End-of-tenancy cleaning checklist (free printable).

In the UK, the average tenancy deposit is around £1,360. A failed cleaning inspection can wipe out £200–£800 of it. The good news: letting agents don't invent new things to inspect — they work from a standard checklist. Here's that checklist, room by room.

Kitchen — the make-or-break room

The kitchen is where 70% of disputed deposits come from. Most failures are in the oven, hob and behind the white goods.

• Oven interior — racks, trays, glass door, door seal — fully degreased (use dip-tank treatment or oven cleaner + 30 min wait)
• Hob — top, knobs, knob underside (twist them off), splashback
• Extractor hood — exterior, filters either washed in dishwasher or replaced
• Microwave — inside, including the turntable
• Fridge — defrosted, interior cleaned, door seals, drip tray underneath
• Freezer — fully defrosted (allow 24h), interior cleaned, door seals
• Dishwasher — interior, filter cleaned, seals
• Washing machine — drawer + drawer cavity, filter, door seal (mould check)
• Cupboards — empty, wipe inside top + bottom + shelves + doors (inside & out)
• Drawers — empty, removed where possible, wiped inside & out
• Worktops & tiles — degreased, joins between worktop and wall
• Sink — limescale removed from taps, around plughole, under tap base
• Behind / under appliances — pull out where possible, vacuum & mop
• Floors — vacuum + mop, edges and corners
• Bins — washed inside & out, no residue

Bathroom — the limescale battle

Limescale, mildew on grout, and the bit you forgot inside the toilet bowl. Three deposit-killers.

• Toilet — inside (under the rim), behind, base, seat top + bottom, cistern
• Bath / shower — descaled (white vinegar or limescale remover), grout brushed
• Showerhead & hose — full descale (often soaked overnight in vinegar)
• Shower screen — descaled both sides, seal at base wiped
• Taps & mixer — limescale removed, base, underneath
• Sink — basin, plug, overflow hole, underside of taps
• Tiles — full wash, grout scrub on dirty patches
• Mirror — streak-free, frame
• Extractor fan — exterior dust, behind grille if accessible
• Floor — vacuum + mop, behind toilet, edges
• Bin emptied & wiped

Living room & bedrooms

• All surfaces dusted including skirting boards, door tops, picture rails
• Windows interior — glass, frames, sills, tracks (vacuum tracks first)
• Curtains & blinds — vacuum or wipe blinds, light shake of curtains
• Light fittings & lampshades — dust
• Switches, sockets, thermostats — wipe
• Carpets — vacuum thoroughly, edges, corners, under removable furniture (consider professional carpet cleaning if heavily worn)
• Hard floors — vacuum + mop
• Doors & door frames — full wipe, both sides, top edge
• Wardrobes — empty, vacuum interior, wipe shelves
• Behind / under bed, sofa, large furniture — vacuum
• Walls — sponge any obvious marks, no scrubbing (you'll damage paint)

Hallways, stairs & outside

• Hallway — floor, skirting, switches, banister
• Stairs — vacuum each step + edges, banister, handrail
• Front door — interior + exterior wipe, letterbox, knocker
• Garden / patio — sweep, bins clean, no rubbish left (often inspected)
• Outdoor lights / sensors / cameras — gentle wipe, no spider webs

The 5 things tenants miss most

1. Top of the oven door — the gap between the door and the main unit traps grease.
2. Behind the kitchen tap — the porcelain or stainless behind the spout.
3. Inside the washing machine drawer cavity — pull the drawer out and wipe the cavity itself.
4. Window tracks — vacuum out the dust before wiping with a damp cloth.
5. Carpet edges — the strip where the carpet meets the skirting collects pet hair, dust and fluff.

How long does this realistically take?

If you're doing it yourself, allow:

• 1-bed flat: 6–8 hours solo
• 2-bed flat / small house: 10–14 hours solo (or one full day with two of you)
• 3-bed house: 16+ hours solo (a full weekend)
• 4-bed house: 20+ hours solo, professionals recommended

For comparison, two professional cleaners with proper kit will do a 2-bed in around 5 hours. Pricing for MK Sparkle's EOT clean is here — from £180 for a 1-bed up to £340 for a 4-bed, with the deposit-back guarantee included.

Should you do it yourself or hire pros?

Three honest scenarios:

• DIY makes sense if: the property is small, you're a clean-as-you-go household, you have time, you have proper kit (a HEPA hoover, descaler, oven cleaner, microfibres).
• Pros make sense if: you're moving on a tight schedule, the deposit is high (£1,000+), you've already had pets/smokers in, the agent is known to be picky, or you simply want the written re-clean guarantee.
• Hybrid (cheapest): You do the bedrooms & hoovering, pros do kitchen + bathroom + windows. Most companies (us included) will quote for this.

Common questions