End of Tenancy Cleaning: Ultimate Checklist for Tenants in 2024. Most tenancy agreements require the tenant to clean the home or property before vacating. If not, the landlord can deduct a cleaning fee from the deposit. The problem is most tenants need to learn how to perform end-of-tenancy cleaning.
More than dusting a few surfaces or mopping the floor will be required. It is necessary to be more thorough than that. The checklist below can help you with this.
End-Of-Tenancy Cleaning Checklist
Bedroom Cleaning:
Any landlord or prospective tenant will check the bedroom thoroughly. You can stick to the detailed checklist below to pass any inspection.
- Remove cobwebs from every corner and ceiling
- Eliminating dust from storage spaces
- Vacuuming floor, curtains, blinds
- Cleaning any decorative items with the damp microfiber cloth
- Eliminating any stubborn stains or marks on the walls
- Mopping the floor clean
- Dusting the light fixtures
- Cleaning the bed frame
This checklist aims to clean every feature in the bedroom thoroughly. Most landlords will scrutinize the bedrooms to determine the extent of hygiene.
That is why always start with bedroom cleaning first and ensure you put a lot of effort into it.
Bathroom Cleaning:
Unclean bathrooms are fertile ground for mildew and mold, especially in humid climates. Bathroom cleaning should include the following:
- Cleaning of plumbing fixtures and taps
- Eliminating hard water stains
- Scrubbing any solid surfaces, including toilet and bidet
- Polishing the mirrors
- Unclogging the drains
- Cleaning the fans (if any)
- Mopping the floor and wall tiles clean
The main problem in bathrooms is the water stains and limescale deposits. Take care of those, and your landlord shouldn’t have a problem.
Kitchen Cleaning:
Cleaning kitchens is a tricky part. During the end of tenancy cleaning, you’re likely to spend 40% of your time in the kitchen. Please stick to the checklist below to clean the kitchen thoroughly.
- Start by scrubbing the countertops, sink area, and worktops clean
- Empty and thoroughly clean storage spaces
- Ensure no leftover food residue is present in the kitchen
- Grime or oil deposition is a strict no. Take care of grease, if any.
- Externally clean appliances like a fridge, freezer, dishwasher, stove, and microwave.
- Ensure cutlery remains in its designated space
- Thoroughly clean the window sills and door frame to prevent mold and mildew growth.
- After disconnecting the electricity supply, clean the switchboards and plugs.
- Lastly, vacuum the kitchen floor, mop, and polish it
The kitchen areas exposed to water consistently would have developed lime scale deposits and possible hard water stains. Please take a look at the bathroom checklist above and remove the stains.
Furniture Cleaning:
It determines the rent that a property can garner. Whether the landlord inspects the property or hires an agent, they will likely check the furniture thoroughly. Please follow the checklist below to ensure that the table is immaculate.
- Focus on worktops, countertops, and tables. Wipe them clean and if needed, polish them.
- Clean smudges and fingerprint marks from all types of furniture surfaces.
- Check the furniture for oil, food, or grime stains and eliminate them using a microfiber cloth.
- Dust the cushions and sofa.
- Vacuum the furniture, sofa, and floor beneath them.
- If there are any wooden units, ensure that you clean and polish them if needed.
Cleaning the furniture is a double-edged sword. You can use cleaning supplies that are conducive to the furniture material.
Carpet Cleaning:
Using a carpet is gaining popularity in Singapore. Cleaning carpets require a different procedure.
- Vacuum the carpet around the edges and on top of it.
- Move the furniture on the carpet(if any) and vacuum the area underneath.
- If the carpet is filthy, opt for steam cleaning.
- When dealing with a rug, find out if it’s machine washable. Skip all the other steps and wash it in the device if it is machine washable.
- It might so happen that the carpet washing machine might not be at your disposal. In that case, hand washing the carpet might be a good idea.
While cleaning carpets, consider the following things.
- Take into account the material of the carpet before determining the cleaning method.
- In a humid country like Singapore, drying takes a long time. Clean it in advance.
- If you aren’t sure about the cleaning methods, hiring professionals for carpet cleaning is best.
Remove stains on carpet damage are easily visible. So, you’ll need more than enough time to clean the carpets before handing over the keys.
Appliance Cleaning:
Any home these days has numerous appliances. It is best to clean them using the checklist below.
- Before cleaning the appliance, go through its manual online to avoid damage.
- Always disconnect the appliance before cleaning them.
- Clean the exterior to remove any dirt, contaminants, and stains.
- The inner cavities should be devoid of food or detergent residue.
- Inspect the appliances for any damage and try to repair them.
- Appliances consist of various seals, including rubber ones. If they are damaged, replace them as they do not cost much.
- Almost every appliance has been handled. Clean those handles to ensure that usability is not affected.
Most appliances cannot handle exposure to water. You can use a microfiber cloth and apply the cleansing solution on the fabric instead of on the device. Even after that, the liquid shouldn’t go anywhere near the appliance’s circuitry or control panel.
Miscellaneous Cleaning:
Every home and its contents are different. Therefore, follow a few miscellaneous cleaning steps below.
- Tiles are waterproof but susceptible to smudges and stains. If tiles are present in any other part of the home, clean them.
- Dispose of the garbage, if any.
- The trash bins should be clean.
- Any extractors or fans should be cleaned and free of grease.
- Clean any exterior spaces.
- Lastly, the outer home door should be clean. That’s the first thing the landlord will view on inspection.
Since every home’s layout can be different, you might have to improvise a bit.
End of Tenancy Cleaning: Ultimate Checklist for Tenants in 2024 – Conclusion
Isn’t there a lot of stuff to clean? You bet! However, use the list above, and you wouldn’t have to worry about a deduction from the deposit. Your landlord will be impressed with the cleaning and will shy away from providing a positive recommendation in the future.
Is this a lot of work? If so, hire an agency for end-of-tenancy cleaning to perform the above checklist! Feel free to contact us today if you require any end-of-tenancy cleaning services!