Deep cleaning a Brisbane home after the wet
The wet end of summer
February is Brisbane's wettest month, at 181.9 mm on average in the city centre, and its most humid, with afternoon humidity at 59%. By the end of it, bathrooms, laundries and closed wardrobes tend to show the damp.
Homes built for air flow
Queenslanders were traditionally planned for cross-ventilation, with doors and windows lined up to let air through. That's lovely on a hot night, and it also carries dust onto ledges, fan blades and door tops.
If you're renting
Queensland's law asks a tenant to keep the premises clean during the tenancy, having regard to their condition at the start (s 188(2)). It doesn't say how, or by whom. A deep clean is one way to catch up mid-lease, never a requirement.
After a flood
In the January 2011 flood, 20,000 houses in Brisbane were inundated, and the Queensland Government warns that heat, humidity and water can all cause mould to grow after a flood. A flood clean-up is a job for a specialist, not a deep clean.
What spring cleaning in Brisbane usually reaches
- Skirting boards, doors and door frames
- Light switches
- Window tracks
- Range hood filters
- The inside of empty cupboards
- Built-up grime on shower screens, tiles and grout
Mould mistakes to avoid in a Brisbane home
Don't dry brush mould, because the brush can flick spores into the air. Never mix bleach with ammonia, acids or other cleaners. If you're pregnant, have a weakened immune system or chronic lung disease, leave mould removal to someone else and stay away while it's done, and keep children clear too. Poisons Information Centre: 13 11 26. Emergency: 000.
Clutter, leaks and fans: your side of a Brisbane deep clean
Worth doing yourself
- Clear benches, wardrobes and the fridge so the business can get at the surfaces
- Get the exhaust fan working and any leak looked at
- Open windows or run the fan when you're showering or cooking
- Wipe small mould patches with mild detergent or diluted vinegar, with gloves and eye protection on
Where a cleaning business earns its keep
- Grout, shower screens and built-up grime
- Range hood filters and window tracks
- Doors, frames and skirting boards through the whole house
- Empty cupboards, inside and out
After a Brisbane deep clean: regular cleans or a bond clean
People often ask for one before starting regular cleans, or before a sale, a move or guests. After it, a regular clean is upkeep rather than catch-up. Moving out instead? You're after a bond clean, which is aimed at the final inspection.
Moisture first, then spring cleaning in Brisbane
Deal with the moisture before the grime. Get leaks fixed and fans working, then book the clean for a drier stretch. Brisbane's afternoon humidity falls to 43% in August, and September averages 29.7 mm of rain against February's 181.9 mm, so a bathroom cleaned then has a chance to stay dry.