An End Of Lease Cleaning Checklist

Professional end-of-lease cleans aren’t cheap, and sometimes, budget restraints mean we have to get down and dirty and do the work ourselves. If you’re preparing to move to a new house, and you want the best chance of getting your bond back, you need to get the clean right. The following checklist will help you ensure everything is covered.

Preparing for the clean

There’s a lot of work involved in a bond clean and it will likely take you a full day or two to clean your home – so be prepared. Ensure all furniture and other goods are removed completely before you start cleaning – it will make things a lot easier and will save you having to redo the space. You’ll be surprised at how much dust has settled under your fridge, so better to clean once it’s gone.

Have all your cleaning supplies on hand, including the following:

• Gloves
• Broom
• Dustpan
• Duster
• Bucket
• Mop
• Cleaning chemicals
• Oven cleaner
• Sponges
• Paper towels
• Window cleaners
• Newspaper and towels
• Ladder / step ladder
• Rubbish bags and bins

Once you have these ready, start inside the home.

Inside the home

Inside the home, it’s much easier if you have direction with your cleaning. Start from left to right, front to back, top to bottom. Stick with one room and work on a single space at a time, then move around the room once that particular section has been cleaned. Don’t try to do too much at once.

Start with a dry clean. Dust, vacuum, and sweep. You want to get rid of all the little bits of dirt before you start adding water and chemicals to the mix. Check for cobwebs as well.

Now it’s time to get stuck into it.

In Every Room

• Start with the cupboards and shelving.
• Then move onto the windows, fly screens, and doors.
• Wipe down windows and tracks, ledges, skirting boards, and door frames.
• Clean your blinds and ceiling fans.
• Check the lights are all working and clean the fittings, switches, globes, and covers.
• Last, of all, do your floors to ensure you get rid of any mess you’ve made. Remove all scuff marks, steam clean your carpets, mop your tile or wood floorboards.

In the kitchen

• Start with the racks and grills in the oven. You may need to prep in advance to leave the cleaning solution in the oven overnight.
• Wash filters and the rangehood and remove any stains on the stove.
• With the dishwasher, clean the door, filter, rubbers; and make sure you remove any food or debris from inside the system. Do the same with your sinks and taps.
• Wipe down all your benches and surface areas.

Bathroom & laundry

• Clean all your mirrors and shower screens using a glass cleaner.
• Wipe down the basins and drains.
• Scrub your toilets and clean under the seat and outside the bowl.
• Clean your showerheads.
• Remove any mould from your tiles, walls, ceiling.
• Wipe towel rails, fans, and paper holders.

Outside the home

Take care of the gardens

Most real estate will request that the garden is left in the same, or better, condition than when you moved in. Trim the edges of your garden, get rid of any weeds and fallen branches or palm fronds, and mow the lawn.

Clean common spaces

If you have a verandah or patio, you need to give it the same amount of care as inside the home. Mop or sweep, and pressure wash cement floors – you should do this for your driveway as well. Dust and remove cobwebs from windows and eaves, clean the pool and pool filter, and check the lighting is all in working condition.

Make sure all rubbish is removed

All it takes is one extra piece of rubbish in the yard or bin, and you risk the real estate refusing to give your bond back. So once you have completed your clean, make sure you get rid of everything that wasn’t there when you moved in – use a rubbish removal company if you need to, just make sure it's spotless. Wash out the bins as well. You generally need to leave these empty.

Don’t forget your pets!

They create a mess, so make sure you clean it all up – from getting rid of hair and dander to ensure you pick up all toys, clean dog kennels if they belong on-site, and get pest control for flea control.

Done and dusted

Once you’re done, get in touch with the real estate and they’ll come and check the property to make sure it meets standards. Follow the above advice and you’ll have more chance of approval and bond return.

Tell us your story

Would you like to write for nichemarket just like Luke has? Find out how to submit a guest post, and when you're ready, you can contact us.

Are you looking to promote your business?

South African cleaning businesses can create your free business listing on nichemarket. The more information you provide about your business, the easier it will be for your customers to find you online. 

Registering with nichemarket is easy; all you will need to do is head over to our sign up form and follow the instructions. If you require a more detailed guide on how to create your profile or your listing, then we highly recommend you check out the following articles.

• How to create a nichemarketer profile
• How to create a nichemarket business listing

Recommended reading

If you enjoyed this post and have time to spare, why not check out these related posts and dive deeper down the rabbit hole that is cleaning.

• The Ultimate Guide To Cleaning Your House With Baby Wipes
• Spring Cleaning Made Easy As 1,2,3,4
• How To Clean Plastic Outdoor Furniture
• How to Clean Baby Toys
• How to Take Proper Care of Your Home

Tags: Cleaning, Rental Property , Guest Post