Your Ultimate End of Lease Apartment Cleaning Checklist

When you have reached the end of your lease, or you have decided to move out of a rental apartment, there are a few things that you need to take care of before you can close that door behind you. Cleaning up is one of them, if not the most important thing on that list.

Cleaning the apartment is one of the things you need to do to make sure that you get your full rental deposit back. This is not just your average spring cleaning. The place needs to be spotless as if no one ever lived there. If the real estate agent or owner of the apartment has to get someone in to do it, they will deduct it from your rental deposit and nobody wants that.

Check out this checklist designed to help you avoid that sort of a situation.

1. Bedrooms and living rooms

The most obvious thing would be to take care of dust and dirt. Dust is something that can be easily overlooked, but it’s something that will definitely be checked for upon final inspection. The best way to tackle this is to wipe rooms from top to bottom.

Things like light fittings and lampshades might be a little difficult but try to clean them thoroughly. Wipe accumulated dust and dirt from the top of doors, picture frames and skirting boards.

Remove cobwebs from ceilings and corners, and dust surfaces within your reach. Don’t forget about wardrobes, shelving and cupboards. Properly vacuum and dust both sides of curtains and blinds. Mirrors, pictures and other wall hangings will need to be wiped and/or polished. Get a ladder or step stool for places you can’t reach.

2. Carpets and upholstery

Regular dirt, dust and hair build up in carpets. Deep cleaning the carpet will restore its texture and colour. Furniture upholstery absorbs dirt and body oils, so a nice deep clean will restore their colour and vibrancy as well. Remember to test out the product you’re using in a small spot where it won’t be noticeable to make sure that it doesn’t spoil the carpet in any way before continuing with the whole thing.

This part can be done with a high-performance vacuum. Using a steam vacuum cleaner will mean that you can use it on a variety of things aside from just the carpets and upholstery. If you don’t already have one, this guide to buying a steam vacuum will take a lot of the guesswork out of it. Remember that you will also be able to use it for mattresses, curtains and rugs too.

Once you have given your carpts and upholstery the cleaning they need, leave the doors and windows open to allow air to move through to speed up the drying process.

3. Bathrooms

Dirt and mildew are most visible and unsightly in bathrooms. Toilets, showers, tiles and baths require a good cleaning. Make sure to clean basins, taps and fittings and remove hard water stains and limescale. Soap dispensers require a good scrub and rinse as well. Try to get the bathroom as sparkling as new as possible.

4. Kitchens

Kitchens are probably the most used room in the home, and that is why it is so much effort to clean it properly. Grease build up can range from mild to severe depending on how frequently the kitchen is used. Cupboard doors will require a wipe down.

Make sure that shelves are clear from dust and grease build up, including the door handles. The sink and faucets must be shiny as well, and any food stains have to be removed from appliances.

The hardest kitchen task has to be cleaning the oven. Ovens and microwaves tend to build up lots of dirt and grime.  Clean your oven by adding bicarbonate of soda to the water in a spray bottle. Spray the solution on the inside of your oven. Wipe the oven clean after leaving it overnight.

There are many smaller tasks that you’ll also have to remember to do in order to get your full deposit back. For example, empty the bins and do not leave any rubbish inside.

Keep this list on hand so that you don’t miss anything. Remember to check the rental agreement and see what exactly is expected of you upon vacating the premises in order to receive the full rental deposit back.