If you want your bond returned in full at the end of your lease agreement, you’re going to have to do a thorough clean.
Landlords will expect their properties to be left in the same or even better condition than when you moved in. Leave it looking any worse, and they have the right to use some of your bond payment to cover cleaning costs!
So, here’s everything you need to know about doing a great top-to-bottom clean of your rented house or flat.
What does an end-of-lease clean include?
You can’t miss a thing when you’re doing your end-of-lease clean, so it helps to go room-by-room. This helps you keep track of what you’ve done already.
As a general rule, you should start with tasks like dusting, sweeping, and vacuuming. Then, you can get on with wiping, polishing, and mopping. It’s also important that you don’t forget to clean any of the following:
- Cupboards and wardrobes.
- Appliances like ovens and dishwashers.
- Behind and under the furniture.
- Walls and floors.
- Your garden, balcony, or other outdoor space.
Indoor cleaning
When it comes to indoor cleaning, getting the small stuff is just as important as tackling things like furniture and floors. So, in addition to your usual spring cleaning chores, make sure to do all of the following before vacating the property:
- Clean the windows. You can do this with a homemade glass cleaner made using a mix of distilled vinegar and warm water.
- Dust and wipe window ledges, shelves, and skirting boards.
- Wipe down cupboards and wardrobes, and remove any debris and dust lurking inside, behind, or underneath. You may need to use a vacuum cleaner to do this.
- Polish light fittings and switches, and replace any bulbs that no longer work.
- Wipe down air conditioning units and ceiling fans.
- Wipe doors and doorframes, and clean out dirty door tracks.
- Wash and rehang curtains and blinds.
- Remove any marks that have been left on the walls.
- Use a duster to remove cobwebs from the corners.
Kitchen and bathroom cleaning
Time to pull up your rubber gloves! The kitchen and bathroom are going to require some heavy-duty cleaning.
In the kitchen, the oven will likely need the most attention. The good news is, it’s really easy to clean an oven using just baking soda and water!
Simply mix the two together until they form a thick paste. Then, spread it across the dirty glass, racks, and walls in the oven, avoiding the heating elements. Leave it for an hour, and then wipe it clean with a cloth or paper towel.
You can do the same with the glass and fittings in your shower. Other tasks for your kitchen and bathroom include:
- Clean the stovetops and remove any stains.
- Clean both the inside and outside of your appliances, and vacuum under and behind them.
- Dust the extractor fan.
- Clean the garbage disposal by scrubbing the splash guard and removing any food you can find. You should deodorize it, too, by pouring baking soda into the disposal, letting it sit for 30 minutes, and then pouring in vinegar and rinsing with hot water.
- Clear out plug holes and clean the plugs and taps.
- Wipe down the countertops, tables, and other surfaces.
- Clean the tiles and re-grout if required.
- Polish the toilet roll holders and towel rails.
- Clean the mirrors with a glass cleaner.
- Disinfect the bathroom.
Outdoor cleaning
Don’t forget – if your rented property has an outdoor area, you’ll be expected to leave this looking good as new as well.
Your first port of call should be to clean and sweep the paths, patio, or decking, to get rid of any debris. You may need a pressure hose to do this effectively. You should also:
- Mow and trim the lawn.
- Remove weeds.
- Clean the BBQ.
- Thoroughly wipe down all garden furniture.
- Tidy and clear of leaves and debris
- Empty and wash the bins.
- Replace any plants that have died as a result of your care.
When should I do an end-of-lease clean?
As you can see, there’s a lot of work that goes into an end-of-lease clean. To give yourself the best chance of doing a good job, you should probably plan your clean ahead of time.
That way, you can spread the job out over however many days or weeks you think it might take. You’ll also have the opportunity to book professional cleaning services if you need them.
