If you plan to relocate for work, you’ll need temporary shelter. Therefore, renting a house would be your best option. However, landlords will require you to settle a hefty security deposit before moving in. Don’t worry because you can still retrieve that deposit when it’s time to move out.
However, whether or not your landlord will give your deposit back remains a big question. If you want your entire bond money back, there’s one thing you need to be good at: cleaning. Keeping your rental house flawlessly clean is one way to get all your deposits back.
Meanwhile, some tasks will keep you occupied when moving out, particularly packing things and looking for trucks. Because of these tasks, cleaning is often left compromised. The poorly cleaned rental apartment is a common cause of disputes between tenants and landlords.
That said, you may consider visiting cheapaschipscleaning.com.au or anything similar for a professional house cleaner specializing in end-of-lease cleaning. They use advanced tools and cleaning techniques to ensure that every nook and cranny in your home is clean.
On the other hand, if you want to do all the cleaning yourself, the following tips below might help. Read on to learn more.
1. Take a look at your lease contract
The first step in getting your entire security deposit back is to review the lease contract you signed in front of your landlord. Sometimes, landlords include specific clauses that discuss end-of-lease cleaning. These clauses contain criteria for cleaning the property when moving out.
In addition, landlords may include something specific in the lease contract. For example, they might look for clean carpets, tiles, and doors. So, make sure to clean your rental property accordingly to boost your chances of getting your security deposit back.
2. Create an end of lease cleaning checklist
You’ll need to create a checklist to clean your rental house efficiently. This could save you time when cleaning. Also, it ensures that all corners of your rental property are spotless. Meanwhile, did you know that even professional cleaners use a checklist to ensure the cleanliness of the house they clean? If they do, so should you.
Here are some things to include in your checklist:
- Remove cobwebs and dust.
- Clean your fixtures, lighting, and switches.
- Mop and vacuum the entire rental property.
- Clean all kitchen cabinets and drawers.
- Wipe all the windows clean inside and out.
- Scrub the shower tiles, bathtub, sinks, and other vital bathroom spots.
- Clean the walls and make sure there’s no mould growth everywhere.
- Vacuum the carpets and make sure they don’t stink.
3. Replace or repair damaged elements
If you want to retrieve 100% of your security deposit, it’s important to ensure that all damaged parts of the house are either replaced or repaired. So, before you start cleaning, inspect the entire house and look for damaged elements you need to address.
Below are the possible areas you can inspect:
- Plumbing issues like leaky pipes and gas lines
- Roof issues such as holes, a leaky roof, and damaged skylight
- Chipped and cracked walls
- Signs of water damage
- Broken doorknobs and handles
- Broken fixtures, switches, and lighting
- Broken and cracked windows
If you find any of these issues, make sure to have them replaced or repaired right away before the cleaning starts. This will increase your chances of retrieving all your security deposit and put a smile on your landlord’s face.
4. Clean your kitchen and bathroom first
Kitchens and bathrooms are the dirtiest parts of every house, where all kinds of grime, grease, and dirt develop. Therefore, thoroughly clean these areas to ensure 100% deposit retrieval.
Here are some tips for cleaning your kitchen and bathroom:
- Start cleaning the areas where you often prepare your food. These include countertops, sinks, and gas ranges.
- Use a solution to dissolve grease and neutralize strong kitchen odours. Alternatively, mixing hot water and vinegar can make a homemade cleaning solution. This can be used when cleaning floors and cabinets.
- Use a mild detergent to clean your food prep surfaces. Make sure to rinse them with water and sanitize them with disinfectants.
- Clean your streaky shower glass using vinegar and a soft cloth. Lightly soak the cloth in vinegar and gently rub it along the streaks until the glass is sparkling clean.
- Use a disinfectant and wipe the drain areas of your sinks. This will help remove the microbes around the area and prevent them from spreading throughout your home.
5. Focus more on other important areas
Aside from your kitchen and bath, there are other areas you’ll need to focus on. These areas include light fixtures, built-in ovens, windows, carpets, and more.
Check out some tips below on how to clean these important areas.
- Clean your windows using a hose, a bucket of clean water, and dishwashing soap. Make sure to use a microfiber cloth when wiping the glass to prevent scratching.
- When cleaning light fixtures, create a 1:3 solution of vinegar and hot water. Spray the solution on a microfiber cloth and gently wipe it across your fixtures.
- When cleaning ovens, avoid using harsh chemicals to prevent damaging their surface. You may use a solution of baking soda and vinegar instead.
- When cleaning carpets, it’d be best to call for professionals with enough experience dealing with dirty carpets.
6. Ensure the cleanliness of your walls
Walls can significantly affect the overall look of a house. If your walls look dirty and mouldy, so do the other parts of your home, regardless of how clean they are. Therefore, you want to make sure that your walls are perfectly clean.
Here are some tips when cleaning your walls:
- Use a mild degreaser when the dirt within the glossy and semi-glossy finishes becomes tough.
- To clean oil-based paint, mix warm water, baking soda, and liquid soap. Then, lightly soak your sponge and scrub gently on your walls.
- Make sure to remove cobwebs before you start cleaning.
Aside from these tips, you can also use a magic eraser to remove wall marks as much as possible for sparkling clean walls.
Final Words
Cleaning at the end of the lease period is more complex than regular spring cleaning. Since your security deposit is at stake, ensure the rental house is cleaned before meeting with your landlord. If you don’t have time for it, ask professional cleaners instead. Otherwise, you may follow all the tips above to clean your house accordingly.