End of tenancy cleaning London

End of tenancy cleaning can be a dreadful task if your tenants didn’t have your standards. My parents have had tenants for years, and for a long time they did the end of tenancy cleaning themselves.

Now I have tenants, and the first are due to move out in a couple of months. I bowed to my parents’ superior experience and knowledge now it’s my turn to don the gloves.

First piece of advice from Mum was to get a professional cleaning company in! Mum and Dad did the tenancy clean-up for twenty years before they admitted it was too much for them, but now they accept it’s time to pass it on to people who do it for a living. It’s tempting, I’ll admit, but I want to get to know the house we bought for renting. It’s our first so a little quality time would (might) be nice!

Second piece of advice was to clean the place enough to be happy to live there myself. Her theory is that if you give your tenants an attractive, well cleaned house or flat, they will care for it more than if it’s in a mess.

So from the horse’s mouth, here’s how to clean up a rental house:

Work from top to bottom and left to right, cleaning every surface in every room. As you go, note the state of the furniture and any marks or repairs needed and create a cleaning checklist, so that it’s easier to do next time or so that you can get a professional cleaner in to help you next time!

In the kitchen:

Make sure your tenants empty and turn off the fridge and freezer as they leave. If they don’t, the first thing you need to do is empty and switch both off as soon as you arrive for your cleaning day, so you can clean and defrost them thoroughly.

Clean the cupboards and drawers inside and out, top and bottom. Give the oven a really good bit of elbow grease. If the baking trays are a disaster it’s worth replacing them so your new tenants try harder than your old ones to make sure they’re well cared for. Clean the extractor fan and change the filter. Scrub tiles and polish them with glass cleaner. Wipe down all the appliances, light fittings, skirting boards while you run a dishwasher and washing machine deep clean through; clean out the detergent drawer and buff the glass door of the washing machine as well. Mop the floors thoroughly and, as a nice touch, line 3 apples along the windowsill or a plant that doesn’t need much love, but looks good.

In the bathroom:

Get your descaler out and go to town on the bath, shower and sink. Take the showerhead off and leave it in a bowl of descaler until all the calk is gone. After you’ve scrubbed the tiles thoroughly, polish with glass cleaner. Chances are the toilet bowl will need a lot of attention as well. Toilet cleaning Bristol. Clean the cupboards and drawers inside and out, top to bottom and mop the floor thoroughly.

In the bedrooms:

Pull out all the furniture and clean behind and underneath, wipe inside and clean the doors. Air the rooms, vacuum the mattresses and clean the windows, mirrors and pictures. As a nice touch, hang a scented bag in the cupboard – maybe even some of that smelly paper in the drawers because it can cover a multitude of sins!

In the living areas:

Clean the doors and windows, and again pull out furniture so you can clean underneath and behind. Dust all the surfaces and electrical fittings. Vacuum the sofa and chairs; clean the tables. Wipe around the skirting boards before vacuuming your way out of the room
Obviously every end of tenancy clean is slightly different, but by doing it once you get to know your house well and make it a place your new tenant will want to care about.