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Housekeeping

Find cleaning advice from other Mumsnetters on our Housekeeping forum.

Original poster

I need to leave my flat clean to "high domestic standards"!?

20 replies

MrsPear · 25/03/2013 20:16

So what on earth do you think that means?

I have a couple of days and i was going to clean the oven (oven pride) and washing machine (crystals and vinegar), dust, vacuum and wash the floors. As well as general wipe down of all surfaces. Oh go over the bathroom, after cleaning, with a dry cloth so it sparkles.

What else?

OP posts:
rubyflipper · 25/03/2013 20:21

If you can't get a cleaner, I'd suggest doing a thorough clean tomorrow, then getting a friend to check the property to see which bits you have missed.

specialsubject · 25/03/2013 20:41

tops of curtain rails and cupboards, lampshades, behind movable furniture, under beds. Sparkle up the kitchen, clean inside the cupboards.

had to do all that in my last rental. Not disgusting but a bit annoying. Left it better than I found it!

(the grill pan full of old grease wasn't good though - but you are clearly not going to leave that)

FourArms · 26/03/2013 14:29

Tops of cupboards, inside washing machine seal & drawer, remove all cooker bits and clean to new standard, tops of door frames & cupboards, tiles to squeaky clean in kitchen & bathroom, no lime scale on taps, toilets immaculate (easier to change seat than clean sometimes), shower head descaled, behind & under cooker, skirting boards washed, carpets shampooed.... (I was a Forces child!)

Wewereherefirst · 26/03/2013 14:32

If it can be moved it needs to be cleaned under/behind/on top of. Curtains cleaned, dusted, skirts cleaned walls/tiles washed where they can.

Was there an inventory at the beginning?

KatyTheCleaningLady · 26/03/2013 14:41

It needs to be as clean as a hotel room ought to be. Not one hair or speck of grease anywhere. Period.

forevergreek · 26/03/2013 14:48

I agree, clean as a hotel.

Easiest way it to leave everything soaking like oven/ grill parts first, wash machine on 90 degrees. So that all has time to work whilst you start elsewhere.

Start at the top first like on top of cupboards/ fridge. Dust, wipe sides, Hoover last so you can Hoover up any disturbed dust.

KatyTheCleaningLady · 26/03/2013 14:56

If your oven is a mess, for about £50, a professional oven cleaner will make it look brand-new in about an hour.

Original poster
MrsPear · 26/03/2013 15:01

Thanks for the ideas. At the least the flat came unfurnished so much easier to clean. Also there are only carpets in the bedroom so no stains.

So is hubby going to mind the kids or do the cleaning?!

OP posts:
Original poster
MrsPear · 26/03/2013 15:02

p.s the "excellent" national chain of estate agents forgot to do an inventory but charged us for it; some how missed thay at the time!

OP posts:
bamboobutton · 26/03/2013 15:08

You're in luck if you haven't signed an inventory, they have no comeback if you don't clean it to their exacting standards.

We had no inventory done in the house we rent and as it was a filthy grothole when we moved in its going to leftnlike that too. Well, within reason. I'm not going to bust a gut like i had to when we moved in.

KatyTheCleaningLady · 26/03/2013 15:09

I hate letting agents that charge for all sorts of crap. I have been really happy with Peapod, who only charge one basic admin fee. A lot of letting agencies charge both the landlord and the tenant and just seem to make crap up out of thin air to charge for.

KatyTheCleaningLady · 26/03/2013 15:14

By the way, sorry to derail a bit, but I'm thinking I won't take any more jobs for End-of-Tenancy cleans. It seems that there's too many parties involved, each with a motivation to be displeased with the work done. I got a scathing email from a landlord because a tenant moved in and claimed the place was filthy. I know the place was clean when I left it and I know the tenant was just trying to establish a baseline against getting their deposit back. The landlord hadn't seen my work and had only my word against the tenant's, and it was a really unpleasant experience.

When I clean homes for people who live there, I'm improving their quality of life and they're almost always thrilled with what I do for them (and if they're not, they can convey any concerns to me and I can work with them to satisfy them). When it's an End-of-Tenancy, nobody is happy and the expense is begrudged as a necessary evil, rather than a happy lifestyle enhancer.

erowid · 26/03/2013 16:41

Windows - inside and out, Skirting boards and radiators.

mathanxiety · 26/03/2013 21:44

Do you take photos, Katy?

Before and After photos can establish what you have done. A picture paints a thousand....

starsandunicorns · 26/03/2013 21:49

Foursarms I still march out of rented like that was forces child and then in the forces

A good tip is a thin line of thin neat bleach very close to kitchen units and floor and chuck bleach down plugholes just before you leave most LL smell bleach and wont go seraching for taking money off your deposit lots have tried with me but failed Smile

KatyTheCleaningLady · 26/03/2013 22:11

mathanxiety That is an excellent idea and if I ever do another EOT clean where the person paying me does not see the finished results before I leave the premises, I will do that.

In my situation, what saved me was pointing out that in the list of things I'd supposedly gotten wrong, there was not one mention of dog hair. The owner had four shedding dogs and there were balls of fluff rolling around that place like tumbleweeds, and she was well aware of it. I pointed out that if what the tenant claimed - that the place was filthy had not been cleaned by a professional - then he would have certainly noticed dog hair. She agreed that that made sense. But, it was still upsetting and I don't care to repeat the experience.

33goingon64 · 26/03/2013 22:15

When I left my last rented place I took no risks. I cleaned until my arms fell off. Then when the agents said they were sending someone round to check it, I decided to ask my very tall friend to come along, wearing a suit and glasses, and to look imposing but not say anything, making them think she was a lawyer. I made them say there and then that the house had passed and that I would get my deposit back. They tried to say they would let me know later, but I insisted they tell me right there, as we were in the house so if there was a problem they could tell me. In the end they gave in and agreed I could have the deposit back. Really glad I did as they had send two big burly blokes and I would have been on my own. Very intimidating, which is probably why they do it.

mamacoffee · 26/03/2013 22:40

Washing machine drawer. Easy to forget. I got caught out on that one, I didnt even think about it!

KatyTheCleaningLady · 26/03/2013 22:43

Oh, yeah! Also the inside of the refrigerator. I cleaned it, unplugged it, and left it shut. Got dinged for mold that formed inside (although it was only £12, which is really quite reasonable.) So, leave the fridge open.

Mandy2003 · 28/03/2013 22:33

My old flat was quite disgusting when I moved in but did have an inventory. I did not know how to replace the fleas that were in the sofabed or the woodlice behind all the bedroom units due to the damp...

But things were very vague like "wallpaper slightly discoloured next to door" etc. The inventory checker came when I moved out and nearly charged me for a 3cm square patch of limescale in the toilet - I had to clean it in front of her which was well degrading Sad

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