Cleaning in general, may not be hard or something technical, but mistakes happen. If you’re a tenant, you must avoid making those mistakes if you want to please your landlord with the condition of the apartment when you’re moving out. In our work, as an end of lease cleaning specialists, we see common mistakes, that can only make your life worse. From permanent stains on the carpet, worn out furniture, dirty surfaces and even damaged appliances. All that can be done due to inappropriate cleaning.
These are the most common cleaning mistakes to avoid, in order to keep the house clean and ease your moving out.
Mistake 1: Not Doing a Test With Carpet Cleaning Products
If you have a stain on the carpet, which you didn’t spot and treat immediately, it’s time to turn to the professional, strong carpet detergents. Always read the label carefully, as some products are not suitable for all carpets. However, putting the detergent straight to the stain, without doing a test on an invisible small part of it, is a huge mistake. In the end, you can cause even further damage to your carpet.
Mistake 2: Soaking the Dirty Upholstery in Water
Another common mistake is to soak up the upholstery with water when you have coffee, wine or some other type of stain. Using water can not only, make the spot bigger. Liquids can help cushioning to soak the water and it can be even harder and almost impossible to clean the stain. It will also prevent your sofa set from drying properly and mould can set in with time. Even if the surface may seem dry, some water can gather beneath the surface and remain there a couple of days after cleaning.
Mistake 3: Using Spray Cleaners on Electronics
Using window cleaners or other detergents on electronics like LCD TVs, cell phones or computers, can do a serious damage to the product. Never use a paper towel to clean them, as the wood fibres can cause serious harm. Always use a microfiber cloth. If you need a cleaner, you can use water and vinegar in 50/50 proportion. Spray some of the liquid into the cloth, never onto the screen, and gently clean the surface.
Mistake 4: Vacuuming in the Wrong Direction
If you only vacuum in one direction, you’re not removing all of the dust from your carpet. You’ll end up pushing the dirt under it and it can be stuck there for a long time. To clean the carpet, vacuum forward and backward. Most of the carpets have twisted fibres and by cleaning them this way, you can reach these fibres from every angle and achieve a better result. Your carpet will look fresh and clean.
Mistake 5: Scrubbing Stains out of Carpet and Upholstery
When you spot a stain on your carpet or furniture resists the temptation to scrub it hard in order to remove it. Pushing that hard can damage the surface. If the stain is still wet, blot it as much as possible with clean, dry towel and then treat it with detergent. If the stain is older and already dry, first use the cleaner and after that blot dry it. Never scrub!
Mistake 6: Spraying Surfaces Directly
Spraying a cleaner directly into countertops or furniture can create a build up from the product into the surface and can make it hard to clean. It can also attract even more dust. This can make the surface greasy and sticky. To avoid this, spray the cloth with the detergent, not the surface you’re going to clean.
Mistake 7: Not Cleaning Your Cooker Hood Filter Regularly
The cooker hood is often neglected in the regular cleaning process. If you cook frequently, then you use it a lot. The cooker hood filter is probably clogged with dirt and grease. Check the manufacturer instructions and find out how is recommended to clean it. Doing it often will not only help the appliance suck up more grease from the air, but you will also prevent it from damaging.
Mistake 8: Not Cleaning Your Dishwasher
The dishwasher is another frequently used appliance in the kitchen we often forget to clean it. The most important thing you need to pay attention is the dishwasher filter. As it’s created to soak up the dirt from the dishes, it’s frequently cleaning is important. Check the producer instruction to see how to detach the filter. Soak it in a soap, warm water for 30 minutes. When it’s clean put it back into the washer and place a cup of detergent in the container, run the machine’s hot-water cycle. This will wash away all the grease and will remove the odours.
Mistake 9: Not Cleaning Fans and Filters
The unseen part of the property like fans and filters are forgotten. They can get very dirty during the tenancy. Not cleaning the filters can clog them and the whole system can be easily damaged. The exhaust fans can be quickly cleaned with warm water and soap.
Mistake 10: Not Handling Mould Problems
Another important problem, that needs to be tackled as soon as it appears is the mould in the rental property. This can be caused by failing to ventilate the property correctly and leaving wet surfaces and floors. The most common place where the mould can appear is the bathroom. This can be avoided by making sure to scrub the bathtub, shower screens and tiles to remove bacterias and always leaving the door or the window open after exiting the bathroom. If there are signs of mould already, it’s best to call professionals to tackle the problem.
For keeping the rental property clean you need to pay extra attention to the chores and to be sure you’re doing them regularly. Tackling all this thing together can be overwhelmed. If you want your bond money back, you need to make sure, you’re leaving the property in a perfect shape. Calling a professional cleaning service is always a good idea when you’re not able to handle everything. Neglecting it is never the option!
Tags: bond cleaning, cleaning mistakes, cleaning tips, end of lease, end of lease cleaning, Exit Cleaning, vacate cleaning tips, vacate property
