It is mandatory for tenants to clean their home before moving out. Otherwise, they might not get their tenancy deposit in full. In the following lines, we will present a checklist with the main areas that you need to clean before you vacate the property. Keep in mind to check your tenancy agreement or rental contract for any specifics. For example, some contracts have a cleaning clause that states the tenant should hire a professional company and is not allowed to do the move-out cleaning on his own.

Bedrooms and main areas.

In order to have the place ready for the inspection, you need to make sure that all rooms are in great condition. Some of the things you need to do are:

• Mop or hover all floors;

• Dust all surfaces;

• Clean mirrors, pictures, top of picture frames, light fittings and shades, light switches & power sockets;

• Hover both sides of the curtains;

• Wipe curtain rails, top of all doors, and the fire place.

Furniture.

Cleaning the furnishing is an important part of the move-out cleaning process. This includes not only wiping the tables, but also checking whether everything is in good condition or needs small repairs of some kind. Additional things about cleaning the furniture at the end of your tenancy:

• Wipe down all hard surfaces and tables;

• Remove all fingerprints and oily stains;

• Clean inside and outside of all sofas, couches, and beds;

• Hover all furnishings, underneath them, and around them.

Carpets.

It's no wonder that most tenants have problems with their carpets during the inspection – it's among the areas that are harder to clean. Here are few of the steps in the process:

• Treat stains with professional detergents.

• Remove all small items and vacuum all carpet surfaces and edges with more attention to high-traffic areas.

• Vacuum underneath all furniture.

In case your carpets need cleaning with more than simple vacuum cleaner, make sure to use professional help for in-depth steam cleaning.

Windows.

The exterior of the house is the first thing that people notice. That is why the windows should look as clean as possible. Here's how to achieve that:

• Remove all spots and fingerprints;

• Clean each glass on the inside and, if possible, on the outside;

• Wipe down all window frames, inner ledges, and sills.

Bathroom.

Even though the visible parts of the bathroom should be your main concern, don't forget to pay attention to small areas like the toothbrush holder or the extractor fans. Other things you shouldn't forget:

• Clean all visible plumbing elements including the ones behind the WC;

• Wipe and clean the WC, the tub, all tiles, and the shower screen;

• Check for hair around the shower and sink drainage and remove it;

• Polish all mirrors and glass surfaces;

• Descale and wipe the faucets and all other metal elements and surfaces in the bath.

Kitchen appliances, surfaces, and areas.

This is probably the most crucial part of the end of tenancy cleaning process. The reason for this is that the kitchen appliances are not very easy to clean and take a lot of time. Here are the main things in the kitchen that should be properly cleaned:

• Drawers, cupboards, shelves – the whole kitchen cabinetry needs to be cleaned on the inside and outside as well asaround the handles.

• Fridge and freezer – they should be defrosted about 24 hours before the cleaning. The actual cleaning includes wiping all doors, the slots and cabinets inside, and the rubber seal. Also, it is recommended to check for any mildew and food deposits. Don't forget to remove any stickers as well as to clean under the fridge and the freezer.

• Dishwasher – all food deposits, grime, and mildew need to be taken proper care of. In addition, you should clean the soap dispenser, all filters, the rubber seal, and the outside surfaces of the dishwasher.

• Oven, microwave, and toaster – the kitchen stove and the microwave should be cleaned with extra care. You will have to use degreasing detergents if you want good results. Don't forget to clean the microwave and the oven properly on the inside too! The move-out cleaning process includes cleaning the toaster too. Make sure to remove all breadcrumbs and to clean the buttons properly.

• Sink – take care of any limescale and hard water stains. Clean the taps and the basin. Finally, all sinks in your kitchen need to be polished.

• Washing machine – the whole surface, the drum, all filters, the soap dispenser, all handles and rubber seal – those are the main things that need to be cleaned in order to make the washing machine look like new again.

Final piece of advice.

If you don't have the time or simply don't want to spend many hours in cleaning everything in your home before you move out, don't hesitate to benefit from professional help. There's always a cleaning company near you that can properly handle every aspect of the end of tenancy cleaning process!

Article written by Strong Move – a company that provides removals and end of tenancy cleaning services in London. For more, you can visit the company blog. There, you will find useful tips on moving, advice on tenancy cleaning, area guides, and other relocation-related articles. At Strong Move, we aim to serve our clients in every way possible. This includes giving them a lot of great information on the problems they might have when moving.