Cleaning Tips, Guides & Resources

Bond Cleaning: Your Moving House Cleaning Guide

Adriana AzizOctober 4, 20190 Comment

Are you ready to start a new life in a new home?

You’ve found a new place to rest your head and are giddy with excitement.

You’ve already packed all of your belongings and are rearing and ready to go. Before you leave your previous home comes the dreaded but necessary, end of lease clean, sad emoji all round.

Leaving your previous rental abode in a less than desirable state is fraught with repercussions.

The onus is on the existing tenant to leave the property in a reasonable state that would allow the next tenant to enter the property without too much fuss.

Bond cleaning can be expensive when compared with other types of cleaning services. However, it is a necessary part of moving out, especially if you want your bond returned in a timely manner.

That’s why we’ve created this brief guide as a way of assisting our past, present and future clients should they want to avoid the large expense of an end of lease clean.

KITCHEN

Cleaning the kitchen is one of the most dreaded tasks, even before having to move out, sigh.

There can be a lot of left over oil residue from all the chips and homemade burgers that’ve been made over the course of the tenancy.

Kitchen cupboards, the oven and stove top, can also prove to be problematic to clean after having lived in a domicile for an extended period of time.

We’re all aware of those non-existent neighbors who clean out their cupboards once every 6 months. The majority of us are not like them and that’s why these specific areas can prove difficult when conducting an end of lease clean.

Follow these steps to get your kitchen area sparkling:

Clean the doors and windows
Get rid of grease and oil on the sink and stovetop
Clear the sinkholes
Make sure to do a thorough, mop, dusting, and vacuuming of all areas in the kitchen especially where the fridge used to be (trust me when I say, this is the absolute worst area, considering the fridge is seldom moved and cleaned under during a tenancy)
Deep clean any leftover appliances or where appliances had been
Extensively disinfect the area where the garbage was.
Wipe and mop the floor. Be sure to vacuum up any debris before and after the mopping has been completed.

BATHROOM

The bathroom is generally a pantheon of juxtaposition. It’s clean but dirty at the same time. This room is generally the part of the house that requires the most attention. Shower screen limescale, your shower head, bathroom cabinets, sinks and bathtubs can get “grotty” over time. Bathroom cleaning products can be toxic, so before following these tips be sure that each bathroom you clean in has adequate ventilation. Here are things to consider in cleaning the bathroom:

Thoroughly clean the walls if they are tiled surfaces (these areas may not have been cleaned adequately during your tenancy)
Clear out the drawers, shelves and give them a thorough wipe down
Mop the floor with a bleach solution
Clean the sink and drainage
Wipe down the mirror
Disinfect the toilet and sink (you may need to use a pumice stone to get rid of any staining in the bottom of the toilet)
Wipe down and disinfect the shower curtain
Try and clean the grout with a bleaching solution and a tooth brush
Give the floor a thorough vacuum after all the above tasks have been completed.

LIVING ROOMS & BEDROOMS

Contrary to popular belief the living areas won’t require too much work in the way of cleaning. These areas are generally the easiest to clean. Once furniture has been removed there shouldn’t be much grime and dirt to get rid of. Problems can arise if you’ve damaged or left scuff marks on walls. Whilst these areas can be easy to clean, there generally is a lot of wear and tear from over-usage and foot traffic over the years. To make your bond cleaning process more manageable, take note of the following tips:

Dust off all the walls, ceiling, and corners
Clean any marks on the walls using sugar soap (be sure to use as much elbow grease as possible).
Be sure to thoroughly clean the windows, inside and out.
Vacuum and mop the floor
Spray pest control
Thoroughly wipe down the skirting board with a multi-purpose cleaner and microfiber cloth
Use a duster with a handle to reach any high areas that have been tainted by cobwebs

LAUNDRY

Not all houses/apartments have a laundry. Consider yourself lucky if there is one. Laundries are super easy to clean. They generally shouldn’t have too much dirt or grime, other than the washing machine and dryer. Here are some brief end of lease cleaning tips for your laundry.

Clear and clean the sink
Sweep, mop and vacuum the floor
Check the lint filter and clear it of any lint (this can be a fire hazard if it is left untouched)

ENTRYWAY

The main entrance of a home or apartment can be a focal point. It can reflect the overall look and feel of the home. If it’s messy, untidy and unclean, then your agent will expect the rest of the apartment to be unclean.

Remove cobwebs around the area
Clean the door and door handles
Wash or vacuum the welcome mat
Thoroughly vacuum and pat down with a damp cloth any high traffic carpeted areas.
Vacuum the carpets extensively.

BALCONY

The terrace isn't too common a fixture in apartments. But there’s a cleaning checklist provided. That includes only two processes.

Wipe down any glass or windowed area
Sweep and wash the balcony floor

GARAGE

Finishing up your extensive bond cleaning process is in the garage. This area is detached from the main house and only occupies a very small space. The garage can require quite a lot of cleaning, as there will always be stains from oil spills, excessive cobwebs and a lot of dust.

Wash the garage floor thoroughly with water and strong chemical solution
Clear the garage of any cobwebs
sweep the floor

If you don’t have enough time or you’re not confident in your cleaning ability, our end of lease cleaning service will go the extra mile

We guarantee your bond back as a result of our cleaning services, or we’ll refund your money. It’s that simple.

If you have enough time to do the cleaning on your own, prepare a cleaning schedule, adhere to it and make sure you’re ready for a day of utilizing your elbow grease to clean. We know it won’t be easy but it’ll be worth it in the end. Always be sure to request an exit report from your agent, that way you can be sure you’re adhering to their requirements.

Adriana Aziz

Adriana Aziz is the operations manager at MaidForYou. With over 6 years of experience managing cleaning operations, she knows all the best hacks when it comes to cleaning residential and commercial buildings. With expert experience in managing house cleaning operations, interior design and logistics. She spends her free time with her family and as a freelance food critic.