In my last place, I had a ~pesky~ property manager and I was SO worried about losing my deposit. Even though I didn't *technically* have to deep clean my house before I moved (legally), I knew it was a good idea to make it easier to get my full deposit back, and that I should follow an end of lease cleaning checklist to cover my behind with my property manager.
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Before we get into my end of lease cleaning checklist, here are my top tips for cleaning to make sure you get your deposit back!
Dust can accumulate between when you move in and when your tenancy officially ends and you shouldn't be responsible for that.
This will help provide evidence should there be any disputes (which, usually the deposit holding company would mediate in the first instance).
It's a lot of work, but it'll make it easier to get your deposit back.
If they say it needs to be professionally cleaned (and you don't live in the UK, where they can no longer require you to pay for it), DON'T TRY TO CLEAN IT YOURSELF INSTEAD. Just pay someone to do it and make sure you get a proper invoice from them as proof. Seriously, you're asking for a fight with your landlord over your deposit if you try to do it on your own. You want to remove as many roadblocks as possible to getting your full deposit back.
Make sure you pick up any loose hairs or anything that might've accumulated as you're walking through the final time. (Literally, in my friend's building, the property managers tried not to give someone's deposit back because there was a piece of hair on the floor so they said it wasn't cleaned).
For day to day cleaning, I was using a lot of natural products, but bought the good stuff for my final clean. Just make sure you ventilate the area (I definitely almost passed out trying to clean my tiny bathroom with mould cleaner oops!). Here are my top cleaning product recommendations:
Now, on to the end of lease cleaning checklist, which I've organised by room for convenience.
π² Hoover floor, including behind all furniture, skirting, etc.
π² Scrub floor, including behind all furniture, skirting, etc.
π² Hoover floor again
π² Wipe any interior doors
π² Clean the glass on the inside of all of your windows
π² Clean all window pulls
π² Clean the edges / trim on all of your windows
π² Clean any window shades / blinds / other window treatments
π² Wipe any bulbs or light fixtures
π² Wipe all outlets
π² Clean all radiators
π² Wipe any railings
π² Wipe end tables (top, sides, and legs)
π² Wipe coffee tables (top, sides, and legs)
π² Wipe any additional living room furniture (top, sides, and legs)
π² Hoover soft surfaces
π² Wash cushion covers where possible
π² Wipe the outside (top, doors, side) of the fridge / freezer
π² Wipe the inside (top, doors, side) of the fridge / freezer
π² Wipe the outside of drawers
π² Wipe the inside of drawers
π² Wipe the outside of cabinets
π² Wipe the inside of cabinets
π² Wipe kitchen walls
π² Wipe countertops
π² Wipe cooktop
π² Wipe backsplash
π² Wipe extractor fan
π² Clean outside of oven
π² Clean inside of oven and racks
π² Clean kitchen sink
π² Clean kitchen tap
π² Clean the outside of the microwave (top, sides, front, and buttons)
π² Clean the inside of the microwave
π² Clean the plate inside of the microwave
π² Wipe the outside of the washing machine
π² Wipe the inside of the washing machine and door
π² Wipe the soap tray in the washing machine
π² Wipe table (top and legs)
π² Wipe chairs (seat, top, and legs)
π² Wash cushion covers where possible
π² Clean the top of your chest of drawers
π² Clean the outside of all dresser drawers (including drawer pulls)
π² Clean the sides of your chest of drawers
π² Clean the inside of drawers in chest of drawers
π² Clean the outside of drawers and sides of nightstand
π² Clean the top of nightstand
π² Clean the inside of nightstand drawers
π² Wipe any bulbs or light fixtures
π² Wipe all surfaces of bed
π² Make sure mattress is clean (remove loose hairs or anything)
π² Move the bed and wipe any further dust that has accumulated
π² Wipe desk and additional chairs (if present)
π² Clean any exposed pipes in bathroom
π² Clean bathroom sink
π² Clean bathroom tap
π² Clean outside of bathroom cabinets
π² Clean inside of bathroom cabinets
π² Clean exterior of toilet (including under bowl)
π² Clean interior of toilet
π² Clean inside of shower door
π² Clean outside of shower door
π² Clean trim on shower door
π² Clean shower tiles
π² Clean floor of shower
π² Clean shower drain
π² Clean any built-in soap dishes
π² Clean entire shower head
π² Clean shower cord if shower head is detachable
π² Clean shower unit (if applicable)
π² Clean outside of medicine cabinet
π² Clean inside of medicine cabinet
π² Clean top of medicine cabinet
π² Clean the bathroom backsplash
π² Clean extractor fan
π² Wipe inside of front door
π² Wipe intercom
Okay, so that's the full end of lease cleaning checklist I used when I moved out of my last place! Let me know below if you used it and found it helpful.
For more flat moving tips, check out this article on mistakes people make moving house in London and this article on what you should buy for your first flat in London.
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