Bond Cleaning Checklist: How to Get Your Full Bond Back

The Sunshine Coast rental market has become unpredictable in recent years, with real estate managers enforcing more stringent requirements before refunding a tenant’s bond. Renters/tenants often feel under pressure to meet strict standards to pass their final rental inspection. While landlords expect properties to be restored in near perfect condition, tenants are only obligated to return the property in the same condition as it was at the start of a tenancy (beyond fair wear and tear).

Since most rental disputes and deductions arise from cleanliness issues, ensure you perform a meticulous bond cleaning at the end of your tenancy. Remember that trivial oversights, such as dingy grout lines and greasy oven racks, can lead to bond deductions and penalties. That’s where a comprehensive bond cleaning checklist comes in.

Highly trained cleaning professionals also follow a pre approved cleaning task list to help tenants secure full bond money. In this guide, we’re sharing a standard bond cleaning checklist, which can be a roadmap towards a hassle free bond retrieval process. Ensure you refer to the property condition report and review your lease agreement to understand your cleaning responsibilities as a tenant.

Let’s Get Started!

1. General Bond Cleaning Checklist for All Rooms

Tenants in Queensland are responsible for maintaining a clean and hygienic rental property to pass the rental inspection. Whether it’s your dining area, living room or bedroom, a general cleaning checklist helps you tackle hidden grime and dirt effectively. This task list will help you spruce up even the most neglected areas with precision:

• Remove cobwebs, insect marks and dust particles from walls, ceiling fans and mouldings
• Clean the air vents and filters
• Dust all fan blades, light fixtures and fittings
• Clean cupboards, shelves, drawers and cabinets from the top, inside and outside
• Spot clean walls to remove scuff marks and grime
• Wash windows, sills and tracks inside and outside (if accessible)
• Vacuum blinds and clean curtains
• Vacuum door tracks
• Disinfect high touch spots like door handles, cabinet doors and rails
• Clean carpets and rugs
• Sweep and mop the floor

Professionals always follow the top to bottom approach to ensure a guaranteed bond cleaning Sunshine Coast to prevent unnecessary disputes and bond penalties.

2. Kitchen Cleaning Checklist for Meticulous Results

From buildup grease to cooking messes and filthy appliances, a kitchen takes a lot of abuse on a daily basis. Overlooking dirt and grime can breed harmful germs and bacteria, leading to foodborne illnesses and other health hazards. Since landlords strictly inspect every nook and cranny of the kitchen, ensure you follow this standard checklist for attention to detail cleaning:

Kitchen Cabinets and Cupboards:

Empty the pantry and wipe down inside and outside to remove loose food particles and debris. Degrease your cabinets using a baking soda and warm water solution.

Clean Kitchen Appliances:

Eliminate burnt food particles, carbon deposits and baked on grease from an oven, microwave and BBQ using all natural cleaning products. For a refrigerator, first empty it, then submerge the drawers and wipe down the inside and outside for a spotless shine.

Rangehood and filters:

Wipe down the range hood using the vinegar solution. Ensure you wash filters in hot, soapy water and scrub them using soda crystals.

Stovetop and Countertops:

Scrub the stovetop and its knobs using the vinegar solution. For natural stone countertops, baking soda can do wonders.

Backsplash area:

Wipe down the backsplash area with castile soap. You can use an old toothbrush to clean the grout lines.

Disinfect and polish the sink and faucets:

It is good to remove hard water stains from faucets and sink area using eco friendly products. Scrub gently to prevent scratches.

Unclog and Deodorise Garbage Disposal:

Pour a cup of baking soda, followed by a cup of vinegar, to dislodge gunk and stuck food particles. Then, pour hot water down the drain after an hour to achieve the best possible outcomes.

3. Restore Your Bathroom Shine: A Complete Checklist

A standard bond cleaning checklist includes bathroom fixtures and fittings to leave a great impression on landlords and property managers. Start by descaling your showerhead, glass doors, and walls with a mixture of white vinegar and warm, soapy water. Ensure you remove calcium deposits, soap scum, and other stubborn stains from your bathtub, tiles, and counters using a magic eraser to prevent scratches.

It is good to go an extra mile to eliminate brown stains and bad odours from the toilet, around the rim area and the ‘S’ bend. Also, clean and disinfect the towel rails, taps, cabinet doors, and doorknobs to prevent the spread of germs.

To tackle mould and mildew stains, mix 3% hydrogen peroxide and spray it on the affected area. Scrub, rinse, and dry to prevent regrowth. You can also take professional assistance for a quality bond cleaning Sunshine Coast to secure your full bond money.

4. Pay Attention to the Laundry Room

Most tenants forget this area and lose a significant portion of their bond money. Ensure you clean both the inside and outside of all drawers and cupboards. Spruce up behind the dryer and washing machine. Clean inside the laundry tub and tapware. Also, pay attention to walls and floors. It is always good to meet the real estate agent’s expectations to prevent unanticipated disputes.

5. Living Room and Bedroom Cleaning Guide

Start slow and remove loose dirt, debris, dead skin cells and pet hair from the soft furnishings and mattress in the bedroom. Also, clean the baseboards, light switches, and picture frames using a damp microfibre cloth. If your carpets are stained, blot them using a white vinegar solution or consider steam cleaning to maintain their lustre appeal. Ensure you clean inside, outside, and on top of the wardrobes, side tables, etc., as landlords pay attention to these areas before releasing the bond money.

Tip: Change the bed sheets, fluff pillows and refresh your bedroom.

6. Outdoor Cleaning Checklist

A professional bond cleaning Sunshine Coast also includes outdoor areas. As a tenant, it is your responsibility to mow the lawn and clean the driveway. Also, clean the patio floors, sweep garage walls and exterior windows to leave a lasting impression on your landlord.

Infographic: Guide to Bond Cleaning for Full Refund

Wrapping Up

Moving out of a rental property is one of the stressful undertakings, buts a meticulous bond cleaning can streamline the process. With the help of this detailed checklist, you can easily clean every nook and cranny while meeting the landlord’s strict standards to secure the full bond money.