Cleaning Efficiency: How to Clean Properties Faster

Cleaning is the most time-consuming activity in House Flipper. Between trash, stains, cobwebs, cockroaches, dirty windows, and damaged fixtures, a large property can take 30+ minutes to fully clean. This guide shows you how to clean faster and more thoroughly.

Types of Mess and How to Handle Each

Trash and Garbage

Cans, bottles, bags, and other loose items. Pick these up with the Move Objects Tool and dispose of them. They show as black boxes on the minimap. The Long Range perk's Level 3 (Multiple Trash Disposal) lets you grab trash in an area, dramatically speeding up cleanup.

Dirt, Stains, and Graffiti

The most common mess type. Use the Mop to clean these. They appear as black splotches on the minimap. The Fast Hands perk line increases mopping speed by 25%, 50%, then 75%. At max level, you clean roughly four times faster than at the start.

Cobwebs

Found in corners, ceilings, and neglected areas. Also cleaned with the Mop. Check ceiling corners and behind furniture carefully.

Cockroaches and Broken Glass

Cleaned with the Vacuum, which is context-sensitive (it appears automatically when you look at them). In the game settings, you can toggle cockroaches to broken glass if you prefer.

Dirty Windows

Cleaned with the Window Cleaning Tool, also context-sensitive. Look at a dirty window to activate the cleaning interface. Each window requires a scrubbing minigame.

Damaged Walls

Holes and cracks in walls. Repaired with the Plaster Tool (context-sensitive). Look at damaged wall sections to activate the repair interface.

Electrical Fixtures

Burnt light bulbs, damaged fuses, and damaged electrical sockets. These are fixed by interacting with them (press E). They show as red icons on the minimap.

The Optimal Cleaning Route

Follow this systematic approach for maximum efficiency:

1. Start at the entrance and work room by room.
2. In each room, pick up all trash first (Move Objects Tool).
3. Mop all floor stains, then wall stains, then ceiling cobwebs.
4. Check corners and behind furniture for hidden messes.
5. Vacuum any cockroaches or glass.
6. Clean windows.
7. Repair damaged walls.
8. Fix electrical fixtures.
9. After all rooms are done, do a final minimap sweep for anything missed.

Critical Cleaning Perks

These perks make the biggest difference for cleaning speed:

• Penetrating Vision (Cleaning tree): Reveals dirt on the minimap at Levels 1-3. At max level, every piece of dirt is visible. This is arguably the most important quality-of-life perk in the game.
• Fast Hands (Cleaning tree): 25/50/75% faster mopping. The single biggest time saver for cleaning.
• Multiple Trash Disposal (Cleaning tree, Long Range L3): Area pickup for trash. Saves enormous time on trash-heavy properties.

Advanced Cleaning Tips

• Clean before renovating. There is no point painting a wall that has stains on it; the stains will remain after painting.
• Check under furniture. Stains and trash frequently hide beneath tables, beds, and sofas. Move or sell large items to access hidden messes.
• The Flamethrower (Apocalypse DLC) can burn trash, but it is less precise than the Mop. Use it for fun, not efficiency.
• Garden messes (weeds, tall grass, molehills) require Garden DLC tools. The Gardener's Sense perk reveals these on the minimap.
• For Farm DLC properties, fallen leaves require the Leaf Blower and damaged roofs require the Claw Hammer.