If you are moving out of your rental and new people are moving in, a deep clean is important to welcome new tenants. What is even more important is that you get your deposit back when your landlord shows up to investigate the premises.
Making sure the property is left in perfect condition is vital, and recent studies suggest that the majority of deposits that are disputed are the result of the property not being cleaned properly. Losing out on a deposit before moving into a new place can be devastating, especially if you feel you could have rectified the problem.
In this article, we will take a closer look at how you can save money on your tenancy cleaning.
You might think it is impossible to clean certain areas, but sometimes professional cleaners are there to prove you wrong.
Before hiring a cleaning company, consider researching the different companies online in your area. To save money, shop around by contacting several companies.
Hire Professional Cleaners
When you think about saving money, hiring a professional cleaning service might not sound like the cheapest option. However, if you are about to lose out on a big deposit due to cleaning the property yourself, consider hiring a reputable company with a lot of experience instead. These companies tend to use the best tools and chemicals to help clean even the most stubborn stains.
Many people search on Google and other major search engines for “end of tenancy cleaning near me” because they are aware that a team of professional cleaners will have worked on tenancy cleaning in the past.
Purchasing top of the range cleaning equipment and cleaning products can cost a lot of cash, and without having the expertise, it can prove extremely challenging trying to clean a property properly. Employing someone who has the knowledge and experience can help you save money and a lot of stress. Also, there is no harm in asking for a discount. Although they might not budge on the price they have quoted you, it is worth a try!
Do I have to Hire a Professional Cleaning Company?
No law states you have to pay a professional cleaner at the end of your tenancy, even if your landlord says there is. However, it might be well worth it, especially if you are in the process of moving into a different house or apartment.
Moving from one place to the next, especially if you have been living in the property for a long time can take a long time, and moving homes is one of the most stressful things a person can do, especially if you are moving with your family and young kids.
If you plan on cleaning the property yourself, make sure you have plenty of time before the landlord or property management comes to investigate the state of the building.
Make a Checklist
You have to leave your property looking great before new tenants move in. The entire house or apartment needs to be cleaned from top to bottom, but there are certain areas where you should pay close attention to. Consider making a checklist of areas that need to be cleaned. Here is a checklist that we have complied of areas that might be worth taking a look at:
- Ceilings: There are often cobwebs and other dust particles built up in the corners of the ceilings. Examine each ceiling, and get an extendable broom to clean it.
- Clean all the fixtures in the house: Before you start dusting and polishing sockets and other fittings in your house, turn off the electricity in the building.
- Walls: Marks on the walls in the property often stand out like a sore thumb. However, instead of buying cleaning products from your local store, just add some dishwashing liquid to warm water and scrub the wall with a clean sponge. After, dry it with a clean cloth.
- Doors: You can expect the landlord to examine each room, so the chances of them opening and closing every door in the house are high. Clean all the doors and the door handles thoroughly.
- Windows: Clean all the windows inside and outside the building. If you can’t reach the exterior windows, you might have to hire a professional window cleaner to do the job.
If you need to invest in cleaning products and equipment, keep in mind that you can use them again in your new property.
Carpet Cleaning
Sometimes, cleaning carpets can prove extremely difficult. Dust and other particles tend to get stuck in the fibers of the carpet, and coffee and wine stains are often very difficult to remove. However, these stains are one of the first things the landlord or management company will be looking for. Replacing a whole carpet can cost a pretty penny, so if you can’t remove the stain, perhaps it might be worth asking a professional carpet cleaner to get the job done.
Before you spend a lot of money on carpet cleaning products or on a professional carpet cleaning company, why not make your own cleaning products yourself. There are plenty of videos uploaded to streaming sites like YouTube showing you how to make your own environmentally friendly carpet cleaning products for a fraction of the price of commercial products for sale in your local store.
If you decide not to clean your carpets properly, you might lose your deposit, plus, be forced into replacing the old damaged carpet with a new one. Even if you feel that the previous tenants made the stain on the carpet before you moved in, try your best to have it removed. If you didn’t tell the landlord about the stain when you were moving in, then there is a good chance you will get the blame
Ask a Friend or Family Member to Help Out
One of the problems people face cleaning an entire house or apartment themselves is that they might not notice stains and dirt in certain areas, especially if you have been living in the building for several years. Bringing in a second pair of hands will not only save you money and time, but they might also see dirt, stains, and damaged areas that have gone unnoticed.
Some people have friends and family members that get a thrill from cleaning, so why not give them a call to see if they can help you out!
Cleaning the Bathroom
Just like carpets, the bathroom is another area where you should focus on. Unfortunately, you might have to invest in some cleaning products and tools specifically designed to clean different areas. The sink in the bathroom, the grime between the tiles, and the bathtub or shower all have to be cleaned thoroughly.
Consider removing the showerhead and giving it a good clean. If you clean your bathroom regularly, you can use an all-purpose cleaner that is readily available in most stores, however, if there is serious build-up in either the bathtub or shower, you might have to use an acid based cleaner instead.
Don’t forget to wipe down the mirrors and make sure the bathroom is smelling fresh when the landlord arrives. Although you won’t lose your deposit if there is a bad odor coming from the bathroom, it won’t leave a good impression.