Minimum standards

It is to your advantage to do a thorough end-of-tenancy clean, to ensure the property is returned as you received it and meet all the responsibilities in your tenancy agreement. Ensure that any damage caused by you or a visitor to your home is repaired or replaced. Allow yourself enough time and energy to do the final clean.

The cheapest option is to do the cleaning and redecoration yourself and is a good way to save some moving expenses... but, it must be to the required standard.

You will need to clean as a minimum the following items:

Kitchen – Empty all the cupboards and shelves. Remove all crumbs and deposits, clean inside and out and wipe thoroughly with a dry cloth. Do your best to clean around appliances and wash the floors beneath them and the walls behind them. Make sure any appliances supplied are clean, including the washing machine soap tray (can be cleaned with steam cleaner) and the dishwasher filter (use warm, soapy water). The back of most appliances is usually dirty – make sure to wipe them with a dry cloth. After you have cleaned the fridge, if it is empty switch it off at the mains and leave the door open to prevent mould. Make sure to pull out all fridge shelves, cabinets and racks. Give them a good clean, including the groves where they slide in the fridge. Repeat this for each appliance with similar features. Properly clean and degrease on top of kitchen cabinets.

Oven and hob – If not cleaned often, the oven builds up thick layers of grime, burnt food deposits, grease and household dust and makes for a big cleaning job that requires the most time, effort and harsh cleaning agents out of all other cleaning jobs.  You must also clean the hob, burners, racks, baking trays, handles, extractor hoods, switches and all other surfaces. This can take a considerable time.

Here’s how to clean your oven and hob: 

• Begin With The Shelves: Your oven interior must be completely cool. Wear rubber gloves to make sure and remove the shelves. Set the shelves aside in a sealable plastic bag and clean the other parts of the oven.  

• Work On The Cavity: Use a newspaper to cover the oven floor. Scrape off burnt-on food, avoiding scraping the heating elements. Oven cleaning kits are available online, in supermarkets and home improvement stores. Use an old toothbrush to reach difficult-to-reach areas. You can use baking soda mixed with a little water as an alternative to chemical oven cleaners. 

• Clean The Oven Door: Take out the removable door and then soak it in hot soapy water. Use a soft cloth to rub the glass door.

• Clean The Hob: Remove the rings and burners, and wash them in hot, soapy water.

• Clean the extractor fan/hood: these become greasy, so wipe thoroughly and clean any filters.

Living room – If provided, you need to clean the coffee table and all cupboards, cabinets, bookshelves and TV set. This room is mostly about dusting extensively and vacuuming everything. 

Bathroom – Properly clean/scrub everything in the bathroom including the tiles, sink, bath, toilet, mirror and other accessories. Ensure the drains and plug holes are clear from debris and make sure the water runs away quickly. Remove mould, soap scum and limescale buildup from all metallic surfaces like the faucets, the shower, the drain grates. If the shower head has some of its holes plugged from limescale buildup, you will have to clean it. Detach the shower head and submerge it in white vinegar overnight. The day after, it should be cleared and working properly again.

Walls/Skirting/Paintwork – You should look for any scuffs or dirty marks on the walls. If it is not possible to wash them off, try lightly using a cleaning eraser to remove the marks. If neccessary, you can paint them over with some emulsion of the exact same colour - a "near match" is not good enough, and would require the full room repaint at your expense. If you hanged a tv, any pictures or decorations on the walls and caused marks or holes, you must properly repair these - fill holes with wall filler putty and paint over with the correct matching paint. If there is any mould, do not paint over it - remove it using the proper cleaning supplies. Skirting and paintwork must be wiped down, removing dust and any pet smells.

Windows – Clean all the windows from the inside. If you can’t reach the outside yourself,  then arrange for a window cleaner to call. If there are any cracked panes arrange for them to be replaced unless they appear on the check-in inventory. 

Furniture – Any provided upholstery needs to look pristine – no smells, no hair, no bad odour. This is especially true if you live with small children, pets or smoke cigarettes. Alternatively, you can hire a steam cleaning service to wash all your upholstery items. For the wooden upholstery, check for scuff marks and scratches.

Curtains/blinds – If the curtains are washable then follow washing instructions or take them to the dry cleaner and dust the curtain poles. Do the same with any fabric blinds in the property. Thoroughly dust both sides of the slats of venetian blinds. Repair any damage or replace if the blind has become unusable.

Carpets/Rugs/Tiles/Flooring– If you have a steam cleaner, this is a great way of bringing up carpets and rugs to look like new. If not, they are relatively cheap to hire and include various attachments to enable you to clean every part of the property including floors, tiles, windows, walls, and furnishings. The minimum thing you should do is vacuum all carpets and remove any hair, properly wash and clean any tiles or wooden flooring. Remember, if you have pets, there must be no trace of them when you leave - so make sure you remove any pet smells through thorough cleaning.

Staircases and hallways – These are higher traffic areas and may need more cleaning. The carpets and rugs might require steam cleaning to get all the dirt, grime and smells out.

Garden, exterior and bins – If there is a garden shed make sure it is clean and tidy. Hose down any decking and sweep up leaves and other debris from patio areas. Make sure that flowerbeds are in good order and mow the lawns where applicable. Any pet damage must be repaired, and pet mess cleared. Bins should be as empty as possible.

Finally ...

You should consider whether you have the time and energy required to complete the task to the required standard, so that you aren't charged. 

If you are cleaning by yourself, allow enough time to hire equipment, buy the right products and replace/repair items. 

Be thorough, tick things off your list as you go before the final inventory check and handing over the keys.

When should you do end of tenancy cleaning yourself

• You rent a small property or a room of a shared property

• You rent an unfurnished property

• You deep clean at least once every couple of months

• You have a lot of time between moving and handing back the keys

• You’re looking for a cheaper moving experience

• You’re an experienced cleaner

When shouldn’t you do end of tenancy cleaning yourself

• You are allergic to harsh cleaning products, like bleach

• You cannot find enough free time or energy

• You are not a good and thorough cleaner

• You need to use professional equipment you cannot operate yourself