When you are preparing to end your renting contract with your landlord, a big question comes to mind. Will you be able to receive your security deposit back? Don’t worry if you can’t answer with a confident yes. Even if a full refund of your deposit is possible, we know that it might not be as simple as some may believe. So, we can understand your concerns. As a result, we thought of giving you a hand in this matter with some cleaning hacks to get your security deposit back. Follow these simple steps to ensure that you leave your rental spotless and your landlord happy.
Pay attention to the details in the kitchen
When it comes to cleaning a house before you move out, the kitchen should be one of your top priorities. It is not only one of the main rooms in the house, but it also influences whether or not you will receive your security deposit back. There are certain areas that people forget to clean but are always inspected by landlords who know where to look. Therefore, when cleaning the kitchen, don’t forget the inside of the oven, freezer, and cabinet shelves. First, use the self-cleaning feature or baking soda to remove the grease from the oven. Then, defrost the freezer on time, clean it, and wipe the inside with vinegar or lemon solutions to remove any odors. Lastly, take out the cabinet shelves and remove crumbs or leftovers that might be on them. Also, make sure to clean under and behind the appliances to remove grime and stains.
Deep clean the bathroom
Just like the kitchen, the bathroom needs extra care when cleaning before moving out. Besides the classic cleaning you would do, you need to go a bit more into detail. For instance, you should clean the areas around the toilet and bathtub and under the sink. Grime deposits are common in these places, so make sure to clean them off. If you have a shower cabin, besides cleaning the area around it, remove the water stains from the shower doors. In addition to cleaning the grime from these areas, make sure to get rid of the mold. Clean it thoroughly to ensure that there are no remnants that might aid its spread again. After that, remove any limestone deposits from the bathtub, sink, or toilet and unclog the drains. In the end, clean the tile grout and wash the floors. Your bathroom should sparkle after such cleaning.
When you clean the bathroom, don’t forget about the mirror.
Clear and clean the walls
One of the cleaning hacks to get your security deposit back is to make sure to leave the walls in perfect condition. First of all, try to move the furniture out of the way. You can move it to your new home if you have one already or take it to a self-storage unit until you find a new place. Storage makes everything much easier when you need to relocate furniture fast.
After clearing the walls, it’s time to clean them. If you or the landlord repainted them recently, wipe them with moist cloths and remove any cobwebs that may have formed. Also, don’t overlook details such as light switches and outlets. There might be stains on and around them as well as dust deposits. If there are holes or cracks in the walls, repair them and add a new coat of paint over them.
Wash the windows correctly
When you need to move out of a rental, simply wiping down the windows might not do the trick. As a result, wash the windows correctly if you want to get your security deposit back. First, choose the right day to clean the windows. A cloudy day is ideal for such a task since you can see all the spots and stains that you might otherwise miss due to light reflection. Second, start by dusting the blinds with a dry microfiber cloth or vacuum cleaner. If you use a damp cloth, the dust will get muddy and dirty the blinds even more. After dusting, use a moist cloth to clean stains from the blinds, windowsills, and window frames. When you finish with what is around the windows, you can clean the window glass. Use specific window cleaning products and wipe the windows with a cloth or newspaper.
A cleaning hack to get your security deposit back is to call in the professionals to clean your windows.
Clean the floors and carpets
If you had any heavy furniture on the carpets, there are probably dents left in them. To remove them, place ice cubes on them, let the cubes melt, and when the fibers have softened, rearrange them using your hand or the vacuum cleaner. Also, if there are stains on the carpet, you can remove them using a peroxide and water solution. It works wonders on red wine stains; just make sure to use it on white carpets only.
If you want to clean hardwood floors properly, start by removing the scuff marks. Use a rubber eraser, a tennis ball, or a microfiber cloth to scrub and remove them. Then, sweep the floors and vacuum the whole surface and in hidden places. Behind and under the furniture, or in the corners and edges of the room, for example. Finish by mopping the floors with specific cleaning products that are gentle with wood surfaces and leave a nice shine.
Don’t neglect the outside
If you rented a house, cleaning the outside is just as important as cleaning the interior. Therefore, clean the porch and the deck and powerwash the walkway and driveway. If you want to take it a step further, you can also clean the gutters. They are often overlooked but very important for keeping the exterior of the house looking good. In addition, you should also take care of the yard. Clean the fallen leaves, trim the overgrown bushes, remove the weeds from the garden, and mow the lawn.
When you finish with the outside, inspect the whole property in detail as your landlord would. It will help you identify any overlooked areas which might have a bad influence on the overall appearance of the place.
The outside of your rental is just as important as the inside. So, if you want to get your security deposit back, clean the property inside and out.
Final thoughts
The best cleaning hacks to get your security deposit back are to make sure that the property is clean and even in a better condition than when you came to it. Even if it means that you will have to put some time and effort into it, in the end, it will all be worth it. Your landlord will be satisfied, the future tenants will be grateful, and you will get your money back. If you would rather leave this task to professionals, make sure to contact them as soon as possible for your home to be spotless before the move-out date.
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