When a tenant moves out of your rental property, it will need to be cleaned. Regardless of how clean the tenant was when they lived there, you will need to deep clean to get your rental property ready for the next tenant. If you don’t do a deep cleaning, prospective tenants will be turned off.

Below are tips for deep cleaning your rental property to ensure it is ready to be shown to prospective tenants.

#1 Bedroom and Living Spaces

There are plenty of things that need to be cleaned in the bedrooms and living spaces when your tenants move out.

1. Check the closets and shelves and remove anything your previous tenants left behind.

2. Remove all markings, such as scuffs, ink, and crayon from the wall. The easiest way to do this is with a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser.

3. Clean the corners and ceilings with a microfiber cloth.

4. Wash the walls with dish detergent and water, and don’t forget to do the light switch plates and the doorknobs.

5. Wash all of the windows.

6. Vacuum, then steam clean the carpet and sweep and mop any hard flooring.

7. Replace the batteries in all smoke detectors.

8. Replace dim or burnt-out lightbulbs in the overhead lights.

#2 Bathroom

Most landlords will tell you that the bathroom is often one of the dirtiest rooms in the house after tenants move out. There are several things you should be sure to clean before showing the property to prospective tenants.

1. Clean the sink, tub, and toilet thoroughly. If the tub has shower doors, scrub them until they are free of soap scum. If there is a shower curtain, replace the shower curtain liner.

2. Clean the mirror with a glass cleaner.

3. Wash the walls with dish detergent and water, and don’t forget the switch plate. 

4. Clean the corners and ceilings with a microfiber cloth.

5. If the bathroom has an exhaust fan, wipe down the outside with a microfiber cleaner. You can also use a paper towel wrapped around a plastic butter knife to clean any debris that has built up in the vents.

6. Sweep and wash the floors.

7. Remove anything in the bathroom cabinets and the medicine cabinet, and then wipe them down.

8. Replace the light bulbs.

#3 Kitchen

The kitchen is another room that needs a deep cleaning. Even if it appears clean at first glance, there is still plenty of work to be done.

1. Remove any items left behind in the refrigerator, freezer, and cabinets.

2. Wipe down the inside of the cabinets. If there is contact paper in the cabinets, replace it with new paper.

3. Wash all of the countertops.

4. Scrub the entire refrigerator and freezer, removing any stuck-on food and debris. Also, scrub the outside and the top of the refrigerator.

5. Clean the oven thoroughly. If it has an automatic cleaning mode, you can use that. If not, you can purchase an oven cleaner at the supermarket.

6. Scrub the stovetop.

7. Clean the faucet and the sink.

8. Clean the corners and ceilings with a microfiber cloth.

9. Wash the walls with dish detergent and water, and once again, don’t forget the switch plates.

10. Sweep and mop the floor.

11. Replace the light bulbs.

If you don’t have the time to deep clean your rental property, or you don’t want to handle such a major project, you should consider hiring a property management firm. Specialized Property Management Atlanta will not only get your rental property ready for the next tenant, but we can also help you find quality tenants and deal with any issues when the new tenants move in. for more information or to get a quote, call us at 404-596-8429 or contact us online.