The Ultimate Cleaning Checklist

You’re all packed up and ready to move on, but there’s just one last thing to do – clean.

Leave a clean house behind and ensure you get that all-important rental bond back and the perfect tenancy reference! If you are one of those people who love to have a checklist here’s a look at our comprehensive Cleaning Checklist – with cleaning TIPS too!

Inside

Clean walls of any marks or scuffs.
When cleaning light fittings, remove dead insects inside covers.
Replace any globes that are not working.
Wipe the tops of the ceiling fans and blades.
Polish door knobs, wipe doors and door frames down – including the top of frames and both sides especially around the handle.
Wipe outlets an light switches to remove dust.
Clean the windows inside and out, as well as tracks and window ledges or sills.
Dust flyscreens and wipe security screens. Remove any animal hair.
Clean Air conditioning filters, wipe grooves along the front lid, and the tops of air cons.
Tip: if you have a ducted air conditioner the air intake filter and external vents need cleaning.
Tip: Try leaving the air con covers open so that you know the air con filters have been done.
Wash any washable curtains
Clean any blinds or furniture. Tip: If you are unable to remove marks or dust try Amazing Clean 0419 863 848. Carpet cleaners can clean fabric furniture and mattresses.
Dust skirting board, window ledgers, window or door tracks, curtain rods and ceiling fixtures.
Floors – mop or wash as required.

Top Cleaning Tip: Try an Enjo (or the like) mop/squeegee with a handle to wipe the walls from top to bottom. It is so much easier than spot cleaning walls and saves from sore arms! Try sugar soap too – it removes marks easier.

Kitchen

Empty all cabinets and drawers and wipe them clean.
If you’re leaving behind a dishwasher, empty the filter and run a cycle with an appropriate cleaning solution to get rid of all residual food.
Your oven / griller, racks and trays may need some serious scrubbing because high temperatures may cook marks well. Not a problem!
Tip: Remove the shelving, drip pans, burners and try soaking them in a bath tub or spraying them with oven cleaner before scrubbing them clean. Steel wool may work well on the racks and shelving too.
The stove top may have built up oil reside where you cannot see. Remove knobs and burners and wipe top, control display, panels.
Tip: use some stainless steel cleaner to leave it looking shiny on stainless steel surfaces. Use Cerapol for ceramic stove tops – it bring the glass back to new with little effort!
Clean the range hood by removing filters and cleaning underside of this appliance. Clean your filters free of any oil residue.
Tip: don’t forget to put all bits and pieces back.
Disinfect the benchtops.
Wipe the sink and taps clean of all soap residue and so the stainless steel is streak free and shiny.
If you are leaving a fridge behind, turn it off and leave doors ajar when you have finished.

Top cleaning tip: Give yourself a full day after the removalists have left to complete your cleaning.

Bathroom

Rinse and remove soap scum or calcium build up from the bathtub, screen and shower recess and walls.
Scrub tiles and grout. Tip: Use bleach, gumption or any other tough cleaning product with a scrubbing brush.
Empty vanity drawers and shelves and wipe clean.
Clean the toilet. Tip: make sure that it is clean to the back and underneath.
Clean the exhaust fan and vacuum away any visible dust.
Replace the shower curtain if you had one provided at the start.
Clean any mould off affected areas.
Don’t forget to leave the plugs.

Top Cleaning tip: Keep all of your cleaning supplies in one bucket so you can easily move from room to room without back tracking.

Laundry

If you are leaving a washing machine behind pull the agitator apart to clean the lint filter, the internal shaft and the softener cup.
Wipe out under the trough and don’t forget to leave the plug

Living areas and bedrooms

Dust skirting board, window ledgers, window or door tracks, curtain rods and ceiling fixtures.
Polish door knobs, wipe doors and door frames down – including the top of door frames and both sides of the doors especially around the handle.
Wipe outlets an light switches to remove dust.
Clean the windows inside and out.
Vacuum carpets or organise a professional steam clean.
Mop floor boards or tiles or vinyl.

Top cleaning tip: Mop from the furthest point of the room, finishing at the door way.

Outside:

Pull any weeds, remove fronds, mow and edge the grass.
Clean any stains or mould on decking, pathways, drive way or stairs.
Tidy up existing garden furniture or hoses.
Remove pet droppings and pet hair. Tip: don’t forget to remove marks on walls/posts where animals have rested.
Fill in any dog dug holes and replace any damaged reticulation, sprinklers or flyscreens.
Remove rubbish from bins and disinfect bins.
Clean off any oil stains or marks.
Clean out, dust and sweep garages and sheds

Finally, say goodbye and lock the door behind you. Done and dusted!