DIY End of lease cleaning

Need to know how to carry out an end of lease clean ? Before you get started on the task of end of tenancy cleaning there are a couple of things you should do first. Follow these steps to guarantee it is done properly.

1. Delegate work load The key thing to do first is to agree who is going to be doing the actual cleaning work.

2. Prepare a list If you have decided to do the end of lease cleaning yourself, it is probably a good idea to go around the entire property with a pen and pad and make a complete list of all the items that need cleaning. By taking this approach their is less likelihood that any items or surfaces will be missed out and therefore picked up by your landlord or their managing agents when the property inventory check is carried out.

3. Equipment and materials After you have gone around and are satisfied that you have a list of works that covers everything. The next step is to confirm you have all the required cleaning materials and equipment . What will happen if you are not fully prepared is ie. that when it comes to removal of limescale from the taps and shower head or removal of burnt on grease from the oven, without the right products you will spend hours scrubbing to no avail.

4. Make sure you’re fully prepared Before you actually schedule your work, you will want to make sure all the kitchen cabinets are cleared and also the fridge and that any other items are cleared off the surfaces. This will make the cleaning work much easier than if you try to move things as you go along. Once you are confident that you have all the cleaning products required you should be ready to start cleaning.

If you want any tips from a professional melbourne cleaning company on end of lease clean, the best one we can offer, is to tackle the hardest areas first. These are normally the kitchen and bathrooms as these take the most effort and time. Try to get these areas done first while you are fresh and have plenty of energy, you do not want to be tackling the heaviest cleaning tasks when you are getting tired. The bedrooms and living spaces should be lighter work so leave them to last.

Most property-owners and their managing agents these days will expect the property to be cleaned to a professional standard through a vacate clean. Failure to reach the standard will almost certainly result in financial penalties for the excess work that is specified, or the agents may well appoint their own cleaning firm to re-clean the whole property. This can be costly for the vacating tenant because management fees may well be added to the cleaning firms cost for the agents time. It will also render your own efforts a waste of time as you will be liable to meet the full cleaning costs.

List of tasks for the complete End of lease Cleaning

Windows (accessible internal and external when requested)

We need: a ladder, glass cleaning clothes, brush, microfibre cloths, a non-scratch scraper, commercial-grade glass cleaner (domestic glass cleaners tend to leave streaks, and it takes a lot longer to achieve a s treak-free finish).

Do outside first. Remove webs and built up dust from the glass with a brush or an old cloth. Clean off any sap or plant residue. Use a glass cleaner, and polish with the glass cleaning cloth. When your clothes become dirty or wet, switch to fresh clothes. You’re creating more work for yourself because you’ll have to go back later to correct the streaking that occurs. Be careful to clean in the corners of the windows. It is very visible when your Vacate Clean is inspected!

Follow the same procedure to do the inside windows. While you are there with the ladder, use a spray cleaner and microfibre cloth to clean the window frames, sills, tracking (sometimes you might have to vacuum the built up dust and insect residue out) first, and especially any mould. You do not want to be accused of not having adequately ventilated your rooms! Note any water or other damage, to tell your Property Manager about.

Our end of lease cleaning check list include windows inside cleaning only. If you need windows outside cleaning you have to inform us.

Skirting boards, light switches, power points doors, door frames

You will need: a ladder, broom or brush, microfibre cloths and spray cleaner. Brush or sweep the worst of the dust and build-up from the skirting boards, and around door frames and other framing (such as around cupboards for example). Spray and scrub to remove dirt, grease, food stains and marks. Be careful in corners of frames and skirts particularly, as once the rest of the boards are clean, the black corners filled with grime stand out like the proverbial.

Wipe down both sides of the doors, and make sure to remove all dirt, marks, stickers and stains.

Cupboards, shelves and wardrobes Cleaning

You will need: a ladder, microfibre cloths, a spray cleaner.

All cupboards, wardrobes, and shelves (including doors), have to be cleaned inside and out. Get up on that ladder and start from the top and work your way down. This is so that you don’t “clean” grime down onto surfaces that you have already cleaned – and therefore don’t have to do it again. A quick wipe is not necessary good enough. Remove marks and stains. Go on, use a bit of elbow grease!

If you do not end of your lease properly. It might result in your security deposit being seriously reduced due to numerous deductions claimed by your property-owner. An end of lease cleaning in Melbourne is one of the key reasons for cuts in your tenancy bond.

Further in this article, we will share some first-hand end of lease cleaning advice on how to properly end your lease and securely get your bond back in full.

Invite your landlord for an unofficial inventory inspection.

In order to make sure that the property is left in the same condition as it was initially let, your landlord or letting agency will do a check-out inventory inspection as part of the end of lease check out procedure. If your ex-housing is not in a condition to meet the standards set in your lease agreement ,there will be deductions taken from your security deposit in order to cover for the expenses of repairing or cleaning the property.

In order to make sure that doesn’t happen, kindly request your landlord to a visit anywhere from 2 to 4 weeks prior to you leaving the property. Your goal would be to sketch and note down any specific recommendations or repair requirements. Throughout this informal end of lease inspection, cover the following:

  • Are there any areas that would use extra cleaning?
  • Is there any damage that was current prior to you moving in?
  • Will there be maintenances that lay beyond your responsibility as a tenant?

Can the landlord force you to hire a cleaning company?

In order to make sure that doesn’t happen, kindly request your landlord That is a good query, whose answer lies in your tenancy agreement. It should be specified whether you need to have the property cleaned by professionals or not.Don’t stress your nerves while trying to number out on your own if there would be any possible problems with your property, but rather approach your landlord in a polite manner and negotiate things with patience and common sense.

The Pros of Hiring Professional End of Tenancy Cleaners

One of the common end of lease cleaning tasks you will have to do is taking care of all the stains on your carpets, rugs and upholstery. Here are the benefits of hiring a expert:

  • Take away stubborn stains from carpets is not only troublesome but can lead to further damage to the fibres;
  • Sometimes spots and spills require detergents which are not available over the corner;
  • Also, carpet cleaning machines are not usually part of the usual tenants’ inventory.

Dealing with bad odours

Odours tend to combine and the consequence can be really frightening. In most scenarios, a deep carpet cleaning can solve all your issues with unpleasant odour.

  • Smoke of cigarette, cooking, and even your carpet can be the source of a bad smell.
  • Air fresheners are not powerful enough to cover the bad smell especially if your sofa or armchairs are responsible for the bad smell.
  • Carrying out a professional upholstery and sofa cleaning will surely remove the unpleasant odour. If you are having trouble with finding the source, call a professional end of lease cleaning company for help.

Getting a professional end of lease oven cleaning

The existence of gluey leftovers, surface covered with a black layer of dirt. A sight that is not something owners are proud of. However, with an appropriate solutions, everything can be fixed. If you haven’t cleaned it for a while, a professional end of lease deep cleaning of the oven is required to remove the grease from the inside.

  • Do your math well. It may be cheaper and definitely less time-consuming for you to get end of lease cleaning professional.
  • The pros will pull apart each detachable part of the oven and use a dip tank to dissolve any stains with the help of a bio-solution.
  • Clean the inside and out of the oven with green detergents.
  • One of the many cleaning services by our end of lease Cleaners is oven cleaning, performed using the dip tank method as part of the end of tenancy cleaning, so you can even clean your stove for free.

Increase the chance of getting your deposit in full

There are many times in which tenants have not received their security deposit back. Or if they did, it was just partially recovered. This happens when tenants do not clean the property when they move out, or do clean it but not to the standard that their landlord was expecting. Hiring a professional end of lease cleaning service for your move out is a reliable way to demand and get your security deposit from your property-owner.

Basic end of tenancy cleaning tips for tenants

The phrase “end of lease cleaning” is often blamed for being misleading. It is common for insignificant repairs to be considered as part of ending your lease. To clean up means to take all precautions to reduce the risk of claims and deductions. Following a thorough end of lease cleaning checklist is a way to ensure you don’t miss on any details that might cost you money.

Although some tasks might require more advanced skills, as a tenant you can still clean, fix and repair lots of the tasks yourself, here is a list:

  • Fix fading or broken light bulbs, power sockets or/and switches. If you aren’t knowledgeable in doing those yourself, contact a professional.
  • Take care of wall dents via wall putty. Make sure all nails and hangers are removed and all holes in the wall are filled.
  • Repaint walls if you were previously allowed to redecorate. After consulting with your landlord, if a repaint is needed and you’ve done something similar in the past, repaint the walls that need repainting

Does your end of lease cleaning require a cleaning of the garden and exterior?

If so, here are a few tips for an end of lease outdoor tidy up:

  • Cut the lawn and dispose of the grass.
  • Remove any weeds that the landlord might make a problem of if they are left in the garden.
  • Prune any branches which have grown so long.
  • Dispose of all accumulated rubbish. Plant matter such as leaves, twigs, dirt etc.
  • Clean the pathways, patios and driveway.

Here are some extra move out cleaning tasks to DIY and ensure you get your tenancy deposit in full:

  • Clean and wipe furniture till you visible a welcoming and cosy shine. Treat every type of furniture according to the material it’s made of . If there are any spillages and stains on your upholstered dining chairs or precious sofa, you should take care of them asap.
  • Disinfect and wipe bathroom utensils – faucets, shower heads, glass and etc. Your best cleaning friends here are baking soda and white vinegar, helping you dissolve any limescale, mildew, soap scum and other debris.
  • Clean bathroom of dirt, mildew and marks – visible the most and tolerable the least. Don’t forget to check if the tile grout in your bathroom needs a scrub too.
  • Scrub and degrease your oven, hot plates, hob extractor, and surrounding areas. Use a 50/50 water and baking soda paste to cover all heavily greased surfaces, leave overnight and clean up by spraying the surface with white vinegar water.

These simple repairs will take any experienced handyman anywhere from 5 to 20 minutes per fix. If you lack the know-how and gear you will surely waste more time and effort into preparation, rather than calling out to end of lease professionals. More than 90% of landlords will appreciate tenants being careful. Helping your landlord is the best way to help your deposit refund.

How to take away limescale from your home appliances?

Limescale is one of the hardest and most irritating cleaning task you can do at home. So let us give you some expert tips on how to tackle limescale anywhere at your property and deal with it as easy as possible.

  • Kettles and coffee makers – The most effective way to put a stop to white flakes dancing in your morning hot beverage is to run your electrical appliances, now and again, filled with a mixture of water and white vinegar or lemon juice (50/50). Then, rinse them thoroughly and they should be limescale-free.
  • Cookware and glassware – The same elements, as above, will work great on your lustreless jugs, jars, decanters and cookware. Mix equal parts of white vinegar and water and soak your tarnished glassware overnight. Rinse well on the following morning. You can bring back the shine to your pots and pans if you fill them with the same mixture and simmer it for about 15 minutes. Then, proceed by washing them as normal with a soft sponge and rinse them well.
  • Washing machines and dishwashers – Mild limescale removal detergents are the standard choice of the homemaker when it comes to cleaning the washing machine and the dishwasher. Still, if you have suddenly gone green and environmentally conscious , use a cup of undiluted lemon juice and run the appliance empty on a regular cycle.
  • Taps, fixtures and fittings – Natural products like soda bicarbonate and lemon can help you clean the specially hard-to-remove white caking from around your taps and sink fixtures. Just make a paste-like mixture and use its abrasive properties to your advantage. Scrub gently the affected bathroom accessories, wipe, rinse and polish with a cloth. For really stubborn encrustations, say, on the faucet aerator, you can dip the spout into a cap, full of lemon juice and leave it overnight by attaching it securely with a tape.
  • Tiled surfaces, sinks, showers and baths – Again, lemon or vinegar (diluted) can be sprayed on the discoloured tile and grout surface, on the sink, shower base or bathtub. Leave the solution to sit for a while. You can scrub in some soda, too, for better effect and then rinse and wipe the surface;
  • Toilet – If you have run out of your Domestic toilet cleaning gel but you have plenty of Coca-Cola in the fridge, put it to good use and do your teeth a favour. Cola will remove successfully hard water deposits from your toilet bowl if you leave it to work for several hours. The drink contains high levels of phosphoric acid, which is proven to be effective against rust and limescale.

What are the responsibilities of tenants at the end of a lease.

The content of each tenancy agreement can be different, yet often times includes the following responsibilities.

  • Arranging a service from professional end of lease cleaners melbourne.
  • Take care of shared residential areas.
  • Maintain the pleasant looks of small garden areas.
  • Repaint your interior back to how it was the day you moved in.
  • Return furnishing arrangement back where it was at your check-in.

Many manage to develop a sustainable and healthy friendship with their landlord, but at the end of the day, it is your rental agreement that will be considered as grounds of reason in case of post tenancy disputes.

Importance Of Using A Checklist During End Of Tenancy Cleaning Melbourne.

During any procedure that follows strict actions, a checklist is important. It’s a crosschecking list of requirements which is meant to ensure that no important activity that will be skipped. End of tenancy cleaning process requires a Checklist to avoid missing out some important details which could sabotage the process. All rooms need to be cleaned and every room has its own cleaning requirements. To ensure that none is forgotten a detailed checklist should be prepared by the end of tenancy cleaning company. Once all parts listed are cleaned and confirmed the service can be deemed satisfactory.

What is an end of tenancy checklist likely to consist of?

Kitchens, Bathrooms, Bedrooms, Carpets, Windows, Drawers, Appliances Fridge and Freezers are included.Under every itemized piece the parts to be cleaned are listed. Actions that will take place in each room are recognized for instance if it’s the kitchen things like; clean the oven, discard leftovers, the microwave, remove stains , clean grime from hobs from the sink and decrease the oven are listed.

The importance of using a checklist during the end of tenancy cleaning?

1. Preparation tool; one of the reasons as to why a checklist is very important to the end of tenancy cleaning company is that it helps to be well prepared. After the emptying of the properties in need of cleaning it’s easy to identify the equipment and tools that will be required for the work. If the end of lease cleaning company notices some inaccessible windows they will know a squeegee is required for them to completely finish the job. Detergents and stain removers and other cleaning agents for specific places captured in the checklist allows the team to be well organized

2. Acts as a guide; A checklist acts as a map during the end of lease cleaning. Since it outline all the necessary cleaning tasks, the cleaners can follow the list step by step in each room ensuring they go over all the required parts of the house. It’s difficult to leave out any part of the house if the checklist is followed to the latter.

3 Serves as a reminder; cleaning a house is an involving task even for the end of lease cleaning service providers and it’s important for any required cleaning duty not to be forgotten. It’s easy to forget the sink in the bath room while concentrating on the kitchen, cobwebs can be left out easily. A checklist comes in handy to guarantee that the door handle you had missed by mistake has been remembered and given the care required.

4. Enhances timekeeping; a checklist improves timekeeping since all activities have been written down. Clearly, listed information can help the end of lease cleaning service provider estimate the amount of time they may require to get the job done. Once all tasks and places to be cleaned have been recognized the team will work time consciously. If the list is long the team knows better than to spend too much time on one thing. The checklist gives them a sense of urgency that might be necessary while handling a big house. Time is an important aspect both for the tenant and the landlord.

5. Use as an organization tool; another value of a end of lease cleaning checklist is that it can be used as an on the organizational tool by the end of lease cleaning team. The list can be used to assign duties among the EOTs members, this then translates into a more organize workflow as every member of the team concentrates on their given tasks. The organization is important for achieving any cleaning objective and indicates true professionalism.

Once an end of lease cleaning checklist follows too strictly efficiency is achieved. The landlord, tenant and the end of lease cleaning company can all be satisfied. The EOT can also use the checklist to assign duties to the teams depending on each member’s expertise. The same list can be used for accountability where questions are raised at the end of the process. A checklist is quite practical especially in such a strict process because the house is expected to go through inspection which ensures a tenants deposit is refunded.it also a good practice by in the EOT process and shows great professionalism. The last thing you want is a team that cannot even identify which details they missed.

Guide for end of lease cleaning