End of Tenancy Cleaning Checklist: Get Your Deposit Back

Moving out is stressful enough without the worry of losing part of your deposit to cleaning disputes. After cleaning thousands of London rentals, from studio flats in Walthamstow to family homes in Loughton, our team has a clear, repeatable approach that consistently passes inventory checks.

This guide is the same checklist our cleaners use on the day of an end-of-tenancy job. Whether you're tackling it yourself or want to know what good looks like before booking a professional, work through it room by room.

Before you start

A property cleans much faster when it's empty. Pull everything out of cupboards and wardrobes, take down personal items, and arrange to have rubbish removed. Open windows for ventilation and have bin bags, microfibre cloths, a good degreaser, a limescale remover, an oven cleaner and a vacuum cleaner ready.

If your contract mentions "professional clean to inventory standard", agents are looking for the level of finish a trained team delivers, not a quick tidy-up.

Kitchen

The kitchen is where deposits are most often lost. Inspectors look closely at the oven, hob, extractor, fridge and behind appliances.

Empty and defrost the fridge and freezer 24 hours before the clean. Pull out the cooker (where safe) and clean the floor and walls behind it. Strip the oven racks and trays and degrease them, then clean the interior glass, top, sides and rubber seal. Wipe down the extractor hood, including the metal filter (this often soaks in hot soapy water). Descale taps and the sink, polish stainless-steel surfaces, and clean inside every cupboard and drawer, including the kickboards. Finish with skirting boards, light switches and the floor.

Bathroom

Limescale is the bathroom's giveaway. Treat showers, screens, taps, tiles and shower heads with a proper descaler, not just a multi-surface spray. Clean grout where you can, scrub the toilet base and behind the cistern, polish mirrors and chrome, wipe extractor vents, and finish with the floor. Don't forget the back of the door and the bin.

Living areas and bedrooms

Dust top-to-bottom: light fittings, picture rails, shelves and skirting. Wipe doors, frames and the tops of doors (a common inspector spot-check). Clean inside and out of windows, including frames and sills. Vacuum carpets thoroughly and consider a professional carpet clean if there's any visible marking, most agents will simply deduct for a full clean if even one carpet looks tired.

Hallway, stairs and entry

These are the first things an inspector sees. Vacuum and mop, wipe scuffs off walls and skirting, clean the inside of the front door and the letterbox, and don't forget the bannisters.

Final walk-through

Walk every room with fresh eyes (or, ideally, a friend's). Open every cupboard. Look up at light fittings. Check the back of doors. Run a finger along window sills. If anything looks tired, fix it now rather than after the inventory.

When to call in a professional

If you're time-poor, the property is large, or your contract specifies a professional clean, a one-off end-of-tenancy service usually pays for itself in deposit savings, and most reputable cleaners (us included) offer a free re-clean if the agent flags genuine issues within 48 hours.

Need a hand? See our end of tenancy cleaning service or request a free quote, we cover all of East, North and Greater London.