The Bond Clean Checklist Every Tenant Should Keep Handy

Getting your bond back comes down to one thing: matching the property to the exit checklist your agent inspects against. Most tenants clean hard but still miss the specific items agents look for. Here's the checklist worth keeping on the fridge for moving week.

Kitchen

• Oven cleaned inside and out — racks, trays, door glass
• Cooktop, knobs and rangehood filters degreased
• Cupboards and drawers wiped inside and out
• Benchtops, splashback and sink scrubbed

Bathrooms & toilet

• Shower screens, tiles and grout scrubbed; mould treated
• Toilet sanitised inside, outside and around the base
• Vanity, mirror, taps and exhaust fan cleaned

Living areas & bedrooms

• Skirting boards, door frames, doors and light switches
• Cobwebs cleared; ceiling fans and light fittings dusted
• Built-in wardrobes wiped inside
• Interior windows, tracks and sills
• Floors vacuumed and mopped; carpets steam cleaned if required

The easily-missed items

Air-conditioner filters, the inside of the dishwasher, marks on walls, the garage, balcony and any storage. These are the small things that quietly cost tenants part of their bond because they're out of sight day to day.

Carpets — check your lease

Many leases require professional carpet steam cleaning at the end of a tenancy, and agents often ask for a receipt as proof. If yours does, keep the receipt with your other documents.

Do it yourself or book it?

A small, tidy unit is doable in a day if you're thorough. For larger homes or heavy build-up, a professional end of lease cleaning service that cleans to this exact checklist — and backs it with a bond-back guarantee — is usually cheaper than a deduction. If you want a fixed price for a guaranteed clean, a specialist bond cleaning team will quote off a list just like this one.

Work top to bottom, tick every box, and photograph each finished room. That's the whole formula for a full refund.