For a lot of people moving out of rented accommodation one of the things on their mind is whether they will get their bond money back. This is the money you handed over with your first month’s rent. The landlord holds it in case you cause damage to the property and in case you do not leave it in the condition you moved in to. This means as a renter a useful tool is an end of lease cleaning checklist. Here is a look at planning ahead and what a checklist might look like.

Planning the cleaning well ahead of moving day

The key to not feeling rushed and stressed on the day of the move is to handle not just the packing well ahead of time but to also tackle some of the cleaning a few weeks ahead of time. There are likely areas you do not use, or that you can live without. Pack up the spare room first, and clean it. You do not have to clean everything all in one go. When you have given yourself enough time you can clean just the skirting boards, just one wall a night, vacuum another night and so on. Clean out a kitchen cupboard you do not need and clean it the next night. Do the same in the bathroom.

Do your cleaning room by room

If you clean ahead of time, when it comes to the day of the move you will find some of your rooms only need one last dust, or wipe, if they even need that. Take it room by room, perhaps moving from the back to the front, if the back rooms are less used.

Clean thoroughly

When you are looking at your end of lease cleaning checklist your cleaning needs to be better than just a quick dust and vacuum. You need to do a thorough clean that includes floors, walls, light fixtures, appliances that are staying behind, pulling out everything and even cleaning in the tracks of windows, the windows and doors.

Make sure you move things out the way

As part of the cleaning properly tip but worth mentioning again as not everyone does it, you need to pull everything out to clean behind and underneath it. Any appliance or piece of furniture that is staying needs not just a clean inside it, but also all around it. Under the oven, the fridge, the bed, the microwave and so on.

End of lease cleaning checklist

Here are some key points on your cleaning checklist for the trickiest places to clean;

Kitchen cleaning should include;

• * The oven, the stovetop, the hood, the filters, the racks as well as under it and behind it

• * Remove food debris from the sink drain, clean the taps and sink

• * Wipe down all the surfaces

• * Do not leave anything in the cupboards or drawers, clean them and the doors, handles and such

• * Clean all the kitchen walls, the light fixture, the light switch, the floor

• * Clean any other appliances like the microwave, fridge, freezer, dishwasher, clean inside pulling everything out and clean around and under them

• * Fix any damage from holes in the walls to dents and marks, use a touch of paint if needed

• * Clean the windows and the window ledges, the doors, top of the doors and blinds

• * Make sure all rubbish is removed and chucked away appropriately

Bathroom and laundry room cleaning should include;

• * Clean and polish any mirrors

• * Clean and wipe basins and taps

• * Scrub the toilet and disinfect including under the seat and around the whole bowl

• * Clean the shower and bath, taps, showerhead, grouting, glass

• * Wipe down toilet paper holders, fans, towel rails, soap holders

• * Make sure all cupboards are empty and clean inside and out

• * Clean the floors and walls