How To Prepare Your Home For Move-Out Cleaning

Moving out of a home is one of the most stressful experiences. The process is filled with mixed emotions, mental breakdowns, and endless to-do tasks. Cleaning is one crucial aspect, especially if you are moving out of a rental property or selling your house.

According to Australian Residential Tenancy Laws, tenants must return the property reasonably clean as it was at the beginning of a lease. The unkempt condition can lead to rental disputes and bond deductions. Thus, it is more intensive than regular sprucing, targeting every nook and cranny with precision. This requires attention-to-detail planning without making silly mistakes.

Here is a complete guide on preparing a home for move-out cleaning. Follow these pro tips and leave your old property tidy and ready for the next tenant or owner.

Let’s Get Started!

1. De-clutter and Sort Your Belongings

Begin your preparations by decluttering your household belongings. As you move out of your current home, ensure you get rid of unwanted items to make your space look more spacious and clean.

• Pack the belongings that you want to move into a new home. This includes your personal items, furniture pieces, and clothing.
• Donate: It is good to donate items you no longer need but are in good condition. Most people donate old furniture or other useful items when downsizing their home.
• Sell: Organise a garage sale and sell out pre-loved items. This will help you earn extra dollars, which can be used in the move-out journey.
• Make sure you dispose of chemicals, batteries and other harmful products carefully.

De-cluttering is crucial when hiring a company for an expert end of lease cleaning Canberra. You can also remove large furniture pieces to allow cleaners to access dirt and grime without any hindrance or distraction.

2. Make a Proper Cleaning Checklist

Creating a move-out cleaning checklist can make a huge difference. It can streamline your schedule and help you effectively cover nooks and crannies. Inspect all your rooms and break down the session into manageable tasks. This includes dusting surfaces, washing windows, vacuuming carpets, cleaning bathroom surfaces, deep cleaning kitchen appliances, wiping baseboards and mopping floors.

3. Stock Up on Necessary Cleaning Supplies

You can’t win a cleaning battle with proper supplies. You will need effective solutions, solvents, disinfectants, scrubbing tools and sponges to tackle soap scum, grime and grease from surfaces. So, prepare your cleaning caddy in advance:

• Microfiber cloths and mops
• Sponges and brushes
• A vacuum cleaner with a brush attachment
• Broom and a dustpan
• Vinegar cleaning agent
• Baking Soda
• Lemon
• Rubbing Alcohol
• Telescopic dusters
• Warm Water
• Rubbing alcohol, etc

This will certainly save you time and energy.

4. Address and Do Minor Property Repairs

Before starting the cleaning process, walk through your home and look for property damages, such as leaky taps, broken doors, wooden window frames, decks, chipped tiles, scuff marks, and much more. You can also refer to your property condition report and make necessary repairs, except for normal wear and tear.

5. Empty Closets and Kitchen Cabinets

Whether you are doing it yourself or preparing for end of lease cleaning Canberra professionals, emptying closets and cabinets can save time and energy. Wipe down the surface with a DIY cleaning solution and let cleaners to major deep clean chores to help you pass the rental inspection.

6. Tackle Buildup Dust and Debris Top-to-Bottom

Take a damp cloth with an extendable handle and work from the top, such as ceiling walls and fans. This ensures that any debris and dirt that falls during the process are removed in the end. Follow the same approach and cover light fixtures, fittings, switchboards, blinds, sills, baseboards, floors, etc.

Tip: Use a microfiber cloth to catch tiny dust particles, pollen and allergens.

7. Pay Attention to Windows, Walls and Doors

When cleaning your home for move out, pay attention to walls, windows and doors. These are the focal points of any room.

You can clean windows and frames using a white vinegar solution. Spray and wipe down the glass frame and sills using a sponge or cloth. Next, run a squeegee to achieve streak-free results.

Painted walls can be cleaned using mild dishwashing soap and vinegar. Be gentle and scrub using a sponge. For scuff marks and grime, use a magic eraser.

Clean the door and handles using disinfecting wipes and impress your landlord or a potential home buyer.

8. Kitchen Cleaning: Appliances, Sink and Countertop

Remove oil splatters, food stains, gunk and caked-on grime from wooden cabinets, oven, BBQ grills, microwave interiors, fridge, stovetop and dishwasher using vinegar solution.

Use baking soda paste on countertops and sinks. This will effectively remove stains and grime. You can also unclog a garbage disposal using vinegar and baking soda.

9. Cleaning and Disinfecting Bathroom

Do not forget to clean your bathroom when moving out of your current home. Get rid of soap scum, grime, grease, and calcium deposits from showerheads, shower glass doors, tiles, tubs and toilets using your elbow grease.

Make sure you disinfect the counters, soap holder, and towel rails and clean the grout lines effectively using baking soda. Scrub using a toothbrush to achieve sparkling results.

Tip: To tackle mould, use 3 % hydrogen peroxide. Leave it on the affected area for 20 minutes, then scrub with a brush. Rinse and dry the surface completely.

10. Carpets and Floors

Vacuum clean your carpets to remove embedded dust and pet hair. For stains, blot it with a damp cloth and sprinkle baking soda to leave your carpets clean and deodorised.

Sweep and mop your hard floors. Do not use excess water as it could lead to damage, especially for wooden floors.

You can also hire experts for the best end of lease cleaning Canberra and get your full bond back.

Preparing A Home For Move-Out Cleaning

Wrapping Up

Preparing a home for move-out cleaning can help you save time, money and energy. This will also help you streamline the process while leaving a great impression on landlords or potential home buyers.