‘This year, the most important aspect of the move is cleaning it out, doing the deep clean,’ said Martha Kumar, the director of the White House Transition Project and author of the book ‘Before the Oath: How George W. Bush and Barack Obama Managed a Transfer of Power.’
‘It’s more than just the residence … you’ve had all the parties where the virus has spread, and you’ve had (the virus) in the West Wing, and you’ve had it in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building. They have rooms with ceilings 25 feet high. Cleaning that place is tough.’
Before the Bidens move in, the White House will have received a top-to-bottom cleaning totaling nearly half a million dollars … That’s on top of the normal changeover costs that come when a new administration takes over.
The new tab included a $44,000 charge for carpet cleaning, $29,000 for curtain cleaning in both the White House and the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, and a $115,000 charge for new carpets in the East Wing, West Wing and EEOB, NBC News reported.
Around 95 people work for the White House residence staff — butlers, chefs, ushers, housekeepers and florists, many of whom stay on for decades.
