15 End of Tenancy Cleaning Activities to Ensure you Get Your Deposit Back!

End of tenancy cleaning is a big job -- especially if you aren't naturally a clean-freak. Most of us don't feel the need, or even have the opportunity, to do the sort of cleaning required at the end of a tenancy, except when we have taken time off work specifically to move house, and have all the furniture and possessions handily out of the way. Today we're looking at 15 of the most essential and universally applicable end of tenancy cleaning tasks, to ensure that you get your security deposit back.

1. Washing and spot-scrubbing walls: This is the job which will take the most time, and it is well worth having the right tools for it. Buy good quality cloths, and work as a team.
2. Clean the light fittings and shades: These usually only require a dusting, but you'll have to keep your ladder handy.
3. Wash and spot-scrub skirting boards: It can be easier to do this end of tenancy cleaning task separately from the walls.
4. Clean the doors: Including the top edge, the hinged edge and around the handles.
5. Wash curtains: Do this very carefully, on a gentle cycle in cold water, and look for washing instructions on them first. You may need to iron them afterwards.
6. Clean inside the windows
7. Clean outside the windows
8. Check that every last little bit of your possessions are removed from drawers. Ideally, you would also group everything left by a previous tenant that was in drawers together, and advise the rental agent or landlord where this is.
9. Dust and polish the inside of drawers and cupboards.
10. Wash and spot-scrub any furniture which is to be left in the house.
11. Clean the oven: This is nobody's favorite job! Soak any removeable pieces in degreaser in the sink, and buy plenty of steel wool scourers for the oven. Ensure the house is well-ventilated when you complete this task, as most oven cleaners are extremely caustic and will burn your lungs.
12. Take apart and wash the kitchen and bathroom extractor fans: These usually get very dusty, and can also get greasy. Soak if required.
13. Drain the toilets and clean inside the tank as well as the bowl. The tank usually doesn’t collect dirt the way the bowl does. Usehydrochloric acid in the bowl if there are stubborn marks, but use extreme care so you don't wreck the porcelain.
14. Have a carpet cleaning company come through: If you are strapped for cash, you may be able to negotiate someone that will only do the heavy traffic areas and stains, rather than the entire house.
15. Thoroughly clean the showers using lime de-scaler, glass cleaner and disinfectant.
    

It's a lot of work -- if you haven't done it before, you can take my word that it is! Get a quote for end of tenancy cleaning if you'd prefer to save your sanity.