ButtersTheCat
2988
106
3
I clean houses, and this past week I've been working on a really intense move-out/post-renovation cleaning.
The before and after pics are pretty dramatic!
It's soooo satisfying to see the results, and know that I did it all by myself. :)
The kitchen was a nightmare. It probably took me 3-4 hours on its own. Every surface was coated in grease, dirt, and cobwebs.
Thankfully, I didn't have to clean the oven, since the construction guys accidentally broke the glass on the door.
(The construction guys left some of their stuff behind)
This shower took the most time for a single item - the pan had dirt/grime embedded in it, and a large rust stain in the back corner.
But the really hard part was the doors...
They had so much hard water buildup on them, that I thought the glass was frosted, at first.
But, nope! It's clear!
The whole house took around 20 hours to clean - I spent 12 hours working on it today, which is...a LOT, for one day.
But now I have the day off tomorrow! Yay!
B4r4B4d4B45tu
I have the utmost respect for people who have to deal with the disasters other people leave. Hats off to you.
MoopsyLD
I hope you have drill brushes and if not you should really get a Drill and Drill brushes. Those things help lighten the workload greatly
webbiemoo
Holy shit, mate. That's amazing!
slendfung
That’s some serious remediation
Tarmaccian
How do you get rid of that much hard water scale? Asking for a friend.
The friend is my wife.
Who has asked me to do it.
ButtersTheCat
A product called Bioclean. It's kinda pricey, but it works well if you use it right. Slather it on pretty liberally and work it into the glass with a sponge. Let it sit for a minimum of 30 minutes per application - the longer, the better. (I've even left it sitting overnight before.)
Then use warm/hot water and 0000 Steel Wool to scrub it off. This shower took me 3 applications to get it all off.
Marsupialmessiah
Bro, im doing that right now and jfc, people are so careless! 2 gfcis installed with the load reversed, propane clothesdryer with the blower clogged with a bunch of hosiery, no wonder it wasnt drying, both co/smoke detectors unusable...
ButtersTheCat
The laundry room in this place had a solid layer of dryer lint coating the entire room. I got a lot of it off, but before I could finish it, the handyman came in and gave it the Landlord Special paint job. I was kinda irked by that, but also kinda glad it was one less thing I had to clean.
RetiredLaserMan
Pretty amazing transformation! FYI - Chemical Guys Heavy Duty Water Spot Remover works wonders on hard water build up. I used it on the house I recently bought to clean the basement window that had been getting spray from the lawn sprinklers for years without ever being cleaned. I thought I'd need to replace them but this stuff took it off in one session that took about 10 minutes.
ButtersTheCat
I'll check it out!
lightfoot2
woww, and how?
ButtersTheCat
Using the right products, and SO MUCH scrubbing
AllieRiot
WOAH. nicely done
GreaseMonkeyOfLove
That kitchen looks very 80s…and looks like it hasn’t been cleaned since then.
ButtersTheCat
Laminate countertops and everything. LOL
The cabinets faces were in remarkably good shape for their age, considering that they're wood.
frozenlake247
If they are real wood and haven’t been messed with they could/should be able to go on indefinitely. Pressboard etc not so much.
I know some original wood and plywood (not chipboard/mdf) cabinets from the 40s/early 50s that are in better shape than mid-high end modern cabinets made in the last decade or two. Even the real wood ones are usually just glued together w/ stock so thick the hinges ets will wear out way faster. Good cabinetry doesn’t need the material to be 1” to hold up.
Imalwaysready
I have those same shower tiles!
WarThunderLeakedMySpecs
“I have to fire you Ted”
welluhwhatdoyouwantmetosay
So no deposit back?
ButtersTheCat
This one was on house that's for sale
SlightlyRemoved
What kind of cleaning products do you use when you do all this?
MothMonsterMan
Gasoline mixed with enough heat to fuse hydrogen and helium.
ButtersTheCat
I used a LOT of degreaser (Greased Lightning is my favorite brand), Bioclean & 0000 steel wool for the shower glass, Zep mold & mildew for the shower pan, Bar Keepers Friend on all of the sinks & fixtures, and Odoban pH-Neutral floor cleaner.
Also, an absolute TON of magic erasers (mostly for the walls & trim)
ButtersTheCat
Oh, and Orange Glo to make the cabinets shiny.
Sanquira
Will the same people who made this mess will continue to live there?
ButtersTheCat
No, they're selling the house - they moved to another state, already.
Sanquira
So there is hope this amazing work will not go to waste.
ButtersTheCat
There is!
Well, so long as the handyman doesn't paint anything else, that is...he splashed paint all over the kitchen cabinets after I had already cleaned them once, which was really annoying.
I told the realtor that if he does it again, I'll fight him. LOL
stayingalive4life
No, no, no. You bury him below the basement flooring.
Sechran
That is some thorough cleaning. Those before pictures give me the jibblies.
ButtersTheCat
When I walked in to quote it, I just kept saying, "Oh my God...Oh my GOD"
It was the highest quote I'd ever given. I didn't think they'd actually say yes. LOL
Snushine
You are obviously worth more.
Sechran
"Either we pay to have it cleaned and sell it, or we go back to the 'burn it down and claim insurance' plan."
stayingalive4life
You sometimes have to wonder how far the internal mental needle is swinging towards the “insurance plan” direction.