Renting is expensive. When it comes time to move out of an apartment or home, the hope is always to get back that expensive security deposit. However, often times the landlord is left with a hefty cleaning workload in order to make the unit ready to be rented once again. Whenever this happens, it’s goodbye security deposit! So what are the most important places to clean that often get forgotten?
1. Behind the Stove
It is extremely simple to forget about cleaning behind and under appliances. No matter how thorough a home cleaning, going beneath and behind extremely heavy appliances often feels unnecessary. Over time, these locations build up, and become progressively less clean. These are appliances we use every day, but seldom need to move around (thank goodness for that!). Despite this fact, dust and food build up and get lost for months, even years. Often times, landlords will find unpleasant surprises from crumbs and dust developing behind the stove.
2. Under the Refrigerator
Just as with the stove, crumbs and dust develop behind and underneath the refrigerator. Take the time to pull out the fridge and vacuum up messes left behind. Landlords do not want take the time to clean up these messes, and may need to hire someone to take care of what was left behind. By taking a few minutes to clean up, the security deposit is likely not to be kept.
3. Ceiling Fixtures
Most people don’t think to clean out the light fixtures unless a light bulb is being changed. In some rentals, light fixtures are never even touched by the tenant, as maintenance often handles light bulb changes. Once tenants are moved out, finding dust build up and dead flies is extremely unpleasant to property owners. With this as well, it can be easy to forget to clean off ceiling fans if they are not in use. Make sure to wipe away that developing layer of dust.
4. Paint Over
After living somewhere for a while, plenty of pictures get hung up, brackets for the TV get hung up, and shelves get hung up – it’s what makes a home look like home. Once everything comes down, the walls are full of holes! Landlords end up needing to patch and paint, wasting a lot of their time and money. Because of this, your security deposit becomes the means with which the landlord can fix the problems created. Before moving out, putting putty on holes or just giving the place a fresh coat of paint is key to ensuring the landlord is pleased with the quality of the walls and ceilings. Make things look brand new again!
5. Check the Carpet
Many stains and spots on carpets end up unnoticed or forgotten. Once the furniture is out of the room, these spots can become visible and are one of the core reasons people tend to lose security deposits. Take a good look once rooms are empty and determine if there are any leftover marks on the carpets. Take the time to work out each and every stain to ensure landlord satisfaction.
6. Remember, Everything Should Look As Good As New
To prepare for tenant move in, landlords work tirelessly to clean up apartments or homes. The best way to keep all parties happy is to be diligent, and remember to make everything just the way it was the day of move in.
7. Not the Best Cleaner?
Hiring Footprint Commercial Cleaning ensures that all aspects of the investment property or office are clean and ready for move out. Stress is lifted from the shoulders of those already busy trying to pack and situate in a new location.
Footprint Services
As a family owned and operated Commercial Cleaning Company based in Newcastle we have been cleaning the Newcastle area for 6 years, specializing in Corporate Cleaning, Commercial Cleaning as well as Responsive Maintenance throughout Newcastle, Lake Macquarie, Maitland!
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