Cleaning Checklist for Tenants Before Handing Over the Apartment

An end-of-tenancy cleaning is mandatory for tenants renting out properties in Singapore. As a tenant it is your responsibility to maintain and return the apartment in good condition to the landlord. It is also a good time to check your tenancy agreement to recall the condition of the apartment in the beginning of the tenancy. If you don’t clean up the space, you could face a hard time getting back your security deposit. You will have to ensure that the damages caused by you or visitors during the tenancy get repaired before you move out from the place. So, it is important to have a move-out cleaning checklist for tenants before you starting clean up the apartment.

One important thing you would need to make sure of while doing the move-out cleaning is giving yourself enough time to get everything done. Chances are high for you and your family members to get exhausted too fast when you’re dealing with too many responsibilities. Cleaning the space all by yourself is a good option to save on moving expenses. But if you are not up for that stress, you can book a move-out cleaning service on the Sendhelper app at economical rates. 

But before you decide on any of these, make sure that you call up your landlord and request them to send an inspection checklist (if you didn’t get one earlier when you moved in) so that you can base the repairing and cleaning activities on the checklist.

Must-do Move-out Cleaning Checklist

Cleaning Kitchen

The first item on a cleaning checklist for tenants will be kitchen cleaning. Start by emptying all the shelves and cupboards, removing all the deposits, dust and debris. Clean the interior of shelves using a small brush followed by wiping thoroughly with a dry cloth. Pull out all the appliances and wipe the floors and walls. Ensure that all appliances such as the washing machine, dishwasher filter, etc. are clean. You can use a steam cleaner to clean washing machine soap trays and warm soapy water to clean the dishwasher filter. The back area where you keep appliances for a long time gets dusty, so make sure to clean the area with a dry cloth. You can leave the door of the refrigerator open after you have cleaned it to prevent mould. Similar appliances that have shelves, racks, and cabinets will require a thorough cleaning.

Cleaning Living Room

You will need to clean the dining table, cupboards, shelves, racks, bookshelves, and TV set while cleaning the living area. Cleaning living rooms will most likely include extensive dusting and vacuuming as the room would most likely have decorations when compared to other rooms in the house. There could be many difficult-to-clean surfaces, so cleaning the living room could be more time-consuming than what you expect.

Cleaning Bathrooms

Start with scrubbing all the surfaces of bathrooms such as the tiles, bath area, and mirror. Clear the drains and plug holes from dirt and debris for the water to run away quickly. Scrub off the soap scum, mould and other buildups from the metallic surfaces as well. Include faucets, the shower, and drain gates. You will also have to clean the showerhead by detaching it. Soaking the showerhead in white vinegar overnight makes it easier for you to clean it. Also, check whether it is working after you fix it back.

Cleaning Oven and Hob

The oven could build up several layers of grime, burnt food deposits and grease over time if not cleaned often. Oven cleaning could get nasty and demand more time, effort, and the use of chemical agents. The oven will be one of the first items that is most likely to be inspected, so make it sparkling clean.

You can start to clean the shelves of the oven when its interior is completely cool. Wear rubber gloves while cleaning the oven. Remove the shelves for easy cleaning, set them inside a sealable plastic bag while you clean the other parts. 

You can use a newspaper to cover the oven floor. Scrape off burnt food particles from the interior surface, but make sure to spare scraping on other heating elements. You can buy oven cleaning kits, use an old toothbrush to clean the interior that is difficult to reach. Use baking soda mixed with a small amount of water for effective oven cleaning if you do not want to use harsh chemicals. You can now take out the removal door and clean it using a soft cloth after keeping it soaked in warm soapy water for a while. 

Similar is the case with burners, baking trays, hobs, handles, and other surfaces. You can clean the rings and burners of hobs by washing them in soapy water after removing them. 

To learn more, read this oven-cleaning article.

Cleaning Carpets

You can use a steam cleaner to make carpets and rugs look fresh if you have one. You can also consider hiring one if you don’t own one. They are cheaper and come with attachments that let you clean your house. A steam cleaner makes it easy for you to clean the windows, furnishings, floors, and tiles. 

If you are not considering hiring a steam cleaner, vacuum the carpets and get rid of dirt using a wire brush. 

Here is a detailed article on carpet cleaning.

Cleaning Walls and Windows

Check if the walls of the house have any dirty marks. Wash off the marks if you find any and paint them with some emulsion of the same colour. Fill the nail holes using wall filler putty and paint over them. Make sure that you use gloves and masks while using harsh cleaning agents.

Start cleaning windows from the inside as it is the easy way. You could use alcohol and vinegar to clean the glass of windows. Replace the cracked window panes as windows make quick impressions regarding the overall neatness of the house. 

Here is an easy guide to window cleaning at home.

Cleaning Furniture, Curtains, and Blinds

Vacuum the furniture and wash it using a dry wash solution. Clean and make the upholstery look and feel like they are in perfect condition without any change in colour or smell. Professional cleaners do a commendable job at this, especially in spaces frequented by people who smoke or have children and pets. You can even buy a wood polish or lemon oil and use it on furniture to give them a new look. 

You can easily follow the washing instructions if the curtains are washable or you can dry wash the curtains if they are not suited for machine wash. Follow the cleaning by the dusting of curtain rods. You can do this procedure for any fabric blinds of the house. You can also hire Sendhelper for professional curtain cleaning.

Do dusting on both sides if you have Venetian blinds in the space. You can then use a wet sponge to wipe the dust from them. You can clean wood blinds using a damp cloth; use a wood conditioner to prevent sun damage.

A cleaning checklist for tenants must include all of the above to ensure a peaceful apartment handover.

Move-out Cleaning Service in Singapore

Sendhelper provides professional move-out cleaning service for all kinds of properties in Singapore. We check the must-do cleaning checklist for tenants by the end of the service.

Book a deep cleaning service on the Sendhelper app. Add-on services are available in the app at affordable rates.

Enjoy $20 OFF your deep cleaning order until 30th September 2021. Use code MC20 before checkout.