The Ultimate End of Lease
Cleaning Checklist

While we are a professional end of lease cleaning company, we understand that cost is an important factor when moving out. For many tenants, taking matters into their own hands and tackling the cleaning themselves can seem like the simplest way to secure a full bond refund.

If you’ve been following our blog, you may have already checked out our Ultimate Moving House Checklist, a comprehensive 6-week guide to help plan your move with ease. Now, we’re continuing the series with the exact end of lease cleaning checklist our professional bond cleaners use – covering every area of the property your agent is likely to inspect. Now, we’re continuing the series with the exact end of lease cleaning checklist our professional bond cleaners use, covering every area of the property your agent is likely to inspect.

Cleaning preparation

Before you lift a finger, there’ll be some prep work that you’ll need to do to ensure a fast and efficient cleaning day. Follow these tips to set yourself up for success.

Prepare your schedule

A team of two professional cleaners will typically need 2-4 hours to clean a studio apartment, 4-6 hours for a three-bedroom apartment, and a full day for a large house. Many renters underestimate the amount of work involved, often running out of time to complete the bond clean. This can lead to a rushed search for last-minute cleaners or, even worse, relinquishing part of their bond. If you’re considering taking on the task yourself, it’s important to be realistic about the time commitment. We recommend breaking the cleaning into manageable sections over a few days to ensure everything is done properly.

Empty your home

At This is Neat Cleaning, we maintain an “unfurnished” policy for our end of lease cleans, and for good reason. We encourage most renters to move out first, as the mess from moving can significantly add to the build up from the tenancy. Bond cleans demand a much more thorough cleaning than standard cleanings. If furniture remains in place, it’s nearly impossible to ensure that some areas are 100% clean – for example hard to reach spots like under the couch or behind the fridge.

Get the right equipment and supplies

You’ll need more than just your time and effort to get the job done right. Gather these essential supplies to kickstart your cleaning process, along with some optional equipment for those specific tasks as needed.

• Broom
• Brush and dustpan
• Duster
• Gloves
• Bucket
• Mop
• Vacuum
• Carpet Steam Cleaner (as required)
• Oven cleaner (degreaser)
• Oven scraper
• Preferred cleaning product (Easy-off, Pledge, Vim)
• Sugar Soap
• Sponges
• Paper Towels
• Towels
• Squeegee
• Newspapers
• Ladder (as required)
• Screwdriver (as required)

Kitchen

By far, the kitchen is the most time-consuming part of an end of lease clean. Grease, food spills, cupboard marks and appliance buildup can take longer than expected, especially around the oven, stovetop and rangehood.

• clean oven (interior + exterior)
• clean stovetop
• degrease range hood
• clean bench top surfaces
• clean backsplash
• clean sink, handles and spout
• clean pantry
• clean cupboards, shelves and drawers
• clean inside microwave, dishwasher, or fridge (as required)

Bathrooms

Bathrooms are usually the next most time-consuming area after the kitchen. Soap scum, toilet marks, hard water stains and built-up grime can take extra effort to remove, especially around glass, tiles, grout and tapware. Before you begin, open a window or turn on the exhaust fan for ventilation, particularly when using stronger bathroom cleaning products.

• wash tiled surfaces
• clean bathtubs and basins
• clean shower glass/screens
• clean shower head and faucets
• clean and disinfect toilets
• clean vanity, handles and spout
• clean medicine cabinets
• polish mirrors
• dust air vents

Bedrooms, living rooms, and dining rooms

Most living areas, bedrooms and hallways follow a similar cleaning process, so you can use this general checklist across multiple rooms. If you live in a multi-storey home, remember to include staircases, landings and hallway areas in your final clean.

• vacuum, sweep, or mop floors
• clean cupboards, shelves, and drawers
• clean wardrobe mirrors, frame and tracks
• wash window, sills, and tracks (interior)
• detail door frames
• detail skirting board
• dust blinds
• clean accessible light fixtures
• clean light switches and power points
• remove cobwebs
• carpet steam cleaning (as required)
• wall washing – either spot cleans or entire wall washes (as required)
• blind deep cleaning (as required)
• pest control (as required)

Laundry

If your property has a separate laundry, make sure it gets the same attention as the rest of the home. One small but commonly missed detail is the dryer lint filter.

• vacuum, sweep, or mop floors
• wipe down washer and dryer surfaces
• remove dryer lint
• clean sink, handles, and spout

Balcony

It’s quite common for terrace houses and apartments in Sydney to have outdoor balconies.

• vacuum, sweep, or mop floors
• wash sliding patio doors and tracks (interior and exterior)
• wash window, sills and tracks (exterior)

Outdoor areas

Outdoor areas are easy to overlook during an end of lease clean, but they can still affect the overall impression of the property.

• Rake leaves
• Sweep hard surfaces
• Hose down hard surfaces
• Pressure wash (as required)
• Weed visible areas
• Clear drains

Garage

Garages are usually one of the simpler areas to clean, but they can still affect your final inspection if they look neglected. A quick tidy-up and surface clean is often enough to make the space feel presentable.

• sweep floors
• hose floor (as required)
• pressure wash (as required)
• clean cupboards, shelves, and drawers
• empty bins
• remove cobwebs

End of lease cleaning exclusions

While an end of lease clean covers the detailed cleaning tasks your property manager is likely to inspect, some issues may fall outside a standard cleaning checklist. These are usually problems that require professional repairs and should be discussed with your landlord or real estate agent before your final inspection.

• Mould Removal – Light surface mould may be cleaned where safe and accessible, but heavy mould, recurring mould, or mould caused by ventilation, leaks, or water damage may require professional mould treatment. If mould is present, it’s best to raise it with your property manager before your final inspection.
• Permanent Damage – Professional cleaning can improve many marks and stains, but some stains may be permanent and may be considered damage rather than a cleaning issue. Examples include water damage, carpet or flooring stains, and deep discolouration.
• Pest Control – Pest control is not usually part of an end of lease clean. However, if you have pets, your lease may include specific requirements around pest treatment. If your lease, agent, or property manager requires flea treatment, cockroach treatment, or another pest service, this will usually need to be arranged separately with a licensed pest control provider.

Real estate agent approval

You’re done the cleaning but hold on for just one more second. Before you return your keys, there’s that one last step. You’ll need to get your real estate agent’s approval during the final inspection before she decides to return your bond in full. If you’ve followed this cleaning checklist, you should feel more than confident about your chances. Our recommendation is to have your real estate agent inspect the property immediately after the clean, so you can efficiently address any issues in person.

An insider’s tip about bond refunds

Many tenants are unaware that they can submit their bond refund request as soon as they return the keys to the real estate agent or landlord. By doing this, the responsibility shifts from the tenant to the REA or landlord, who must dispute the claim within 14 days; otherwise, the bond will automatically released. If they choose to contest the claim, the landlord or agent must apply for a hearing with the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT).  

Lastly, all of this might seem overwhelming, but there’s still time to hire a professional bond cleaning service (we promise, it’ll be our only plug). If you want to save time and stress. Otherwise, we’re happy to provide this end of lease cleaning checklist in an easy to print PDF format.