Bond cleaning checklists for different property types

Bond cleaning is undeniably the most critical task determining the fate of your hard earned security deposit. Tenants in Victoria often lose their bond due to substandard cleaning. The Residential Tenancies Laws may vary from state to state in Australia, but the crux is almost the same, i.e., returning a rental property in a reasonably clean condition, minus normal wear and tear. To safeguard your full bond, the premises must meet the landlord's cleanliness standards outlined in the rental agreement.

However, it is crucial to understand that every property differs when it comes to bond cleaning. Whether you do it yourself or hire end of lease cleaning Melbourne experts, creating property specific checklist is essential to achieve spotless results. Before that, you need to understand potential challenges and cleaning approaches for apartments, houses, studio apartments, townhouses and shared accommodation in Melbourne to spruce up every nook and cranny with precision.

The duration and complexity of cleaning is determined based on the type, size and condition of the rental premises. Here is tailored bond cleaning checklists for each property type that can help you target living areas, bathrooms, bedrooms, bedrooms, hard to reach spots and exterior areas for a seamless final rental inspection. Make sure you arrange necessary cleaning supplies and refer to your property condition report for a customised cleaning checklist.

1. Bond Cleaning Checklist for Apartments in Melbourne

Apartments have compact layouts and fewer rooms compared to standalone houses. However, they have multiple shared spaces, like hallways, high rise balconies and confined spaces that tend to accumulate dirt and grime quickly. That’s one of the key reasons why landlords/property agent in Melbourne conducts a strict inspection of apartments, making attention to detail cleaning crucial. Here is a step by step checklist for efficient results.

• Deep Clean Your Kitchen: Remove grease from cabinets and cupboards, both inside and outside, as well as handles, the stovetop, range hood, and filters. Deep clean your oven, racksand a refrigerator. Wipe down splashbacks, countertops, sinks, taps, and unclog the garbage disposal.
• Bathrooms: Remove soap residue, calcium deposits and hard water stains from showerhead, shower screens and glass doors. Also, wipe down bathtubs, cabinets, and counters. Make sure you remove brown stains from the toilet bowl, around the rim area and clean tiles. Polish mirrors and chrome fixtures.
• A Living Room and Bedrooms: Dust ceiling fans, walls, air vents, light fixtures and fittings. Wipe down picture frames, shelves, side tables, mirrors, wardrobes and blinds. Ensure you vacuum the mattress, carpets and rugs, sweep and mop floors.
• Windows: Clean windows from inside and outside if accessible, especially if cleaning high rise apartment. Ensure you clean window sills, tracks and frames for spotless results.
• Balcony area: Sweep and mop the balcony floor, remove cobwebs from the walls, and dust the railings and outdoor lighting fixtures.
• Proper Waste Disposal: Tenants are expected to follow rigorous rules about waste disposal in apartments according to body corporate. Ensure you dispose of waste and do not keep personal items outside shared spaces, and maintain the highest level of cleanliness.

2. A Thorough End of Lease Cleaning Checklist for All Sizes of Houses

Houses in Melbourne are spacious, depending on the number of rooms and bathrooms. Plus, these have patio areas, lawns, driveways and garages that need detailed cleaning to pass the rental inspection.

General Cleaning Checklist: Living Area and Bedrooms:

• Banish cobwebs, inspect marks and dust from the ceiling, walls and fans
• Vacuum air ducts and filters
• Wipe down light fixtures and fittings
• Spot clean walls, light switches
• Remove stains from skirting boards, window frames and sills
• Vacuum door tracks and blinds
• Clean and disinfect the mattress and bed frames
• Remove stains from carpets and rugs
• Sweep and mop the floor

Clean and Sanitise Kitchen Surfaces and Appliances:

• Clean exhaust fans and windows
• Empty cabinets and wipe down cupboards, shelves and drawers
• Remove stubborn stains, grease and leftover food particles from an oven, microwave, and refrigerator inside and outside
• Clean the stovetop, rangehood and filters
• Wipe down countertops, benchmarks and tiles
• Clean and disinfect the sink and faucets

Bathroom Cleaning Checklist:

• Clean exhaust fans and windows
• Wipe down inside and outside cupboards and drawers
• Remove limescale and mould from fixtures and fittings
• Clean showerhead, glass doors and bathtubs
• Clean toilet, behind ‘S’ bend, under and around toilet seat and around cistern area
• Remove soap scum between grout lines
• Wipe down sink, counter, faucets and towel rails
• Polish mirrors
• Mop floors

Laundry Room:

• Wipe down cupboards and drawers inside and outside
• Clean behind the dryer and the washing machine
• Remove soap scum outside laundry tub, shelves and tapware
• Clean walls, windows and window tracks

Outdoor Cleaning:

• Sweep and mop the patio and deck area
• Remove weeds and fallen leaves from your yard
• Remove cobwebs and dirt from garage walls
• Wash exterior windows
• Pressure wash driveways

You can hire experts for a top quality end of lease cleaning Melbourne for spotless results. The estimated cleaning cost of houses depends on the size and condition of the property. The bigger the property, the higher the prices!

3. Bond Cleaning Checklist for Townhouses in Melbourne

Townhouses are a mixed amalgamation of houses and apartments, often featuring multiple floors and shared driveways. Make sure you deep clean all rooms, including kitchen surfaces, built in appliances (microwave, oven, stovetop and dishwasher), bathroom fixtures and fittings, scuff marks from walls and windows, light fixtures and fittings, tiles and grout lines, sink and faucets and floors.

Ensure you vacuum carpets and rugs and target hard to reach areas for quality results. A pre approved cleaning checklist is almost the same for townhouses, units and larger properties. If the property has a shared garage and yard, clean them thoroughly and sweep the floors to achieve a full bond back.

Tip: Townhouses are subject to strata or body corporate regulations. So, ask your landlords or property manager if you want to fix property damage, like shared walls or driveways in case of damage.

4. End of Lease Checklist for Shared Accommodation

There is no denying that shared living arrangements may have different tenancy rules in Victoria. Since the property is shared by multiple renters, each one is responsible for cleaning their personal room and the common room area. Before moving out, co tenants should pay their share of any damage, unpaid rent or cleaning costs in case of any disagreement.

When it comes to the cleaning checklist, pay special attention to personal areas like wardrobes, shelves, desks and windows. Remove all personal items, walls and hooks. For the kitchen, wipe down cabinets, appliances, sinks, faucets and countertops. Clean shared bathrooms to remove soap scum, hard water stains and mould using all natural cleaning products.

Do not forget to sweep and mop hallways and living area floors. Also, empty all bins and dispose of the rubbish before the final inspection. Make sure you clearly define your responsibilities and cleaning tasks as co tenants to manage work efficiently.

5. Studio Apartment Cleaning Checklist

Studio or 1 bedroom units are compact in size but nooks and crannies collect heavy soil, pollen and dust bunnies, which may lead to bond deductions. So, pay attention to hard surfaces, such as walls, air vents, crown mouldings, light switches, fixtures, and fittings. Do not forget to wash your windows inside and outside if accessible, window sills, tracks and blinds.

Deep clean your carpetsto remove pet stains spills and splatters. Degrease and disinfect kitchen surfaces and appliances, restore the bathroom's spotless look and remove all rubbish.

Tip: Look for mould and mildew and remove it as soon as possible before the final inspection to safeguard your bond money.

6. Cleaning Checklist for Furnished Property

A renowned end of lease cleaning Melbourne Company charges differently for a furnished property. It is a more complicated and time consuming job that can affect the final price. So, it is always good to ask questions before hiring professionals. If you are doing it, ensure you spruce up all rooms as per the above checklist, including the following tasks:

• Dust and wipe furniture pieces.
• Vacuum couches
• Remove stubborn stains from upholstery. Read care labels and cleaning instructions before using any product.
• Remove all items from the kitchen cupboards and clean them properly.
• Clean underneath heavy appliances

Tip: Click before and after cleaning photos to support your claim in case of disagreement over bond refund.

Infographic: Bond Cleaning Checklists for Every Property Type

Wrapping Up

Different property types have different cleaning requirements and strategies, but the objective is to restore them to their pristine condition. With the help of this comprehensive checklist, you can easily create a tailored checklist for apartments/units, houses, townhouses, and shared accommodation in Victoria, ensuring a seamless rental inspection.