The end of your lease is coming up, and you’re getting ready to move on to a new place. There’s a lot to get done, with packing all your belongings into boxes and signing your new lease, meaning that cleaning can easily be forgotten.
This end of lease cleaning checklist will guide you through focus areas, efficient cleaning tips and the ultimate check off list of all of the cleaning tasks.
Why do you need to clean before your end of lease?
Cleaning before your lease may seem like a redundant activity, but there is a very good reason to give your house or apartment a good scrub. When you first signed your lease, there was most likely a bond you would’ve had to pay, and a bond agreement stating that you would not receive this deposit back in cases of property damage.
Making sure the property is clean, tidy and free of any damage means that you will receive your bond money back. Essentially, at the end of your lease, the property should be returned to the same condition it was in when you first moved in. This ensures you will maximise your bond refund!
Cleaning preparation
The preparation for your end of lease cleaning is quite simple:
- Make sure your belongings, furniture and any items that did not come with the property are removed for ease of movement
- Dispose of any waste leftover from the moving process, general household rubbish and items you do not wish to move to your new property
- Purchase all cleaning supplies necessary for a floor to ceiling clean-up
- Organise any hire or pick up services in advance- this can include removalist services, cleaning hire services and rubbish removal services
- Have a cleaning checklist written up
- Wear clothes you don’t mind getting dirty
Disposing of your waste
After removing all of your own belongings, furniture and personal items, there is most likely going to be a lot of leftover waste and rubbish. This includes leftover packing waste, general household rubbish and items that you no longer wish to keep or don’t fit in your new home. There is a legal requirement as a tenant or renter to remove all waste and rubbish, as well as clean the property you’re moving out of!
Disposing of this waste can be a frustrating task, and it has to be done before cleaning can take place. If it doesn’t fit into your regular bins, it can be even more challenging.
There are a couple of options, including council clean up, hiring a rubbish removal service or even taking it to the tip yourself. For furniture, white goods and large amounts of rubbish, a rubbish removal service may be your best option, as it is the most quick and efficient.
At 1300 Rubbish, we specialise in end of lease waste removal and disposal. Whether you need mattresses, dishwashers or old, broken furniture disposed of, our professional team is equipped to deal with any amount of waste.
And if you have accumulated more waste after finishing your end of lease cleaning, such as garden waste or household waste, we’re happy to return and finish the job!
Cleaning supplies
It is important to have all the necessary supplies ready at your disposal to use on each area of the house. Here are the essential cleaning supplies you will need:
- Mop and bucket
- Vacuum
- Broom
- Old rags and dishcloths (an old toothbrush may also be helpful!)
- Window, wood, fridge and household cleaner
- Oven cleaner and dishwashing liquid
- Disinfectant and sanitiser (this can include bleach, vinegar and even methylated spirits)
- Toilet, shower and drain cleaner
- Toilet brush
- Duster
- Wall putty and paint
If your property also has an outdoor area or backyard, it is also a good idea to borrow or hire a lawnmower, whipper-snipper/edger and leaf blower for a proper tidy up. We also recommend a good music speaker to help the day go by quickly!
End of Lease Cleaning Checklist
An end of lease cleaning checklist is only helpful if you have the right supplies and mindset.
While moving and starting a new chapter in your life is exciting, the moving and cleaning process can be overwhelming and frustrating. Making sure you are organised is key to staying on top of everything that needs to be done.
Here is our ultimate end of lease cleaning checklist that you can use and tick off each task as you complete it:
Entryway
- Wipe marks off skirting boards, walls and other fixtures
- Wipe clean the front door
- Sweep the outside front entryway/porch area
Kitchen
- Clean inside and outside cabinets, drawers and doors
- Clean oven, stove-top and range hood, including any removable filters
- Clean out the sink, including disinfecting or clearing the drain
- Wipe down all kitchen surface areas with damp cloth and sanitiser
- Clean inside of dishwasher, including clearing the drain
Bathroom
- Descale and clean shower screen and tiles, including cleaning small crevices and grout
- Clean exhaust fans, if accessible
- Scrub the toilet inside and out
- Wipe down mirrors and surface areas with disinfectant, including towel rails and taps
- Clean bathroom sinks and bathtub
Bedrooms, dining and living rooms
- Spot clean the walls
- If there are any nail holes or paint scratches, make sure to fill them in with wall putty
- Paint over any filled in holes or paint flakes
- Dust and clean any ceiling fans or air vents
- Clean any doors, wardrobes and existing cabinets
Laundry and white goods
- Clean sink and existing cupboards
- Wipe down any existing white goods, including washer and dryer
- Clean out inside of washing machine and dryer, including removable filters
Outdoors
- Mow and edge the lawn
- Sweep away any dead leaves
- Clear pathways and tidy up any dead plants
- Remove weeds
- Clean any sliding doors and sliding door tracks
- Remove any animal mess left behind
Overall household
- Vacuuming carpeted and wooden flooring
- Mop floors, including disinfecting bathroom and kitchen flooring
- Wipe down all window sills
- Clean windows inside and out
- Remove dust from all surfaces, including cobwebs
- Clean and dust lighting and light switches
- Remove all rubbish, including food waste, green waste and waste generated from cleaning
Optional
- Hiring a professional cleaning service
- Carpet steam cleaning
- Clean and wipe down the garage
- Remove cobwebs and dust from outdoor areas
Tips for efficient cleaning
When cleaning such a big area, it’s always a good idea to set out a plan on how you’re going to tackle each task. Of course, enlisting the help of family and friends is a great option especially if you have to clean a big space. These top tips will make the cleaning process easier to take on:
Clean room by room
Mapping out what area you will clean first can be very daunting- it can seem like it will take forever! Usually it is best to clean room by room, no matter the size of the house or property.
Begin at the front door and work your way through the house, so you don’t have to move through spaces in your dirty clothes that have already been cleaned.
Dry then wet
Of course, using logic when it comes to cleaning is of the utmost importance. Before starting in a new room, organise your tasks by whether they are ‘dry’ or ‘wet’.
A dry task includes dusting, clearing and tidying, while a wet task could include mopping, damp wipe-downs and disinfecting. This will ensure your workflow is not disrupted by waiting for surface areas to dry (and of course, getting rid of dust and dirt before using water is logical!).
Do a walkthrough of the house
After finishing all cleaning tasks, it’s a great idea to do a complete walkthrough of the house to check for any spots you might have missed.
Similar to how you began the cleaning process, start at the front door and move through each room in order, checking corners and crevices for any dust or spots. This is also a great way to see your property through fresh eyes after the long cleaning process.
While hiring a professional cleaning service may seem like a much simpler way to get all of your tasks done, it can be costly. In addition, no one knows your home better than you do- you know where the hidden oil stains and scuff marks are.
Having an end of lease cleaning checklist is a great way to organise and keep your workflow efficient. Our advice? Make sure all of your preparation is sorted out before getting stuck in! Dispose of your household, white goods and end of lease waste quickly and efficiently with 1300 Rubbish. Fill out an enquiry form for a free quote today.
