Whether you’re planning to do the end of tenancy clean yourself or you want to check a cleaning company has done the job properly, a good checklist is the most useful thing you can have. This one is based on the areas we see flagged most often at check-out inspections across Surrey, Sussex and South London.
Work top to bottom in each room — ceilings and high surfaces first, floors last — so dust and debris don’t fall onto areas you’ve already cleaned.
Before you start
- Find your check-in inventory. It’s the benchmark for everything. Note anything recorded as “clean”, “professionally cleaned” or “new”.
- Empty the property. Cupboards, drawers and floors can’t be cleaned properly with belongings in the way.
- Gather the right products. You’ll need a degreaser, a limescale remover, a multi-purpose cleaner, glass cleaner, microfibre cloths, non-scratch scourers, a vacuum and a mop.
- Allow enough time. A two-bedroom flat can take a professional a full day. Don’t leave it to the night before handover.
Kitchen checklist
The kitchen is where the majority of cleaning deductions come from, so give it the most time.
- Oven: inside walls, door glass (including between the panes where accessible), racks, trays and grill pan
- Hob: surface, burners or rings, knobs and the gap between the hob and worktop
- Extractor hood: outside, underside and filter (degrease or replace if it’s disposable)
- Splashback and wall tiles behind the cooker
- Fridge and freezer: defrosted, shelves and drawers washed, seals wiped, left switched off with the door ajar if agreed
- Washing machine: detergent drawer, door seal and drum
- Dishwasher: filter, door seal and spray arms
- Microwave inside and out
- Inside and outside of every cupboard and drawer, including tops of wall units
- Sink, taps and plughole descaled and polished
- Worktops, including edges and behind appliances where they can be moved
- Light switches, sockets and door handles
- Skirting boards and kick plates under units
- Floor vacuumed and mopped, including edges and corners
Bathroom checklist
- Limescale removed from taps, showerheads, shower screens and tiles
- Bath and shower tray scrubbed, including the edges and plughole
- Grout and sealant cleaned (note: deep mould staining may not fully come out)
- Toilet: bowl, under the rim, seat hinges, cistern, base and behind the pan
- Basin, pedestal and waste
- Mirrors, glass and chrome polished streak-free
- Bathroom cabinet inside and out
- Extractor fan cover wiped
- Radiator or towel rail
- Floor cleaned, especially around the toilet base and corners
Bedroom checklist
- Inside wardrobes, including rails, shelves and tops
- Inside and outside of drawers and bedside tables (if furnished)
- Skirting boards, door frames and doors (both sides)
- Light switches, sockets and handles
- Window sills, frames and internal glass
- Radiators, including behind and between panels where reachable
- Under the bed (if furnished) and behind furniture
- Carpets vacuumed thoroughly, including edges
Living areas and hallways
- Cobwebs removed from ceilings, corners and light fittings
- All accessible surfaces dusted and wiped
- Skirting boards, door frames and doors
- Window sills, frames and internal glass
- Radiators
- Furniture wiped and upholstery vacuumed (if furnished)
- Stairs, banisters and handrails
- Understairs cupboards and built-in storage
- Floors vacuumed and hard floors mopped
Final checks
- All bins emptied, cleaned and left clean inside
- No rubbish or belongings left anywhere, including lofts, sheds and garages
- All lights working (replace any bulbs that have gone, if your tenancy requires it)
- Walk through every room one last time in daylight
- Take dated photos of every room, including inside the oven, fridge and cupboards
Outdoor spaces, garages and extras
It’s easy to focus on the inside and forget everything else that’s listed on your inventory. Depending on the property, check:
- Gardens and patios — swept, weeded and tidy if the tenancy makes you responsible for them
- Sheds and garages — emptied of your belongings and swept out
- Balconies — swept and wiped, with no plant pots or furniture left behind
- Bin stores — no extra bags left for the landlord to deal with
- Lofts — often forgotten entirely
Note that outdoor areas and gardening aren’t part of a standard end of tenancy clean, so plan these separately.
How long should you allow?
As a rough guide, a professional takes around 4–6 hours for a one-bedroom property and a full day for a three-bedroom house in standard condition. Doing it yourself, without professional equipment, usually takes longer. If you’re handing back the keys on moving day, it’s rarely realistic to do both — which is why many tenants book the clean for the day after they move out, using key collection.
The most commonly missed items
Even thorough tenants tend to miss the same handful of things. Double-check these before you hand back the keys:
- The oven door glass and the grill pan
- The extractor filter
- The washing machine drawer and door seal
- Tops of kitchen wall units and wardrobes
- Limescale around the base of taps
- Behind the toilet
- Light switches and door handles
Doing it yourself vs booking a professional
You can absolutely do an end of tenancy clean yourself if you have the time and the right products. Where tenants usually come unstuck is heavy grease in the oven and hood, thick limescale, and simply running out of time on moving day.
A professional clean gives you the strongest position at check-out, and with Nestro it comes with a 48-hour re-clean guarantee: if your agent or landlord flags anything, we come back and put it right free of charge. Oven cleaning is included in every end of tenancy clean, with prices from £200 for a one-bedroom property.
Want to understand what the inspector is looking for? Read what inventory clerks look for at check-out.