Introduction

As a landlord, I can tell you first hand that I want to give you back your deposit. I don’t want to have to spend my time and money cleaning up a messy apartment.

Follow the steps below to let your property manager and landlord know that you cleaned up!

1. Work from the top down

Turn on lights and put in fresh light bulbs where needed. Clean the light globes of dust and dead bugs. Wipe down ceiling fan blades with a damp cloth or a dust magnet cloth, so they’re clean, top and bottom.

2. Check the windows

You may not be required to wash the windows, but you will need to check the sills and any flat surfaces for dust and dirt. Take care when maneuvering the blinds.

If blinds are worn and sagging, you shouldn’t be responsible. If they’re broken, you may be. Dust them as best you can without getting them wet.

3. Cabinets

Wash cabinets from top to bottom. Make sure to wipe down all shelving inside cabinets and shine a flashlight in each one to make sure you’ve gotten all your stuff.

Once you’ve fully emptied and cleaned a cabinet, leave the door open to track where you’ve been.

4. Stoves and refrigerators

There are three obvious indicators that a house has been left dirty: A dirty stove/oven, a nasty refrigerator and dead bugs in the light fixture.

You don’t need to use a lot of harsh chemicals to clean your oven. Your stove top may take some elbow grease. If your cooktop has coils, you may want to invest in new burner drip bowls. If you don’t know how to take out stove top burners, clean the cooktop as best, you can and leave the new drip bowls as a gesture of goodwill. You can buy them at any home improvement or warehouse store.

Clean your refrigerator with a simple mixture of hot water and vinegar in a spray bottle at a mix of 2 to 1. Once the refrigerator is empty, unplug it and clean all surfaces with this mixture. Leave the doors open to make sure it stays smelling fresh.

5. Flooring

Sweep and damp mop everything thoroughly. Unless you’ve been using a particular polish on any portion of the floor, don’t try anything new at this point.

Be certain to pay special attention to corners and awkward areas, particularly in bathrooms and kitchens.

If you’re required to clean carpets, test the rug for colorfastness and if you notice any loss of pigment, stop immediately! Contact your rental manager or landlord.

6. Baseboards

Just before you leave, go around the entire house and wipe down the baseboards with a damp cloth or dust magnet cloth. This will put a great polish on your cleanup work.

7. Front door

Wipe down the front door. If you have a storm door, clean the glass. Make the entry sparkle a bit to let the landlord and property manager know that you have treated the space well.

Final Thoughts

Messes are an expensive waste of time for landlords and property managers. There’s a difference between normal wear and tear and grime. Everyone wants you to get your money back!