End of Lease Cleaning Checklist: A Guide for a Spotless Rental

End of Lease Cleaning Checklist

An end of lease checklist should be part of your moving house checklist but why not go straight to cleaning and not have to worry about curating an end of lease cleaning checklist? Well, here’s why it’s important to have an end of lease cleaning checklist in NSW:

Fair Trading NSW has stringent rules regarding tenant responsibilities upon moving out. Essentially, tenants are obliged to return the property to its pristine condition at the commencement of the lease agreement.

When saying goodbye to your rental abode, undertaking a thorough cleaning regimen and ensuring its sanitation is paramount, especially if you’re keen on receiving your bond back in its entirety. It’s the initial deposit tendered to the landlord upon lease initiation.

Fair Trading NSW retains custody of this bond until the termination of the tenancy. However, should the property suffer any damages or be left in disarray, property managers reserve the right to utilise a portion of the bond to offset expenses incurred for cleaning or repairs.

A reason why an end of lease clean checklist is of utmost importance—is to keep track of the cleaning process and make sure you get that bond back. Learn here the essential tips and tasks in our end of lease cleaning checklist to ensure you leave your rental in top condition and secure your bond refund.

Planning Your End of Lease House Cleaning

Last-minute cramming for a test tends to backfire, and that can lead to a similar outcome when tackling your entire rental cleanup in one frenzied burst.

If you’re doing it yourself, allocate ample time to the task before you return the keys to the property manager. Make sure you have your bond clean checklist ready.

Securing end of lease cleaning services well in advance is wise if you’re considering hiring professionals. This way, they can whip everything into shape before your lease concludes, sparing you from any eleventh-hour panic. Avoiding that last-minute stress is a game-changer.

Clear Your Home of Belongings

It’s much smoother to tackle the cleanup once all your stuff is packed, and you’ve bid goodbye to the place. You can’t really maximise the use of your house inspection cleaning checklist with all the things around. That’s because most of the mess tends to accumulate during the moving hustle, not so much while you live there.

It’s crucial that we delve into every corner. But with furniture in the mix, it becomes a juggling act. We can’t promise to hit every spot, like that sneaky spot under the couch or the forgotten realms behind the fridge. So, it’s really in everyone’s best interest to move your fridge, transport your TV, or clear out your things before we roll up our sleeves and dive into the cleaning.

Acquire the Appropriate Tools and Materials

An end of lease cleaning checklist is not complete without your trusty assistants. You’re going to need more than just yourself to tackle this job. Here’s a list of essentials to get the ball rolling, along with some optional tools for those hard-to-reach spots if things get tricky:

  • Vacuum
  • Broom
  • Brush and dustpan
  • Mop
  • Duster
  • Gloves
  • Bucket
  • Carpet Steam Cleaner
  • Oven cleaner
  • Oven scraper
  • Preferred cleaning product
  • Sugar Soap
  • Sponges
  • Paper Towels
  • Towels
  • Newspapers
  • Ladder
  • Screwdriver

Tidy Up Each Room Individually

Keeping up with cleaning during your stay in the place will save you some hassle when it’s time to bid farewell. Even if you’ve been diligent with the tidying, there’s still going to be some elbow grease required before you wave goodbye.

To keep things from overwhelming, take it one room at a time. Begin at the back and work your way towards the front door. This way, you won’t overlook any spots and can give each area the attention it deserves.

Continue reading below featuring our end-of-lease checklist for a comprehensive room-by-room guide.

Ensure Thoroughness in Your Cleaning

Diving into the floors and walls is a savvy move, but if you aim to reclaim that bond, you must go the extra mile.

It’s all about those little details, like showing some TLC to your kitchen gadgets and hunting down those sneaky spots that tend to hide the dirt. And let’s not overlook the great outdoors—you’ve got to give that area a good sweep and mop, too.

Dust is the arch-nemesis of a pristine space. Don’t hold back – give those cabinets and baseboards a thorough once-over.

Here’s a handy tip: if you also tackle the outside windows, you might save some cash on professional cleaners. Because, let’s face it, that outdoor job can rack up quite the bill.

end of lease cleaning checklist

End of Lease Cleaning Checklist

Depending on where you are, you might hear folks discussing this as either a ‘bond clean checklist’ or ‘vacate cleaning checklist’. Let’s break it down room by room:

Entry / Hallway End of Lease Cleaning Checklist

Start your end of lease clean checklist by prioritising the entry or hallway of your home; it sets the standard for a pristine farewell.

  • Give those skirting boards a good wipe-down.
  • Dust off the lighting, switches, and fixtures.
  • Vacuum and mop those hard floors.
  • Don’t let any cobwebs linger.
  • Don’t forget to wipe those doors inside and out.

Kitchen End of Lease Cleaning Checklist

After the entry or hallway, focus on the kitchen as the next priority for your house inspection cleaning checklist.

  • Start by cleaning up those cabinets, drawers, and doors inside and out.
  • Give the oven, cooktop, grill, and range hood a thorough scrub.
  • Don’t overlook the dishwasher – inside and out.
  • Make that sink and taps shine, and don’t forget to clear out any gunk from the drain.
  • Vacuum and mop the floor until it gleams.
  • Clean up those internal windows, sills, and tracks.
  • Say goodbye to cobwebs.
  • Dust off the lighting, switches, and fixtures.
  • Wipe down those skirting boards.
  • Give the kitchen benchtops a damp wipe.
  • Make sure to clean off any food or spills from the cooking surfaces.
  • Don’t overlook the range hood or extractor fan – banish those oil marks, clean the filters, and check that light.
  • If any appliances or furniture are provided, ensure they’re cleaned up to their original, sparkling condition.

Bathrooms / Toilets End of Lease Cleaning Checklist

Following the kitchen, turn your attention to the bathroom for thorough cleaning as part of your bond cleaning checklist.

  • Start by giving those floors a good vacuum and mop.
  • Roll up your sleeves and tackle that limescale to get those shower screens and tiles sparkling.
  • Don’t overlook those exhaust fans – they could use a good clean, too.
  • Scrub down those bathroom sinks and tubs until they shine.
  • Make sure that the toilet is spotless inside and out.
  • Wipe down all the mirrors and countertops for that extra sparkle.
  • Clean up those internal windows, sills, and tracks.
  • Hit the skirting boards to banish any lingering dust.
  • Dust off the lighting, switches, and fixtures.
  • Polish up the glass, taps, and showerhead, and bid farewell to any mould in the grout.
  • Mop the floors and make sure the shower area is left dry and gleaming.
  • Sanitise the basin and drain, and wipe down all benchtops, wall tiles, and taps.
  • Don’t forget the finishing touches – wipe down soap holders, towel rails, toilet paper holders, and even the ceiling fan.

Laundry End of Lease Cleaning Checklist

After the bathroom, make sure to tackle the laundry room meticulously as part of your end of lease cleaning list.

  • Vacuum and mop the floor to perfection.
  • Make sure those internal windows, sills, and tracks are sparkling.
  • Wipe down those skirting boards.
  • Dust off the lighting, switches, and fixtures.
  • Spruce up the sink and cupboards.
  • Give those counters a nice wipe-down.

Lounge / Dining Room End of Lease Cleaning Checklist

Following the laundry room, address the lounge/dining room, ensuring it’s spotless as part of your bond clean list.

  • Clean up those internal windows, sills, and tracks.
  • If you have removable air conditioning unit filters, clean those well.
  • Wipe down the skirting boards to make sure every corner sparkles.
  • Dust off the lighting, switches, and fixtures.
  • Bid farewell to any cobwebs hanging around.
  • Vacuum and mop those floors until they shine.
  • Dust and clean the fans for some fresh air.
  • Spot clean any marks on the walls.
  • Don’t forget to pay attention to both sides of the sliding doors.

Bedrooms End of Lease Cleaning Checklist

Once the lounge/dining room is done, shift your focus to the bedrooms, ensuring they are cleaned thoroughly as part of your exit clean checklist.

  • Vacuum those carpets to give them a fresh look.
  • Wipe down the skirting boards for a polished finish.
  • Dust off the lighting, switches, and fixtures.
  • Remove any cobwebs lurking in the corners.
  • Clean up those internal windows, sills, and tracks.
  • Spot clean any marks on the walls.
  • Dust and clean the fans for a breath of fresh air.
  • Don’t overlook the insides of cupboards and built-in wardrobes – they need some love, too.

Other Areas End of Lease Cleaning Checklist

After completing the bedrooms, attend to any other areas that require cleaning, ensuring a comprehensive vacate clean checklist is fulfilled.

  • In the garage, give it a good vacuum or sweep, and don’t neglect dusting off the lights and power points.
  • Sweep the front door area to make an excellent first impression.
  • Clear away any spider webs on the balcony or verandah, sweep the floors and mop.
  • In the yard, mow the lawn, pull weeds, trim the trees, and sweep paved areas.
  • Soak them in hot water with detergent or disinfectant for the bins, scrub them clean, and let them dry in the sun.
  • Clean those windows, inside and out, and clear away any cobwebs.
  • If you’ve got pets, tidy up any mess they’ve left behind and fix any damage.
  • Remove any debris from the water and filter the pool and spas to keep things sparkling.

Is End of Lease Cleaning Mandatory?

End-of-lease cleaning might not be explicitly legal everywhere, but it’s strongly tied to getting your security deposit back.

When your lease ends, the rulebook straight from the Residential Tenancies Act says that a rented place needs to be in tip-top shape, sanitised, and primed for the next lucky occupant.

But if a tenant decides to skimp on the cleaning or skip hiring cleaners, the landlord has the green light to use the bond money to set things straight.

Property managers can even take legal action against tenants if the place is seriously messed up or unfit for habitation.

So ready your end of lease cleaning checklist to get that bond back.

Routine Cleaning vs. End-of-Lease Cleaning: What Sets Them Apart

Regular cleaning is just part of the daily grind to keep things tidy. On the other hand, bond cleaning is a whole different thing and only comes into play when a tenant bids farewell. You can’t tackle it while the place is still occupied.

Regular cleaning helps keep things looking decent, but an end-of-lease clean is like diving deep into every corner of the house, leaving no stone unturned. You’ve got to roll up your sleeves and tackle everything from scrubbing inside cabinets to giving walls and skirting boards a good wash.

Even outdoor areas like gardens and pools need to be done. It might eben need an end of lease cleaning checklist to keep track of everything.

Your bond return hangs in the balance. That’s why an ‘end of lease house clean’ is crucial when preparing that rented property for its final inspection.

How End of Lease Cleaning Checklist Helps with Rental Bond

Starting a lease usually involves property managers holding onto a chunk of cash as a security deposit, typically around the same amount as your first month’s rent.

But before you bid goodbye to your lease and get that deposit back, you’ve got to make sure the place is in tip-top shape.

That bond-cleaning clause is pretty straightforward: you must return the property to its condition when you first moved in.

If you neglect these responsibilities, the landlord can use the bond money, whether partially or in full, to cover any needed repairs and cleaning.

It might be worth considering hiring some lease cleaners to work their magic and ensure everything’s shipshape for the next tenant.

An end-of-lease cleaning checklist helps you achieve a sparkling clean that meets your landlord’s expectations, ultimately increasing your chances of getting your full rental bond back.

End of Lease Cleaning Checklists Got You Stressed? Hire Moving Mates and Relax—We’ve Got This!

The mere thought of packing up everything and then embarking on a full-scale cleaning of every spot in the house before even considering settling into the new place is enough to make anyone sweat.

Moving house is an absolute beast of a job! Sure, planning and taking things one step at a time is wise, but what’s even better? Knowing that you don’t have to go it alone!

Now, if you’re feeling up to tackling it solo, Moving Mates has got your back with a nifty end of lease cleaning checklist you can download and print to help you tackle each room like a pro, one step at a time. But if you’d rather take the easy route and save yourself some hassle, just contact us at 1300 654 187 or request a quote.

We also offer local and interstate moves for your home or office move. Other services include house packing and unpacking, and rubbish removal. If you need moving supplies when you move to a new suburb, we also have them.