Moving out of a rental property can often feel like an overwhelming task and the last thing on your mind is cleaning. This means that many people are leaving their homes in a state they wouldn't expect to see themselves. However, this would come at a cost if you’ve rented an apartment in Singapore.
Your landlord is more likely to find issues while inspecting the poorly maintained condition of the apartment. Chances are you won’t get back your deposit in full. To prevent this, it's important to make sure you take care of all the cleaning before you move out. It will help you avoid being charged for the repair or replacement of floors and furniture that may appear damaged during your time in the property. As such, end-of-tenancy cleaning plays an important part in sprucing up the look of the apartment and restore it to its original state.
We’ve previously covered what to do for house cleaning before moving in but what about moving out? The entire cleaning process may seem daunting at first but with the right approach, doing everything will be much easier than expected!
What to Clean Before Moving Out
1. Cabinet and wardrobe
For starters, you can get started by dusting the cabinets and wardrobe doors in every room. This can be done using either a soft microfibre cloth or feather duster. While you’re at it, you can also wipe down the doors and frames to get more done with the time you have. The kitchen and bathroom will understandably take longer to clean as certain parts with more grime buildup may be harder to scrub. However, be careful to avoid scratching the surfaces while tackling any tough marks.
2. Ceiling fan and air conditioner
You’ll be surprised by how much dust has accumulated in these parts of the house. Get a duster and focus on cleaning your ceiling fan. Expect it to get a bit dirty as you remove the dust particles accumulated at the top and edges of the fan blades. You can also wipe the fan but make sure to dry it at the end - dust may otherwise stick to the damp blades.
The air-con should also function at its best when your landlord assesses this area. You may consider either normal air-con services or chemical overhaul services to get the job done. Usually, these are also factored in house cleaning services so it depends on how thorough you want the deep clean to be.
3. Curtains
You may also think about wiping the windows and grilles but more than that, it is essential to freshen the look of the curtains and remove any unpleasant odours. Take note that specific materials require a different cleaning method to wash them. As such, it is probably wise to choose professional curtain laundry instead of doing your own home machine wash when it comes to keeping the fabric of the drapes in tip-top condition. You can also learn more about onsite and offsite curtain cleaning services to find out which may suit your schedule better.
4. Floor
Finally, you’ll want to grab your cleaning supplies and tend to your floors as the last step. This is the time to get rid of any dust and debris - as a result of all the other cleaning - as well as hard water spots and stains on the floor. From the living room to the bedroom, give the floor a once-over by vacuuming before proceeding to wipe or mop. Don’t miss out on the hard-to-reach areas so the entire floor looks just as good as when you first stepped in.
Give the Apartment the Attention it Deserves
As a finishing touch, don’t forget to clear the trash to present an impeccably clean and hygienic space during handover. Moving out cleaning is not something that people are always aware of. Yet, there can be a lot to think about when you’re packing up and it’s easy to forget that you can simply leave the job to specialised cleaning services in Singapore. In fact, those who do decide to hire professionals will find themselves with a much simpler process in many ways. Schedule your handover cleaning in advance with Big Mama today!