End of tenancy cleaning

[Gwenhwyfar]

So, leaving in a week. The place wasn't that clean when I arrived and will need painting after the years I've been here anyway so I'm not looking for perfection. However, I'm aware I need to do more than my usual clean, which is feather duster ceilings and walls, hoover and mop the floors.
I've polished the doors and I'm thinking what else - clean door frames and skirting boards? What's the best way to do that?
I'm not going to be able to get the walls totally clean, but should I try a wet sponge on some of the darker marks?
Wipe kitchen cupboards (kitchen spray and kitchen roll?)
What else?
Unfurnished flat with kitchen equipment. Hoover is broken so no special attachments available and no dishwasher. No outside space to deal with.
I'll clean the windows once it's not raining.

You may be expected to get a professional clean and/or provide proof of one to get your deposit back. In my experience, too, a professional clean is to quite a different standard to anything you would do yourself.

Clean the bathroom, make sure the oven is clean, maybe get someone in to do a full oven clean.

Pirate - I'd remember if my contract said anything abut a professional clean.
Nat - yes, I'll clean the oven. It wasn't very clean when I moved in, but I'll do my best.
Bathroom clean, what I normally do is dust with feather duster, wipe bath, sink and toilet with a bathroom liquid and put bleach around the edges of the bath and sink. I realise now I need to clean the tiles and the grouting. I looked on youtube and it said to put bleach there and then clean with an old toothbrush.
Any other tips for cleaning tiles?

Any tips on the best way to clean the skirting boards and door frames?

From my experience and knowledge, the majority of landlords will try and charge for a "professional clean" no matter what the tenant does. So I wouldn't bust my gut myself.

Cleaner here.
I do end of clean tenancies.
Basically leave the places as if nobody has lived there!!
Nobody wants to see your /dust fluff /scum line /pubes /toilet stains.
Wear and tear is fine!!
I don't do ovens as takes too long.
£10 an hour and average 5 hours. So if you do 5 hours hard graft your place should be done!!
Ime !!

I know what you mean safari. Like I said, I'm not looking for perfection as the place wasn't that clean when I moved in, but I've got plenty of time to do a deeper clean than usual and it would give me some satisfaction to leave the place clean without having gone overboard.

Be careful if you start sponging walls - especially if you burn candles! You may find you end up with black smeary sooty marks. . .

Soapy water and (clean) pan scrubber sponge for doorframe / skirting paintwork.

Totally impossible to leave the place as if nobody lived there Camping. As I said, it wasn't that clean when I moved in. It's going to take me a lot more than 5 hours, but I think professional cleaners usually have a system and routine so can do it quicker.
I was actually looking for tips and advice on what to do.

You don't have to pay for a professional clean.
If your landlord tries to deduct cleaning charges from your deposit, you can challenge it.
Just clean thoroughly. Small marks and scuffs on walls that can't be easily removed are just "fair wear and tear" so don't worry about those. If the landlord has to repaint that's part of the standard maintenance involved in renting out a property.

I think you should get out of the mindset of “it wasn’t that clean when I moved in”.
Your landlord might want it looking as though no one had lived there. Personally I would have it shining and immaculate.

"Your landlord might want it looking as though no one had lived there."

So what?

The landlord might want a holiday in the Bahamas.

Not OP's problem.

Thanks Divoc. My worry with trying to wash the walls was that I might take the paint off.

"Personally I would have it shining and immaculate."

Thanks for your (non-) contribution.
I started the thread to get tips on how to clean certain things I'm not sure how to clean: the walls, skirting boards, radiators and anything I might have forgotten.
The fact that it wasn't that clean when I moved in is relevant, because there are some stains, etc. that I might not be able to get clean and also to explain why I'm not going to pay for professional cleaning. I'm going to do it myself as well as I can.

@AnotherEmma

"Your landlord might want it looking as though no one had lived there."

So what?

The landlord might want a holiday in the Bahamas.

Not OP's problem.

Thanks Emma.

Shelter:
"You only need to clean the property to the same standard as it was when you moved in."
england.shelter.org.uk/housing_advice/tenancy_deposits/tenancy_deposit_deductions_your_landlord_can_make

So, in a lot of cases, not very clean!

Problem is that I didn't check behind and underneath things or take detailed photos of any stains when I moved in.
In any case, I tried the youtube advice on pouring bleach between the tiles and scrubbing with an old toothbrush and it hasn't really worked. Never mind.

"Problem is that I didn't check behind and underneath things or take detailed photos of any stains when I moved in."

It doesn't matter. It's your landlord's responsibility to prove that you left the place in a worse condition. If they don't have an inventory and photos from when you first moved in, showing that it was immaculate, they won't be able to prove that you left it in a worse state.

Walls - 'Cif' cream cleaner (mild, won't take paint off) and a sponge, bucket of water. Start from the bottom and work your way up. Should do for the skirting too. If you have any bad marks a miracle eraser (poundland?) will work, but go easy or it will take paint.

Oven - OvenPride oven cleaner (usually a fee quid), follow instructions, much easier than scrubbing.

I like Cillit Bang (green one for grease) for general cleaning.

Tile grout - HG Grout Cleaner (a few quid on amazon) will do the trick.

Toilet - if it's nasty/loads of limescale use a bottle of Kilrock in there overnight (Amazon again). Also use for any timescale build up elsewhere.

If you have any mould HG Mould cleaner is miracle stuff.

Hope some of that helps.

Walls - 'Cif' cream cleaner (mild, won't take paint off) and a sponge, bucket of water. Start from the bottom and work your way up. Should do for the skirting too. If you have any bad marks a miracle eraser (poundland?) will work, but go easy or it will take paint.

Oven - OvenPride oven cleaner (usually a fee quid), follow instructions, much easier than scrubbing.

I like Cillit Bang (green one for grease) for general cleaning.

Tile grout - HG Grout Cleaner (a few quid on amazon) will do the trick.

Toilet - if it's nasty/loads of limescale use a bottle of Kilrock in there overnight (Amazon again). Also use for any timescale build up elsewhere.

If you have any mould HG Mould cleaner is miracle stuff.

Hope some of that helps!

Walls - 'Cif' cream cleaner (mild, won't take paint off) and a sponge, bucket of water. Start from the bottom and work your way up. Should do for the skirting too. If you have any bad marks a miracle eraser (poundland?) will work, but go easy or it will take paint.

Oven - OvenPride oven cleaner (usually a fee quid), follow instructions, much easier than scrubbing.

I like Cillit Bang (green one for grease) for general cleaning.

Tile grout - HG Grout Cleaner (a few quid on amazon) will do the trick.

Toilet - if it's nasty/loads of limescale use a bottle of Kilrock in there overnight (Amazon again). Also use for any timescale build up elsewhere.

If you have any mould HG Mould cleaner is miracle stuff.

Hope some of that helps!

Walls - 'Cif' cream cleaner (mild, won't take paint off) and a sponge, bucket of water. Start from the bottom and work your way up. Should do for the skirting too. If you have any bad marks a miracle eraser (poundland?) will work, but go easy or it will take paint.

Oven - OvenPride oven cleaner (usually a fee quid), follow instructions, much easier than scrubbing.

I like Cillit Bang (green one for grease) for general cleaning.

Tile grout - HG Grout Cleaner (a few quid on amazon) will do the trick.

Toilet - if it's nasty/loads of limescale use a bottle of Kilrock in there overnight (Amazon again). Also use for any timescale build up elsewhere.

If you have any mould HG Mould cleaner is miracle stuff.

Hope some of that helps!

Whoops! Internet connection went screwy, didn't mean to post that 4 times doh! (Watch me do the same with this one)...

Is there an inventory report from when you moved in? If you don't have a copy ask the landlord/agent. If the carpets were steam cleaned before you moved in, you're expected to steam clean them.
Any blinds or curtains? Need to be dust-free and clean.
Remove all limescale from spout of tap, as well as the obvious places.
Pro cleaners use special scale remover in the toilet.
Absolutely no hairs.
Clean dust from light fittings.
Washing machine drawer and seal.
Oven including the interior of the door glass.
Remove black mould from sealant on worktops/sink/bath/windows.
Vacuum buttons in mattress
Wash out bins.