tiles and grout
• Appliance fronts free of fingerprints
• Floor, including kick boards

Bathrooms

• Shower screen, taps and shower head descaled
• Grout and sealant cleaned, with any mould treated
• Toilet, sink and bath
• Mirrors and chrome polished
• Fresh towels kept just for viewings

Every room

• Windows inside and out, sills and frames
• Skirting boards, doors, handles and light switches
• Marks on walls spot cleaned
• Light fittings dusted and dead bulbs replaced
• Carpets hoovered thoroughly or professionally cleaned
• Radiators dusted

For a fuller room by room list, see our deep cleaning checklist.

Limescale and stone surfaces

Hard water is common in many parts of Ireland, though it varies by supply, and limescale on glass and chrome shows up clearly in photos. You can check your supply with Uisce Éireann's hardness checker. Vinegar is useful on limescale and soap scum but can damage natural stone, stone tiles and hardwood finishes, so check the surface first on stone worktops or tiled floors. And never mix vinegar or other acids with bleach, which releases chlorine gas. See our guide to limescale and hard water.

Mould and condensation

Cleaning mould improves the photos, but it will come back unless the moisture source is fixed. Use extractor fans or open a window when cooking and showering, as the HSE advises, and do not block vents, which SEAI says should stay open. Larger areas, or mould that keeps returning, need a specialist. Our mould and damp guide explains how to clean small patches safely.

Step 3: Outside and the first impression

Buyers see the front of the house before anything else, in the listing photo and when they arrive.

• Front windows cleaned outside
• Front door, letterbox, house number and handle wiped and polished
• Path and steps swept, weeds pulled
• Wheelie bins out of sight and rinsed
• Gutters cleared if they are visibly overflowing

Exterior window cleaning for a typical semi was advertised at from €35 for front and back or €70 once-off for a three-bed semi when we checked in October 2026. For gutters, use a contractor who can work safely at height if access needs it.

Step 4: A quick routine before each viewing

Once the deep clean is done, keep the house at that level with a short routine before every viewing:

• Open windows for fresh air, then close them before the viewing
• Clear worktops and the draining board, put dishes away
• Wipe the kitchen sink, taps and hob
• Wipe bathroom sinks, mirrors and the toilet; put out fresh towels
• Make the beds
• Quick hoover of the hall, living room and any obvious crumbs
• Empty all bins and take the bags out
• Pets' bowls, beds and litter trays tidied or out of sight
• Turn on lights and open curtains and blinds

If you have a regular cleaner, it can help to book their visit for the morning of a weekend open viewing.

What will a professional pre-sale clean cost?

If you are short on time, or still living in a busy house, a professional deep clean before the photos can be worth it. Advertised prices we checked in October 2026 from two Irish price lists:

Job	Advertised price
Deep clean, 1 bed	€120 to €240
Deep clean, 2 bed	€180 to €280
Deep clean, 3 bed	€250 to €320
Deep clean, 4 bed	€330 to €370
Deep clean, 5 bed	€450
Oven, single	€55 to €80
Oven, double	€65 to €100
Carpet, per room	From €35 for a single room, €45 for a double or living room

Prices vary with the condition of the home and what is included; see our guide to deep clean prices for how to compare quotes, and to carpet cleaning and window cleaning for those jobs.

After the sale

Once the sale closes, you may want to leave the house clean for the buyers, and your next home will need a clean before you move in. Our moving house cleaning checklist covers that.

Find deep cleaning services and window cleaners near you, or browse cleaners by county, such as Dublin, Cork or Wicklow.