Moving house is sometimes both stressful and exciting. To help you focus on the good things in your new home and alleviate the tension from moving, take a look at our article about how to do end of tenancy cleaning on your own in a way to secure your deposit. 

Essential Cleaning Tasks 

First you need to make sure that you have read your housing contract carefully. It will stipulate in what condition the unit has to be left when you move out.

If you have caused any damage during the tenancy, you have to make sure you fix it or replace it before you vacate the unit. If you do not, your landlord keeps the right to organise for the issue to be fixed and then send you the bill. Usually, the landlord will propose that this sum of money is deducted from your security deposit. 

Doing The End of Tenancy Cleaning Yourself

It is advisable to get your end of tenancy clean done early to ensure that you get the rental unit well cleaned before the final inspection. Doing so, you stand a much better chance of obtaining your security deposit. 

You can either book a professional end of tenancy cleaning company or do it on your own. Not only is it cost effective to do it yourself but you have peace of mind that every room and area has been cleaned to a high standard.

The chores that you perform should be based on your checklist. Basically, to pass your final inspection you should perform the following tasks: 

The Kitchen 

Before you move out, remove everything from the shelves, drawers and cupboards, getting rid of any stains and crumbs. Then, pull out the appliances and make sure to wipe behind and beneath them.

It is of great importance to make sure that you clean your dishwasher and washing machine, too. 

Clean the fridge inside and out, making sure to remove all racks, cabinet shelves and trays. Soak them in a soapy water and then dry and put them back inside the fridge. When you move out, turn it off at the wall and leave the doors open in order to prevent mould. 

Whether your oven has dust, grease, deposits of grime or burnt food leftovers, you have to deep clean it to obtain your deposit. The cooking appliance is usually the first thing checked during the final inspection.

If you do not believe in your oven cleaning skills, you may want to opt to book a professional oven cleaning service. This will save you money, time and efforts as oven cleaning is not an easy job.

The Living Room

The two main things you need to take care of in your living room are the dusting and carpets. Make sure to give your carpets a thorough vacuum. If there are stains you cannot remove, you may have to consider booking a professional end of tenancy cleaning service or renting a vacuum cleaner.

Then, dust the shelves, cupboards, cabinets, coffee table and TV stands, and give them a good polish.

The Bathroom 

Make sure to wipe everything in your bathroom to get rid of any stains, including the bath, toilets, sink, tiles and mirrors. Next, check drains and plug holes to make sure they are clear and water flows easily. If not, drain cleaner can do the trick. 

Check the taps, drain grates and shower head for lime scale and mould. There are a lot of products that can help you clean them. You can also use a fresh lemon and white vinegar to break down all those particles that cause the chalky residue.

Another Tasks You May Have to Consider 

Windows: Make sure to clean the windows inside and out. If you cannot reach the outside, book a professional window cleaning service.

Walls: Check the walls and skirting boards for scuff marks. If you cannot wash them off, paint over them. If there are too many marks, you may have to paint the entire wall.

Furniture: Vacuum and wash the furniture to make sure that no stains, odours or hair remain.

Curtains: Check the labels on curtains so that you know how to take care of them. Dust the fabric roller blinds and curtain rods. If the blinds are damaged, you need to repair or replace them.

Staircase and Hallways: As hallways and staircases get a lot of traffic, make sure to clean them well.

The Garden: Just like the unit, the garden also needs to be well taken care of before you leave. Sweep up leaves, mow the lawn and maintain the flower beds if necessary. 

Meeting all of those cleaning demands will put you in a lot better position to obtain your deposit. Remember that in case cleaning is not your strongest suit, you can always turn to a professional end of tenancy cleaning company.