End of Tenancy Cleaning Checklist: Room by Room

General information for England as at October 2026, not legal advice. Deposit rules differ in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland; check gov.uk or your deposit scheme for your situation.

For an end of tenancy clean, return every room to the standard recorded on your check-in inventory: kitchen appliances degreased inside and out, bathrooms descaled, floors vacuumed and mopped, skirting boards, doors and switches wiped, windows and sills cleaned, and every cupboard emptied. Work top to bottom, room by room, then photograph each room when you finish. Cleaning is one of the most common reasons for deposit deductions, so it’s worth doing properly.

Before you start: check your check-in report

The standard you have to meet is the one at the start of your tenancy, allowing for normal use. Not better. Open your check-in inventory and note what it says about cleanliness: “professionally cleaned”, “clean”, “dusty in places”. If the oven was recorded as greasy at the start, you don’t have to make it spotless. In England a landlord can’t charge you a fee for a professional clean, but they can deduct the reasonable cost if the property is left less clean than it was. See what a landlord can deduct from a deposit.

What you’ll typically need: degreaser, oven cleaner, limescale remover, multi-surface spray, glass cleaner, microfibre cloths, a scourer, a vacuum with nozzle tools, a mop, bin bags and rubber gloves.

Kitchen cleaning checklist

The kitchen is where most cleaning deductions come from. Allow the most time here.

• Oven: inside, shelves, racks, trays, door glass (between the panes if it comes apart) and seals. Soak shelves overnight.
• Hob: burners, pan supports, the surface and the controls.
• Extractor hood: degrease the outside, and clean or replace the filter.
• Fridge and freezer: empty, defrost the freezer, wash shelves and drawers, wipe seals, leave the door ajar if switched off.
• Dishwasher and washing machine: clean the filter, seals and detergent drawer; run an empty hot cycle.
• Microwave, kettle, toaster (if they came with the property): inside and out, descale the kettle.
• Cupboards and drawers: empty, wipe inside, outside and the handles.
• Worktops, splashback and tiles: degrease, including behind the taps.
• Sink and taps: descale, clean the plughole and overflow.
• Bins: empty and wash.

The kitchen checklist lists every item an inventory records.

Bathroom cleaning checklist

• Toilet: bowl, under the rim, seat hinges, cistern, base and the pipes behind.
• Bath and shower: descale the tray, screen, tiles and shower head; clean grout and silicone. Mould in sealant may need a mould remover.
• Basin and taps: descale, clean the plughole and overflow.
• Mirror, cabinet, shelves: inside and out.
• Extractor fan: wipe the cover (with the power off).
• Floor: behind the toilet and around the bath panel.

See the bathroom checklist and the WC checklist.

Bedrooms and living room

• Wardrobes and drawers: empty and wipe inside, including the top.
• Furniture: dust and wipe; vacuum under beds and sofas and between cushions.
• Mattress: vacuum, and treat any marks if it was supplied.
• Skirting boards, door frames, doors and handles.
• Light switches and sockets: finger marks show up in check-out photos.
• Light fittings and lampshades: dust, and replace dead bulbs.
• Radiators: dust the top and between the fins.
• Curtains and blinds: dust blinds; wash curtains if the label allows and they were clean at the start.
• Walls: spot-clean marks gently. Don’t paint over marks unless the landlord agrees.

Room lists: bedroom and living room.

Windows, floors and the hallway

• Windows: inside glass, frames, sills and tracks. Outside glass only where you can reach safely.
• Carpets: vacuum thoroughly, edges included. If the check-in says the carpets were professionally cleaned, or there are stains, a carpet clean may be worth it; keep the receipt.
• Hard floors: vacuum, then mop. Don’t soak wooden floors.
• Hallway and stairs: banisters, stair edges, coat hooks, the front door inside and out, the letterbox and door bell.
• Utility room: the washing machine and tumble dryer filters, and behind appliances if they move easily.

Outside, garden and bins

• Mow the lawn, weed beds and sweep paths if the tenancy made you responsible for the garden.
• Clear the shed, balcony or patio of your belongings.
• Empty and rinse the wheelie bins, and don’t leave bags beside them.

See the garden checklist.

The last hour: final checks

• Every cupboard, drawer, the loft and the shed are empty.
• No rubbish left inside or out (clearance costs can be deducted).
• Bulbs work, smoke alarms are on the ceiling and working.
• The fridge is clean and either running or off with the door open, as agreed.
• Windows shut and locked, heating left as the landlord asked.

Photograph it when you finish

Once it’s clean, take dated photos of every room from the same angles as the check-in, and close-ups of the oven, hob, fridge, toilet, shower and sink. If the landlord later claims for cleaning, these photos are your best evidence. DIY Inventory burns the date and time into each photo, works through each room’s checklist, and a check-out can start from your check-in report to show each item then and now. More on what to capture: how to photograph a rental property and the moving out checklist.

Should I pay for a professional end of tenancy clean?

You don’t have to. A professional clean typically costs from around £150 for a small flat to £400 or more for a larger house, depending on the area and the state of the property. It can make sense if the property was professionally cleaned at the start, if you’re short of time, or for the oven and carpets. Keep the invoice and ask what’s included. Some firms offer a re-clean if the agent isn’t happy.

Questions

Updated 27 October 2026