End of tenancy cleaning starts with the report, not the sponge
Pull out the property inspection report from the day you moved in. Tenancy Services recommends that landlord and tenant both sign, date and keep a copy, and a tenant can't be blamed for damage that was recorded at the start.
Reasonably clean and tidy means the place as it was handed to you, allowing for ordinary use. It isn't a brand new home, so clean to the report and stop there.
Save time on the end of tenancy clean: work in this order
Empty it
Every belonging out, food out of the fridge and pantry, and anything you stored in the garage, shed or under the house.
Get the rubbish gone
Off the property, not just into the bin. Tenancy Services lists removing rubbish alongside leaving the place clean.
Work from the top down
Light fittings, rangehood and the tops of cupboards first, then benches and sills, then the floors last so dust isn't walked back in.
One room at a time
Finish a room, check it against the report, close the door. It stops the half-done feeling on the last night.
Keys and the walk-through
Gather every key and security device, then do the final inspection with your landlord or, if you can't, on your own with photos.
End of tenancy cleaning checklist: the kitchen
- Inside and outside every cupboard and drawer, with the shelves wiped.
- Benches, splashback and the sink, including the plughole and tap base.
- Rangehood and its filters, which hold more grease than they look.
- The oven, racks and trays, if it's part of the job.
- The fridge emptied, wiped and left with the door ajar if it's switched off.
Bathroom and laundry checklist for moving out
- Shower glass or curtain, tiles and grout.
- Toilet inside and out, including the base and behind it.
- Basin, vanity and mirror.
- The extractor fan cover, which every rental bathroom now has to have.
- Laundry tub, the lint filter area and behind the machines' spot.
Moving out checklist: bedrooms, living areas and the rest
- Inside wardrobes, including the shelf and the floor.
- Skirting boards, door frames, light switches and power points.
- Windowsills and tracks, and condensation marks under the windows.
- Floors vacuumed, then hard floors mopped.
- Any mould spots near windows or in corners, dealt with early.
Never mix bleach with other cleaners during the move out clean
Never mix bleach with ammonia, acids or other cleaners: it can release chlorine or chloramine fumes. Open windows while you clean, keep products in their own containers, and if someone swallows one, the National Poisons Centre is on 0800 764 766. In an emergency, call 111.
Which end of tenancy jobs to do yourself, and which to hand over
Worth doing yourself
- Emptying the place, the rubbish run and the fridge.
- Wiping cupboards, wardrobes and sills as you pack each room.
- Mould spots as soon as they appear, which Tenancy Services asks tenants to do through the tenancy.
- The photos at the end.
Where a cleaning business earns its keep
- An oven that hasn't been cleaned in years.
- Shower glass with hard water marks.
- A whole house in one visit when you're also moving.
- Carpets, if they need a steam clean to come up to the standard.
If it were our move: our end of tenancy cleaning advice
Clean against the inspection report rather than against your worry. Do the rubbish and the fridge first, because those are what get noticed, then go room by room and photograph each one as you close the door. If the oven or the shower glass would take you a whole evening, those are the two jobs worth handing over.