End of tenancy cleaning is a very complex job. It is easy to miss some areas and details but that could cost you a portion of your deposit. Most agents and landlords are very strict about sticking to the end of tenancy cleaning checklists. Brief versions of those are sometimes outlined in the letting agreement. But to have a peace of mind you won’t get a surprise deduction, it is always best to trust professional cleaners with the job. And to give you an idea what a team of experienced end of tenancy cleaning operatives would do, we came up with a comprehensive checklist.
Living Room
This is usually the place that bears most footfall in the house and it is very likely you spend a lot of time there. Especially, while we all had to stay at home. It is a good starting point because in most cases it would have been cleaned more regularly than other parts of the property. However, end of tenancy cleaning will entail a lot more.
- Cleaning, wiping and disinfecting the windows, doors, light fittings, skirting boards, mirrors and pictures.
- Wiping clean all furniture that was in the property when the tenants moved in.
- Cleaning inside and out any cupboards or storage facilities.
- Fully vacuuming under the furniture or mopping and sanitising if hard flooring is present.
Hallway and Stairs
The passage area and stairs could be left for later in the end of tenancy cleaning process. Those spaces are not too time-consuming.
- Vacuuming or mopping the stairs and hallway.
- Cleaning skirting boards and light fittings.
- Wiping clean any mirrors or pictures.
Bedrooms
Bedrooms shouldn’t be much of a challenge for an experienced end of tenancy cleaning team. The tasks mostly include:
- Cleaning the windows, doors, light fittings, skirting boards, mirrors and pictures.
- Wiping clean inside and out all furniture, for example, beds, wardrobes, chests of drawers.
- Full vacuuming under the furniture or mopping and sanitising.
It is a great idea to ask if mattress and carpet cleaning are included in the end of tenancy cleaning package. Many companies would offer them as extra services, but it is worth checking and also taking advantage, even if you have to pay a little bit more.
Bathroom
Moving on to the much tougher areas, we are now going to outline the cleaning tasks for the bathroom, toilet and shower rooms.
- Cleaning and sanitising the tiles, windows, doors, mirrors, light fittings, bath, shower screen and toilet.
- Wiping clean inside and out all bathroom cupboards and fixtures.
- Dusting the skirting and removing any marks.
- Mopping and sanitising the floor.
Kitchen
The kitchen is also an area that requires a lot more attention during the end of tenancy cleaning than other parts of the property. The checklist below may vary with different companies and some tasks may come as extra services.
- Washing, polishing and disinfecting all work surfaces.
- Cleaning the tiles, light fittings, cupboards (inside and out).
- Cleaning the appliances, such as the dishwasher, washing machine, microwave.
- Defrosting and cleaning the fridge and freezer.
- Cleaning and disinfecting the sink and taps.
- Removing limescale and polishing where required.
- Scrubbing the doors.
- Cleaning the oven externally and internally and removing all built up grease.
- Washing and sanitising the bins.
- Cleaning, vacuuming and mopping the floor.
Depending on the size and type of the property, there may be additional areas to be covered during the end of tenancy cleaning. That’s why before you book it is always worth asking for a custom quote and the company’s own checklist. This way there will be no unpleasant surprises in the end.