End of Lease Cleaning Checklist: Room by Room for Canberra Renters

An end of lease cleaning checklist works best when you build it around your entry condition report, so the home goes back in the same condition it was in when you moved in, allowing for fair wear and tear. Work methodically room by room from the top down: the kitchen first, then the bathrooms and laundry, then the bedrooms and living areas, finishing with the floors. Compare your completed list with your property manager's own checklist before the final inspection.

At Aussie Duo Cleaning Service, we clean rental homes across Canberra and Queanbeyan through our end of lease cleaning service. This checklist follows the order our team uses and explains what ACT and NSW renting rules say, what cleaning can and can't fix, and when to book each part of the job.

Your entry condition report is the most important document for your end of lease clean. Legal Aid ACT's guide to condition reports explains what the report records and how you need to return the property when you move out. Because the report shows how the property looked when you moved in, photos or video of every room, taken at the start and again at the end, give you clear evidence if anything is questioned later.

Before you clean, find your copy of the report and any photographs you took when you moved in. Walk through each room and note anything that was already marked, stained or damaged, so you don't spend hours trying to remove something that was recorded at the beginning of the tenancy.

Many property managers also provide their own vacate checklist. If you've received one, compare it carefully with this list and your tenancy agreement, because an agency's checklist shows exactly what that particular agency expects to inspect. Have a checklist from your real estate agent? Send it to us before your quote. We'll review it alongside our checklist and confirm the cleaning tasks and any additional services required for your property.

In the ACT, the government's guide to ending a tenancy says the property should be returned in the same state of cleanliness and repair as at the beginning of the tenancy, with some wear and tear excepted. The landlord and tenant must do the final inspection together and check the home against the condition report signed when the tenant moved in.

Legal Aid ACT's fact sheet on rental bonds adds that you generally don't have to use professional cleaners. The exception is carpet: you may need a professional carpet clean if your tenancy agreement says so and the carpets were professionally cleaned at the beginning of the tenancy. If you can't agree on a bond claim, the dispute goes to the ACT Civil and Administrative Tribunal (ACAT).

In Queanbeyan and the rest of NSW, the NSW Government's page on getting your bond back says the property should be cleaned to match its original condition, and damage beyond fair wear and tear should be repaired before you claim your bond. Your landlord or agent then has up to 14 days to accept your claim.

The kitchen usually takes the longest, because grease and food residue gradually build up in places you don't notice every day. Empty every cupboard completely first, then work systematically through this list:

• Wipe inside and outside every cupboard and drawer, including the shelf edges, the hinges and the door fronts, where food splashes and fingerprints usually collect.
• Degrease the splashback, the benchtops and the walls behind the stovetop, paying particular attention to the corners and the edges around the cooktop.
• Clean the stovetop, the knobs and the control panel, removing any burnt-on spills carefully so you don't scratch the surface.
• Wash the rangehood filters in hot soapy water and wipe the rangehood inside and out, because grease builds up quickly underneath.
• Clean the inside of the dishwasher and the microwave if they belong to the property.
• Clean the sink, the taps and the drain thoroughly, then polish the stainless steel so water marks don't show at the inspection.
• Wipe the light switches, the power points and the door handles, which are easy to forget but noticed straight away.

The oven is often the hardest single job in the house, so give it plenty of time and follow the instructions on the product label. Our deep end of lease clean includes the oven. With a basic clean, oven cleaning is an optional extra.

Bathrooms are usually checked closely at the final inspection, because soap scum, mould and water marks are immediately visible on tiles and glass. Work methodically through each bathroom, toilet and the laundry in turn:

• Scrub the shower recess, the screen and the grout, removing soap scum and water marks from the tiles and the glass.
• Clean the bath, the basin, the taps and the plug holes, including the overflow and the area around the tap bases.
• Clean the toilet inside and out, including the cistern, the seat hinges and the base.
• Wipe the mirror, the vanity, the cabinets and inside the drawers, checking carefully for hair, makeup and toothpaste marks.
• Clean the exhaust fan cover, because a fan clogged with dust is easy to notice during the inspection.
• Wipe the skirting tiles and mop the floor, working towards the door.
• In the laundry, clean the tub, the cupboards, under the sink and the dryer lint filter.

Surface mould on grout and silicone can often be cleaned effectively, but deep staining inside old silicone may not lift completely, however much you scrub. If a particular mark was already recorded on your entry condition report, you aren't responsible for removing it.

Bedrooms and living areas usually take less time than wet areas, but small details like dusty skirting boards, marked light switches and grimy window tracks are surprisingly easy to overlook. Clean each room from the ceiling down:

• Remove cobwebs from the ceilings, the corners and the cornices, using an extendable duster rather than standing on furniture.
• Dust the ceiling fans, the light fittings and any air conditioning vents and grilles you can safely reach.
• Wipe the inside of the wardrobes, including the shelves, the hanging rails and the sliding door tracks.
• Spot clean marks on walls and doors, testing your cleaning product on a hidden area first to protect the paintwork.
• Wipe the skirting boards, the door frames, the light switches and the handles, which collect dust and fingerprints over time.
• Clean the inside of the windows, the sills and the tracks, and dust the blinds carefully from the top down.
• Vacuum the carpets and mop the hard floors last, once every surface above them has been cleaned and dusted.

Scuff marks can usually be reduced with gentle cleaning, but some marks won't come off without damaging the paint underneath. Holes, chips and worn paintwork are maintenance or repair issues rather than cleaning problems, so they're explained further down this guide.

Outdoor areas are part of the rental property too, so check what your tenancy agreement says about the yard, the garage and any storage areas. A basic outdoor checklist includes:

• Sweep the balcony or courtyard, wipe the balustrades and remove cobwebs from the corners and the light fittings.
• Sweep the garage floor and remove any rubbish and stored items, then lift fresh oil spills where you can.
• Take all rubbish and belongings with you when you leave, because our cleaners don't remove them.
• Clean the outside of the windows if your tenancy agreement or property manager specifically requires it.

Our end of lease clean includes sweeping and mopping suitable balcony floors, wiping balustrades and removing cobwebs. Our deep clean also covers the windows inside and outside on the ground floor. Upper-floor outside windows and pressure cleaning are separate services, which we can add to your quote.

Not every mark noticed at the final inspection is actually a cleaning problem. Legal Aid ACT explains that fair wear and tear depends on the cause and how serious the damage is. Minor scuffs and sun-faded curtains from ordinary use are likely to be fair wear and tear, while large stains and holes usually are not.

Cleaning can remove dust, grease, soap scum and most everyday marks. However, it can't repair holes in walls, chipped paintwork, burns, worn carpet, broken fittings or permanent stains. Those are repair or replacement issues, so discuss them separately with your property manager.

You also can't be asked to return the property in a better condition than when you moved in, which is another reason your entry condition report and photos matter so much.

Start planning approximately two weeks before you hand back the keys. Most tenants find the following sequence the easiest to manage:

• Book early. Book your cleaners and carpet cleaning as soon as you know your move-out date, so you can choose a time that suits your final inspection.
• Move out first. Remove all furniture, boxes and rubbish before the final clean, so every surface and corner can be reached properly.
• Keep the power and water on. Cleaners need electricity and hot water to do the job properly, so arrange disconnection for the day after the clean.
• Do the carpets last. Book carpet cleaning after the rest of the clean, so the carpets aren't walked on again before the inspection.
• Keep your receipts. An invoice for the clean and the carpet cleaning is useful evidence to show your property manager.

If you're cleaning yourself, read the label on every product and follow its instructions. The Better Health Channel's advice on chemicals in the home is to wear the recommended protective equipment, such as gloves and eye protection, work in a well-ventilated area, and never mix products, because some combinations can create poisonous gases. Before you hand back the keys, use this final walk-through:

A professional clean is often worth considering when you're short on time, when you've lived in the property for several years, or when the kitchen and bathrooms need heavy degreasing that would take a whole weekend. It's also practical when your tenancy agreement requires the carpets to be professionally cleaned, because both jobs can be organised together in one booking.

We offer two levels of end of lease clean. A basic clean starts from $220 for a studio ($200 + GST), $275 for 1 bedroom ($250 + GST), $352 for 2 bedrooms ($320 + GST) and $385 for 3 bedrooms ($350 + GST). It suits a home that's already in good condition and only needs a light freshen-up, and it doesn't include the oven, windows or carpets. Most tenants handing a home back to an agent need a deep clean. It starts at the basic price and can be up to double, depending on the home's condition, and it includes the oven and the windows inside and outside on the ground floor. Homes with 4 or more bedrooms are quoted after we see them. We confirm the exact price with a free quote before any work begins.

When you book carpet steam cleaning with your end of lease clean, it costs $38.50 a room ($35 + GST). You'll receive an invoice covering both services, which you can show your property manager as evidence of a professional clean. If your agent finds a task within the agreed cleaning scope that we missed, tell us within 5 days of the clean and we'll come back and re-clean it free.

Aussie Duo is a family-owned Canberra business that has been cleaning since 2013, and we clean rental homes across Canberra and in Queanbeyan. See our end of lease cleaning prices and our carpet steam cleaning service, or read our bond survival guide for more on getting ready to move out.

Request a free quote or call 02 5501 3316. We reply during business hours, Monday to Saturday, 7am to 7pm.