How to Prepare Your Brisbane Rental for a Bond Inspection in 48 Hours
The movers have left, and now there’s nothing but you, some rather large dust bunnies, and a very skeletal house that has a 48hr deadline (and a property manager coming) before it needs to be inspected. Everyone has been through the excitement of moving house, and as the adrenaline wears off you start to realise that cleaning for your bond inspections is equally daunting – climbing Mt Coot-tha with a backpack full of bricks. However there really is no need to panic! Regardless of whether you’ve got to clean up after a trendy ‘Fortitude Valley’ apartment or a sprawling family house in Ashgrove, as long as you have a good plan and apply a bit of elbow grease you will be able to reclaim your bond. In two days’ time, the house will be sparkling clean and ready for the property manager to inspect. Now let’s take a look at what grime removal will require and how you can accomplish it in 2 days!
Developing a game plan is an important first step before you grab the mop. In fact, Brisbane property managers use detailed checklists and are well known for their thoroughness, including items that haven’t been cleaned in three years.
Gather all of the supplies you will need. You don’t have time for three trips to the store; therefore, you should have a heavy-duty degreaser, glass cleaner, sugar soap, vacuum with attachments, microfiber cloths, and a stiff brush for tracks and grout.
Always clean from “Top Down” and allow gravity to help you. Starting at the ceiling and working down to the floor is the best way to accomplish this. If you clean the floor prior to cleaning the ceilings, you will be putting the dust and debris back on the floor after you have cleaned the fan.
Phase 2: The High-Impact Zones (Hours 5–15)
When inspecting a rental property, there are 2 key rooms where the majority of bond deductions occur. These are referred to as the “deal breaker” rooms and include the Kitchen and Bathroom.
For the Kitchen:
For the Oven, Use Heavy Duty Cleaner on your oven (and racks) and allow it to soak for the duration of the clean.
For the Rangehood, remove the filters and then soak them in boiling water with a degreaser. If after this they are still yellow, they still aren’t clean.
For the Cupboards, make sure you wipe all the cupboards inside, outside and, very importantly, on top of overhead cupboards where dust from grease mixes together and creates a sticky surface.
The Bathroom: Say Goodbye to Scum
Shattering Glass: Hard water can leave deposits of calcium which embed themselves permanently on shower glass, so it is best to have a product specifically designed for scale removal to remove those deposits and make the glass totally clear.
Mouldy Grout and Silicone: You can remove any sign of mould from the grout and silicone with a toothbrush and a cleaner that contains bleach.
Exhaust Fans: Just like exhaust fans attract dust, they also attract moisture into the motors located within the housing unit. When cleaning the exhaust fan, it’s good practice to take the cover off, clean it at the sink, and then vacuum the motor housing before reassembling it.
Phase 3: The Details (Hours 16–30)
This is where you can distinguish between a “quick clean” and a “bond clean.” Property managers will be doing inspections of those areas that tenants often forget.
Walls / Skirting Boards – You don’t have to wash every square inch of every wall; however, you do need to remove any marks on the walls and the cobwebs from the corners of each room, and sugar soap is very handy here.
Window Tracks – Open the windows and inspect the tracks – if there is a lot of dirt and dead insects in your tracks, you may wish to vacuum-clean them with a crevice tool before cleaning with a damp cloth.
Light switches and power points – These accumulate oily fingerprints. You will be amazed at how much better they look after just a quick wipe with a damp microfibre cloth.
Blinds and Curtains – You need to dust every slat of your venetian blinds. If your venetian blinds have cords, ensure that those cords are not tangled and are not dirty.
Phase 4: The Final Flourish (Hours 31–48)
The finish line is visible now. This is all about how it will look and feel.
Outdoor Sweep: Up here in Brisbane we enjoy living outside, so when you are done cleaning your home make sure to sweep your balcony/patio, remove any cobwebs from the eaves and make sure that your garage floor has no oil stains on it.
Air Conditioners: Clean your air conditioning filters! This is a mandatory requirement of most QLD tenancy agreements.
Floors: Leave this to be the last thing that you clean. Vacuum thoroughly- even into the corners of your built in wardrobes, then mop your way out of your front door when you are finished.
The Reality Check: When to Call for Backup
Honestly, 48 hours is not as long as it seems! Especially if you are trying to set up your new home or returning to work. If you’ve spent 24 hours only getting through the kitchen, it may be time to call in professionals. Not only do professional bond cleaners clean, but they also have a specific checklist that they need to follow in order for it to meet the RTA (Residential Tenancies Authority) guidelines.
Although doing everything yourself is a wonderful idea, there is not much value in your time. If you’re considering attempting to scrub your grout at 2 am, remember that using a professional service can save you a lot of time and money and also provide you with a “bond-back guarantee” which means you will have real peace of mind.
If you want to make sure your exit from your current rental is as smooth as possible and to eliminate any moving stress, contacting the experts at All Bond Clean Brisbane may be the best solution. They know what property managers want and how to help you obtain your rental bond exemption without a headache 48 hours after you leave your rental property.
FAQs
Do I really have to clean the dishwasher if I never used it?
Yes, because dust and stagnant water create residual buildup whether you have used the appliance. Just rinse the filter and run a wash cycle using a cleaning tablet so it won’t be marked as “not clean” on your move-out inspection sheet.
Do I have to wash every single wall in the house?
Typically, only “spot cleaned” for scuff and dirt marks near light switch plates and cobwebs. Unless there are heavy stains or grease, you should be able to use a Magic Eraser and liquid sugar soap to clean them.
Is a little bit of bathroom grout mould a dealbreaker?
In Brisbane, it is not uncommon due to humidity however must be removed to meet the requirements by law at the time of a bond refund. Spray mould remover on the affected areas, allow it to sit and scrub it clean so you will not incur a charge to have a professional cleaner remove it
Will I lose my bond over furniture indentations in the carpet?
No, furniture indentations are considered “fair wear and tear” by Queensland tenancy law. Pick up an ice cube and rub it over the furniture indentation area to restore the carpet to its original form using a fork to aerate the fibres in the same area.
