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First Published: 22nd September 2022, written by Olivia Doonan | Last Updated on 6th April 2024 | Reviewed and Edited by Chloe Safilo
Moving house can be a fun but stressful experience. Some Londoners will prefer to carry out the end-of-tenancy cleaning on their own instead of hiring cleaners. The rationale behind this is that it saves money. However, end of tenancy cleaning accounts for 70% of the disputes that occur between landlords and tenants.
If you feel you still don’t want to hire professional cleaners to do the job and you’ll prefer to do it yourself, then this post is a must-read. End of tenancy cleaning experts myconstructor.co.uk have some top tips on how you can complete the cleaning on your own.
First things first, ensure you read the end of tenancy agreement properly as it will state how clean the house should be when you’re moving out. Some landlords may even insist that you use a professional cleaning company to leave the house in the best possible condition for the new tenants. If this is the case you have no choice but to hire a tenancy cleaning service for the job. If the house is not cleaned properly then the landlords can arrange for its cleaning and send you the bills or simply deduct it from your deposit.
It’s worth speaking to your landlord or letting agents first, as they may be planning to do some redecorating or building work in which case any domestic cleaning might be a courtesy rather than essential.
Doing the cleaning yourself
If you’re not going to hire end of tenancy cleaners for the job and you want to do it yourself you should ensure you’ll have enough time to thoroughly clean every room. You should have an inspection checklist for the end of tenancy cleaning so that nothing is left out during the cleaning.
Here is how to clean like a professional room by room on assumption you are leaving the property fully empty. If you are renting a part furnished property, you will need to move these and ensure you clean underneath any sofa’s and beds.
The kitchen
If you’re starting from the kitchen, you should remove everything on the shelves and clean out all stains and crumbs. Next, unplug all appliances and clean them properly with a damp cloth. You should take time to clean the washing machine and dishwasher so that you can remove any tough soot.
Next up, clean the fridge inside and out. Remove the fridge trays and racks and wash them in soapy water. Then dry them and place them back in the fridge. Don’t turn on the fridge immediately instead leave the fridge door open so that it can dry. It’s it is moveable, clean underneath and remove any dropped food particles or try and get an angled hoover to get all visible areas.
Most Londoners are guilty of letting the ovens get dirty. If you’re part of this lot you should consider hiring professionals to clean the oven since it will be very dirty after a long time of use. The oven is usually the first place that will be checked so a professional touch will ensure it’s sparkling clean and like new.
If you don’t want to hire end of tenancy cleaning services for the job then you should know that cleaning the oven will take you time and is a messy job. And if you don’t have the luxury of time when you’re moving house, then work it out now to get best value if you decide to hire end of tenancy cleaners for a full deep clean.
The living room
The main issues you will face when cleaning the living room are your carpets/rugs. Thoroughly vacuum them to remove all dirt and scrub out any stains. If you can’t get this looking perfect, then you might want to contact a professional cleaner with specialist cleaning equipment.
Next, you should decongest your shelves, cabinets, cupboards, and coffee table. Then take time to polish them so that they shine properly.
The bathroom
Wipe everything in there from the sink to the tiles, bathtub, mirrors, and toilet seats with a good cleaning bleach spray and a clean cloth. Make sure you check all holes and drains to be sure that water flows easily. If the water is not moving freely, you can use a drain cleaner to remove any blockages.
Also ensure that you clean all metal surfaces like the shower heads, taps, and drain grates to remove slimes and limescales with specialist sprays like white vinegar to not leave marks behind.
Other places you need to clean in the home
Windows
Windows are usually forgotten during an end of tenancy cleaning but your landlord will not overlook it. Clean the windows inside and out so it has a neat look, white vinegar spray or Windolene with kitchen towel leaves an unsmeary finish.
Walls
Check the walls for marks and clean with a product not containing bleach or strong chemicals, a clean soft sponge with soapy water (washing up liquid) should do the trick. If the marks on the walls are still there then consider repainting them if you can colour match but remember that sun fades paint so might require a full wall repaint. If you don’t, your landlord will do it himself and deduct it from your deposit.
Make sure you also clean all furniture, stairways, gardens, and curtains.
