There are many perks to being a tenant rather than a homeowner. For starters, you can live in any location that piques your fancy without having to commit to a 30-year mortgage. Rental expenses are also typically minuscule in comparison to the combined costs of mortgage repayments, strata fees, and council rates that homeowners inevitably have to budget for every month in moving.
The one downside to renting has to be end of lease cleaning agreement. Yes, doing your end-of-lease cleaning can typically feel like a mad dash that’s fuelled predominantly by stress and a deep-seated desire to get your bond back in full. But so long as you know how to cover all bases with efficiency, you should be able to clean up your rental and hand in your keys with time to spare.
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To help, we’ll be sharing our top cleaning tips for tenants who are preparing for the last few days of their lease agreement.
Clear up the clutter prior to moving day
The first thing you’ll want to do is get rid of anything that you’re not planning to pack in your big move. This excess clutter is best disposed of in your curbside rubbish over consecutive weeks in the lead-up to your moving day, or even by partnering with a same day rubbish removal company. The latter option is naturally preferable for renters who are time poor and may need to finalise their end-of-lease cleaning quickly.
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We also recommend making ‘donation’ piles alongside your ‘discard’ piles when decluttering your rental property. That way you can ensure that none of your clutter is ending up in landfill unnecessarily.
Don’t forget the garbage bins
While you’re clearing out clutter and setting aside donations, it’s easy to overlook the humble garbage bins. Before you say your goodbyes to your rental, make sure to empty all the rubbish bins throughout the property. Give each bin a thorough rinse (yes, even the outdoor ones), so there are no lingering odours or unpleasant surprises for the next tenant or your landlord’s final inspection. Once they’re clean and dry, pop them back in their usual spot—usually curbside or wherever your building stores the bins. A little extra attention here can go a long way to keeping that bond intact!
Make a cleaning checklist
Once you’ve made sure that you’ve gotten rid of everything you don’t plan on bringing with you in your move, it’s time to start preparing your moving checklist or to-do list. This list will be your #1 resource when mapping out your move, as it should detail exactly what you need to do and when you’ll need that task to be done.
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Your cleaning checklist should also outline what order you’ll want to start packing in. Do you want to pack up your living rooms first? And more importantly, what’s the last room in your home that you should look to clear? Answering these questions now can help reduce your risks of packing away things that you may need during your moving process.
In other words, you don’t want to clear your shower caddy if you’re planning to move over multiple days! Nor should you clean out your fridge days before you’re set to actually move it. But more on all this later.
Know who to contact if you have questions
If you’re ever unsure about what’s expected of you when it comes to vacating cleaning, don’t hesitate to reach out to your property manager or real estate agent directly. They can clarify the cleaning standards required for your lease and point you to any helpful checklists or reputable local cleaning services—think —to make the process as smooth as possible. Open communication early on can save you stress (and maybe even your bond) down the line.
Stay organised with your packing
The smoothest moving days are ones where you don’t even need to think about how you’re packing up all your belongings – because you have a process in place that ensures you know exactly where everything has to be. How do you create a packing process this seamless and organised?
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The best foot forward here is to pre-label your packing boxes and work room by room. Make sure you know exactly which boxes you’ll be using for which kinds of homewares or other belongings. For instance, if you have an empty box in your kitchen that’s designated for all your kitchen tools and appliances, you can clear out your cabinets in next to no time at all.
The same goes for your bathroom cabinets or laundry room cabinets. This system also ensures that all the same types of homewares are being stored together, reducing the risks of a shampoo bottle leaking into a box of your favourite shirts.
And it wouldn’t be a moving day without accidentally packing up something that you actually need, like a tape measure or kitchenware (you still need to eat in between lugging boxes!). Knowing exactly where you would’ve packed these essentials can help ensure that you don’t spend too much time unpacking and scouring the ends of the earth for that one item when you should be packing. And don’t worry – we’re all guilty of doing this.
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Rent a carpet cleaner
Did you know that you can rent carpet cleaners and steam cleaners from your local hardware store or even your local supermarket? Not only can this be a lot cheaper than hiring professional cleaning services, but it can also help ensure that your end-of-lease steam cleaning requirements are met as promptly as possible.
And contrary to popular belief, it’s actually pretty easy to learn how to operate a commercial-grade steam cleaner too. All you need is to add a cleaning solution to your water tank and then follow the instructions provided with your steam cleaning machine. These innovative household cleaners are designed to be super user-friendly, so it should feel natural enough operating one – even if for the first time.
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Just remember to fully clean out your steam cleaner or carpet cleaner prior to returning it. Like a rental car (or even your rental property, for that matter), you have an obligation as the lessee to return your rented cleaning machine in the same condition it was in when you first picked it up.
And if you don’t have the time to clean your carpets independently, you still have the option to secure a same day carpet cleaning service. Just be sure to read through reviews online when selecting your cleaning service provider. That way, you can have a better gauge of the time estimates they may provide for your carpet cleaning job.
Do a deep clean
Now that your belongings are all packed up, it’s time to start cleaning every surface, nook, and cranny of your empty rental property. We recommend using the top-to-bottom strategy here. Start from the top by dusting the ceilings and walls, and later the windows and floors. If you’ve installed any nails or hooks to the walls of your rental property, you’ll want to remove them carefully, ideally without leaving any marks. Once removed, apply putty (or another general filler) and paint over them for a clean finish.
While you’re at it, be sure to wash the walls to remove any marks, fingerprints, or scuffs that may have built up over your tenancy. Pay special attention to high-traffic spots like hallways and around light switches—these areas tend to collect grime more than you’d think. A quick once-over with a gentle cleaning solution and a soft sponge can make a world of difference and help restore the walls to their original condition.
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If you are a pet owner, see to it that you use disinfectants to combat pet odours and ensure that your rental is left free from any bacteria. Sweep and vacuum your flooring to get rid of any lint or animal fur. And once again, make use of steamers to clean off any stains or dust from all carpeting and window coverings. Curtains should be washed or dry-cleaned thoroughly and then re-hung to keep the look fresh. For venetian blinds, take the time to properly clean every slat—these can often be taken down and washed outside for a deeper clean, but if you do, pay special attention to the areas behind the tapes where dust likes to hide. This careful approach will help ensure that windows and coverings are spotless, leaving no detail overlooked.
Don’t skip the details:
- Furniture: Make sure all surfaces are properly cleaned and, if possible, polished. Don’t forget to wash mattress covers and give upholstery a good clean—especially if you’ve had pets or frequent visitors.
- Floors: Whether you have vinyl, tile, parquetry, or polished floors, give them a thorough clean and polish. Carpets should be left spotless, so consider a professional steam clean if needed.
- Windows and Curtains: Wipe down window panes and sills, and use steamers or gentle cleaning solutions on curtains to remove dust or stains.
Moving onto the kitchen area, wipe everything down with a microfiber cloth and clean out the exhaust and vents of your rangehood. To get rid of any persistent stains on the walls, carpet, couch, or curtains, use cleaning solutions like some baking soda with water or white vinegar.
Bathroom Deep Clean Checklist
Don’t forget to give the bathroom some extra attention too. Scrub off any grime from the bathroom walls and toilet with effective bathroom cleaners, sanitising spray, and strong bleach to revive their shine and restore any faded colours.
You also want to apply mould killer to bathroom and laundry spaces wherever necessary. For a truly thorough clean, make sure to:
- Remove all mould from tiles, walls, ceiling, and any other surfaces.
- Clean the vanity and basin inside and out.
- Thoroughly clean the bath and toilet, leaving no residue behind.
- Pay special attention to the shower recess and shower glass—these should sparkle when you’re done.
Tackling each of these spaces methodically helps ensure you leave your rental looking its absolute best, ready for the next tenant (and that all-important final inspection).
Lastly, scrub off any grime from the bathroom walls and toilet with effective bathroom cleaners, sanitising spray, and strong bleach to revive their shine and restore any faded colours. You also want to apply mould killer to bathroom and laundry spaces wherever necessary.
All in all, tenants looking to move out fast should avoid procrastinating. You can do this by preparing ahead of time, namely by following the tips we’ve outlined above and reserving your moving services well in advance. Be sure to also stay organised with your packing and cleaning routines, and hire professional cleaning and trash removal services if you need extra assistance and support.
Above all, don’t forget to rest, get enough sleep, and finally enjoy this whole process as you transition from one home to another!
