The Ultimate End of Tenancy Cleaning Guide for Tenants and Landlords
A good clean isn't just about making a property look presentable. It's about tackling the dirt, grease, limescale and everyday build-up that can accumulate over time.
We've put together this guide to help you work through an end of tenancy clean, along with some useful cleaning products from Astral Hygiene to make the job easier.
Tenant or Landlord: Who Is Responsible for Cleaning?
If you're a tenant, the first thing to do is check your tenancy agreement. Generally, tenants are expected to return a property in a reasonably clean condition, taking into account its condition when they moved in and allowing for normal wear and tear.
For landlords, carrying out a thorough clean between tenancies can help ensure the property is ready for new occupants. It can also be a useful opportunity to spot any maintenance issues that need attention.
Whoever is doing the cleaning, approaching the property room by room makes the whole job much more manageable.
Where Should You Start?
Before getting started with the cleaning products, remove as much clutter as possible. Tenants should make sure all personal belongings and rubbish have been removed.
Once the property is empty, you'll be able to see areas that might otherwise have been hidden behind furniture or belongings.
A useful order to follow is:
- Remove rubbish and unwanted items.
- Dust surfaces from top to bottom.
- Clean walls, doors and skirting boards where necessary.
- Clean windows and glass.
- Deep clean the kitchen.
- Clean the bathroom and washroom areas.
- Vacuum carpets and clean hard floors.
- Check cupboards, drawers and other easily missed areas.
- Carry out a final inspection of the property.
Working from top to bottom is particularly useful, as it prevents dust and dirt from falling onto surfaces you've already cleaned.
Give the Kitchen Some Extra Attention
The kitchen is usually one of the biggest jobs during an end of tenancy clean. Grease, food residue and general grime can quickly build up around cooking areas, appliances, worktops and sinks.
Don't forget areas such as:
- Inside cupboards and drawers
- Cooker tops and splashbacks
- Extractor fans and filters
- Inside and around appliances
- Sinks and taps
- Tiles and grout
- Skirting boards
- Floors
For everyday cleaning around the kitchen, Super Professional Kitchen Cleaner can help tackle even more stubborn areas around cookers, worktops and other kitchen surfaces.
Always check the product label and manufacturer's instructions before use, particularly when cleaning delicate or specialist surfaces.
Professional Food Safe Kitchen Cleaner & Sanitiser Food Safe Kitchen Cleaner Sanitiser is a professional ready-to-use cleaner and disinfectant tested to BS EN 1276 and BS EN 13697, providing rapid bactericidal performance with a 30-second contact time. Designed for commercial kitchens, catering environments and food preparation areas, its non-tainting formulation cleans and sanitises hard surfaces in one convenient application. Ideal for worktops, tables, counters, equipment housings and other washable surfaces where effective cleaning and dependable hygiene are essential.
Don't Forget the Oven
The oven is one of those jobs that can easily be overlooked, but built-up grease and baked-on food can make a big difference to the overall appearance of a kitchen.
For stubborn oven deposits, Evans Oven Cleaner is a strong option. Its thick, foaming formulation is designed to cling to vertical surfaces and tackle baked-on grease and carbon inside suitable enamelled ovens, as well as appropriate griddles and cast iron hobs.
Because oven cleaners can be powerful chemicals, it's particularly important to follow the manufacturer's instructions. Check that the product is suitable for your particular oven and surface before applying it, and use the recommended protective equipment.
Evans Oven Cleaner should not be used on aluminium, painted, easy-clean or self-cleaning surfaces.
A little extra time spent on the oven can make a surprisingly noticeable difference when preparing a property for its next occupants.
Professional Clinging Oven Cleaner
Heavy Duty Professional Oven Cleaner - Clings to vertical surfaces, very strong and effective.
Give the Bathroom a Deep Clean
Bathrooms are another area where a thorough clean is particularly important. Limescale, soap scum and general grime can quickly build up around showers, baths, toilets and taps.
Work your way through:
- Toilets and toilet seats
- Sinks and taps
- Baths and showers
- Shower screens
- Tiles and grout
- Mirrors
- Floors
- Areas around and behind sanitary ware
For everyday washroom cleaning, Super Professional Ocean Breeze Toilet Cleaner is designed to clean and freshen toilet bowls while helping to remove everyday staining and deposits.
For more stubborn limescale, Super Professional Heavy Duty Descaler can be useful on appropriate acid-resistant surfaces. Always check the manufacturer's instructions and surface compatibility before use.
If you're tackling heavy deposits, remember that stronger chemicals aren't necessarily better for every surface. Using the right product for the job helps achieve a better result while reducing the risk of damaging fixtures and fittings.
Never mix cleaning chemicals together, particularly products containing chlorine with acidic cleaners.
Super Professional W9 Heavy Duty Toilet Descaler is a powerful toilet and washroom descaler formulated to remove limescale and grime from bathroom surfaces. Suitable for use on stainless steel, porcelain and chrome-plated surfaces, it is independently tested and supplied in a convenient 750ml bottle.
Keep washrooms hygienic and fresh with our Ocean Breeze Toilet Cleaner, certified to BS EN 1276 for proven bactericidal performance. Removes limescale, grime, and odours while leaving a clean ocean scent. Ideal for commercial toilets in hospitality, education, care, and high-traffic areas.
Cleaning Floors and Carpets
Once you've finished cleaning the surfaces above floor level, it's time to tackle the floors.
Start by vacuuming carpets thoroughly, paying particular attention to edges, corners and areas underneath furniture. Hard floors should be swept or vacuumed before being mopped.
For hard floor cleaning, Super Professional Floor Cleaner provides a practical solution for removing everyday dirt and grime from suitable hard flooring.
If you're cleaning a larger property or multiple rental properties, concentrated products can also be useful as they can be diluted according to the manufacturer's instructions.
Always check that a floor cleaning product is suitable for the specific flooring before use, particularly with wood, laminate and other sensitive surfaces.
Windows and Glass
Clean windows can make a surprisingly noticeable difference to an empty property, particularly when it's being prepared for viewings.
Clean the glass, frames and window sills, paying attention to fingerprints, dust and built-up dirt. Mirrors, glass doors and other internal glass surfaces shouldn't be forgotten either.
Super Professional Glass & Window Cleaner is a useful option for cleaning suitable glass surfaces and helping achieve a clear, streak-free finish.
Don't Forget the Small Details
When carrying out an end of tenancy clean, it's often the little things that get overlooked.
Take a few minutes to check:
- Light switches
- Door handles
- Skirting boards
- Radiators
- Plug sockets
- Cupboard interiors
- Drawer interiors
- Window sills
- Extractor fans
- Areas behind doors
- Areas underneath appliances
- Shower screens
- Taps and other fixtures
Individually, these areas might seem insignificant, but together they can have a big impact on how clean a property feels.
A Final Check for Tenants
If you're a tenant, don't leave your final inspection until the day you're handing back the keys.
Walk through the property room by room and, if possible, compare it with your check-in inventory or photographs. Make sure you've removed all belongings and rubbish and dealt with any obvious cleaning issues.
It can also be useful to take photographs once you've finished cleaning, giving you a record of the property's condition when you left.
Remember that normal wear and tear is different from damage or excessive dirt. The aim isn't necessarily to make the property look brand new, but to return it in the appropriate condition.
A Final Check for Landlords
For landlords, the end of a tenancy provides a useful opportunity to inspect the property properly.
Look beyond the obvious areas and check inside appliances, cupboards and drawers, around bathroom fittings and behind furniture. This is also a good time to identify any repairs or maintenance that need to be completed before the next tenant moves in.
Once everything has been cleaned, it's much easier to see whether anything needs repairing, replacing or refreshing.
Cleaning Products for Your Next End of Tenancy Clean
A thorough end of tenancy clean can feel like a big job, but breaking it down room by room makes it much more manageable.
Start at the top, work methodically, use the right product for each surface and give the areas that see the most use a little extra attention.
At Astral Hygiene, we stock a wide range of professional cleaning and hygiene products, including products from Super Professional and Evans Vanodine. From everyday surface and floor cleaners to specialist washroom and oven cleaning products, choosing the right products can make a deep clean considerably easier.
Whether you're a tenant preparing to move out or a landlord getting a property ready for its next occupants, a little planning can go a long way towards achieving a cleaner, fresher property.
Evans Clear Window & Glass Cleaner cleans quickly & very effectively. Suitable for cleaning various surfaces including chrome, plastic, computer, keyboards, glass screens, ceramic, porcelain & mirrors.
