The Ultimate Move-Out Cleaning Checklist (Get Your Deposit Back)

The Kempton Park move-out cleaning checklist (deposit-back guaranteed)

Your move-out clean is the difference between getting your full deposit back or losing R3 000-R8 000 to deductions. Most landlords and rental agencies in Kempton Park inspect with a printed checklist — and most tenants try to clean without one. Here's the exact checklist our move-out crews follow, room by room, in the order that delivers the cleanest result fastest.

Kitchen

The kitchen is the single biggest source of deposit deductions. Tackle it in this order:

• Empty all cupboards, drawers and pantry
• Wipe inside and outside of every cupboard and drawer
• Degrease oven (interior, racks, glass, dials)
• Clean extractor hood and filters
• Defrost and wipe the fridge inside and out
• Scrub the sink, taps and drain
• De-grease the splashback and stovetop
• Mop the floor twice (once with detergent, once with clean water)

Bathrooms

Limescale and mould are inspector magnets:

• De-scale all taps and shower heads
• Scrub grout between tiles with a stiff brush
• Deep clean toilet inside, outside and behind cistern
• Polish mirror and chrome fittings
• Wipe and disinfect the medicine cabinet
• Empty and clean cupboard interiors
• Mop the floor twice

Bedrooms

Empty the room before you start — clean rooms photograph better:

• Dust skirting boards end to end
• Wipe door frames, doors and switch plates
• Clean inside built-in cupboards
• Vacuum then mop the floor
• Spot-clean walls (Magic Eraser works wonders)
• Remove cobwebs from corners and ceiling
• Clean window interiors and frames

Living areas

Same approach as bedrooms, with extra attention to:

• TV unit, shelving and entertainment area
• Behind and under the couch (if still there)
• Floor heaters and air conditioner filters
• Sliding door tracks and frames
• Curtain rails and pelmets

Final exterior touches

Easy to forget, easy to lose your deposit on:

• Sweep balconies, patios and stoeps
• Wipe down the front door inside and out
• Clean the postbox and intercom
• Remove all rubbish (including from the garden)
• Take photos of the cleaned property for your records

What landlords actually inspect

After 12 years of move-out cleans across Kempton Park, here's what catches tenants out: oven interior, fridge seals, shower grout, toilet base, behind the stove, inside the bath panel, top of doors and door frames, light fittings, and any damage to walls. Tackle these eight before the inspection and you'll usually pass on the first walk-through.

When to outsource (it's almost always worth it)

A professional move-out clean for a 3-bedroom home in Kempton Park costs R1 200-R2 400 and includes a photo report you can forward to your landlord. The average deposit deduction for an inadequate clean is R3 000+. The math is unambiguous: outsource and protect the deposit.