The Complete End of Tenancy Cleaning Checklist (Room by Room)

When you hand the keys back, your landlord or letting agent compares the property against the check-in inventory taken the day you moved in. Anything that looks dirtier than it did then can come out of your deposit — and cleaning is, year after year, the single most common reason for deposit deductions in the UK.

The good news: a checkout clean is very predictable. Inventory clerks look for the same things in every property, so if you work through them methodically you can hand back a flat that passes first time. Below is the room-by-room checklist we use on our own end of tenancy cleans across London.

Kitchen

The kitchen takes the longest and is scrutinised the hardest, because grease and limescale build up in ways a quick wipe won't shift.

• Empty, defrost and wipe out the fridge and freezer (leave doors open if you're turning them off)
• Clean inside and outside all cupboards and drawers, including the handles
• Degrease the hob, splashback and the greasy tops of wall cupboards
• Descale the sink and taps until they shine; clear the plughole
• Wipe down worktops, tiles and the extractor hood
• Clean the washing machine drawer, door seal and filter
• Vacuum and mop the floor, including under appliances where you can reach

Ovens are a category of their own. A built-up oven is the most frequently flagged single item at checkout, so it's worth doing properly — we cover the full method in our guide to cleaning an oven for end of tenancy.

Bathrooms and toilets

• Descale taps, shower heads, screens and tiles — limescale is the giveaway that a room hasn't been cleaned properly
• Clean and disinfect the toilet inside and out, including the base and behind it
• Scrub the bath and shower tray; polish chrome and mirrors streak-free
• Wipe down extractor fans and any cabinets, inside and out
• Vacuum and mop the floor

Bedrooms and living areas

• Dust and wipe all surfaces, shelves, skirting boards and radiators
• Clean light switches, sockets and door handles where marks have built up
• Wipe inside fitted wardrobes and drawers once they're empty
• Clean internal windows, sills and frames
• Vacuum carpets thoroughly; mop hard floors
• Spot-clean marks and scuffs on walls and paintwork

If carpets are stained or the property allowed pets, professional carpet cleaning is often written into the tenancy agreement — check your contract before you assume a vacuum is enough.

Hallways, stairs and the bits everyone forgets

• Light fittings, lampshades and the tops of door frames (dust collects here)
• Behind and underneath freestanding appliances and furniture
• Inside the meter cupboard and airing cupboard
• Bins cleaned out, and any cobwebs in corners and ceilings removed
• External glass on patio doors where accessible

Should you do it yourself or hire a professional?

If your tenancy is in reasonable condition and you have a clear day, the checklist above will get you there. Where people come unstuck is time: a thorough checkout clean on a two-bed flat is a 5–8 hour job, and it almost always lands on the most stressful day of the move.

A professional clean also gives you something a DIY clean can't — a dated, itemised invoice you can show your agent if they dispute the standard. That receipt is often what settles a deposit query in your favour. You can see exactly what's covered, and what it costs, by building an instant fixed-price quote in about a minute.