By Sam Dyer
Moving out of a rental property can be stressful enough without having to worry about cleaning every last corner. Whether you're a tenant preparing to hand back the keys or a landlord getting a property ready for its next occupants, a thorough end of tenancy clean can make a big difference.
A good clean isn't just about making a property look presentable. It's about tackling the dirt, grease, limescale and everyday build-up that can accumulate over time.
We've put together this guide to help you work through an end of tenancy clean, along with some useful cleaning products from Astral Hygiene to make the job easier.
Tenant or Landlord: Who Is Responsible for Cleaning?
If you're a tenant, the first thing to do is check your tenancy agreement. Generally, tenants are expected to return a property in a reasonably clean condition, taking into account its condition when they moved in and allowing for normal wear and tear.
For landlords, carrying out a thorough clean between tenancies can help ensure the property is ready for new occupants. It can also be a useful opportunity to spot any maintenance issues that need attention.
Whoever is doing the cleaning, approaching the property room by room makes the whole job much more manageable.
Where Should You Start?
Before getting started with the cleaning products, remove as much clutter as possible. Tenants should make sure all personal belongings and rubbish have been removed.
Once the property is empty, you'll be able to see areas that might otherwise have been hidden behind furniture or belongings.
A useful order to follow is:
- Remove rubbish and unwanted items.
- Dust surfaces from top to bottom.
- Clean walls, doors and skirting boards where necessary.
- Clean windows and glass.
- Deep clean the kitchen.
- Clean the bathroom and washroom areas.
- Vacuum carpets and clean hard floors.
- Check cupboards, drawers and other easily missed areas.
- Carry out a final inspection of the property.
Working from top to bottom is particularly useful, as it prevents dust and dirt from falling onto surfaces you've already cleaned.
Give the Kitchen Some Extra Attention
The kitchen is usually one of the biggest jobs during an end of tenancy clean. Grease, food residue and general grime can quickly build up around cooking areas, appliances, worktops and sinks.
Don't forget areas such as:
- Inside cupboards and drawers
- Cooker tops and splashbacks
- Extractor fans and filters
- Inside and around appliances
- Sinks and taps
- Tiles and grout
- Skirting boards
- Floors
For everyday cleaning around the kitchen, Super Professional Kitchen Cleaner can help tackle even more stubborn areas around cookers, worktops and other kitchen surfaces.
Always check the product label and manufacturer's instructions before use, particularly when cleaning delicate or specialist surfaces.
Food Safe Kitchen Cleaner Sanitiser offers Mirius Super Professional surface hygiene in two different formats: C11 ready-to-use 750ml spray and C12 5-litre concentrate. Both have documented BS EN 1276 and BS EN 13697 performance, with a manufacturer-stated 30-second contact time. The non-bleach, non-tainting formulations suit appropriate washable hard surfaces in food preparation and catering areas.
Choose the format that fits your cleaning routine. Use C11 without dilution; prepare C12 at the labelled dilution for the task, including 1:10 for food-contact surfaces. Remove loose food debris and clean the surface before disinfection, allow the full contact time, then wipe dry with paper towel if required. Follow the instructions and safety sheet for the selected formulation.
Don't Forget the Oven
The oven is one of those jobs that can easily be overlooked, but built-up grease and baked-on food can make a big difference to the overall appearance of a kitchen.
For stubborn oven deposits, Evans Oven Cleaner is a strong option. Its thick, foaming formulation is designed to cling to vertical surfaces and tackle baked-on grease and carbon inside suitable enamelled ovens, as well as appropriate griddles and cast iron hobs.
Because oven cleaners can be powerful chemicals, it's particularly important to follow the manufacturer's instructions. Check that the product is suitable for your particular oven and surface before applying it, and use the recommended protective equipment.
Evans Oven Cleaner should not be used on aluminium, painted, easy-clean or self-cleaning surfaces.
A little extra time spent on the oven can make a surprisingly noticeable difference when preparing a property for its next occupants.
Professional Clinging Oven Cleaner is intended to remove baked-on food and greasy deposits from suitable oven surfaces. Its clinging format supports cleaning of deposits that are difficult to remove during routine wipe-downs. It is a highly caustic chemical intended for controlled use in professional kitchen cleaning, with precautions matched to the task.
Do not use this product on aluminium or galvanised materials. Check the oven manufacturer’s cleaning instructions and the current product label before application, including surface temperature, contact time and rinsing requirements. Read the safety data sheet and use the protective equipment specified for the product and your workplace assessment. Keep the chemical clearly labelled, prevent contact with skin and eyes, and do not mix it with other cleaning products.
Evans Oven Cleaner is a thickened, foaming cleaner for removing baked-on grease and carbon from compatible enamelled oven interiors, griddles and cast iron hobs. Its strongly alkaline formulation clings to vertical surfaces, supporting planned deep cleaning in commercial kitchens, restaurants and catering premises. Choose the 750ml or 5-litre option to suit your cleaning requirements.
Use the product undiluted on an appliance warmed to 40–45°C and then switched off. Allow 10–20 minutes before agitation, thorough rinsing and air drying. Read the surface exclusions before use: aluminium, oven exteriors and easy-clean or self-cleaning surfaces are unsuitable. Wear the protective equipment specified on the label and safety sheet, and avoid breathing spray mist.
Give the Bathroom a Deep Clean
Bathrooms are another area where a thorough clean is particularly important. Limescale, soap scum and general grime can quickly build up around showers, baths, toilets and taps.
Work your way through:
- Toilets and toilet seats
- Sinks and taps
- Baths and showers
- Shower screens
- Tiles and grout
- Mirrors
- Floors
- Areas around and behind sanitary ware
For everyday washroom cleaning, Super Professional Ocean Breeze Toilet Cleaner is designed to clean and freshen toilet bowls while helping to remove everyday staining and deposits.
For more stubborn limescale, Super Professional Heavy Duty Descaler can be useful on appropriate acid-resistant surfaces. Always check the manufacturer's instructions and surface compatibility before use.
If you're tackling heavy deposits, remember that stronger chemicals aren't necessarily better for every surface. Using the right product for the job helps achieve a better result while reducing the risk of damaging fixtures and fittings.
Never mix cleaning chemicals together, particularly products containing chlorine with acidic cleaners.
Super Professional W9 Heavy Duty Toilet Descaler removes grime and limescale from suitable washroom surfaces. Supplied in a 750ml bottle, it is intended for professional toilet-cleaning routines where mineral deposits need attention. The manufacturer identifies stainless steel, porcelain and chrome plate as suitable materials for this product.
Check the fixture and its care instructions before use, and follow the directions on the bottle and product information sheet. W9 needs contact time to work, so plan treatment around access to the toilet and allow the instructed time before flushing. Keep the product label and safety information available to the cleaning team, and use the descaler only as directed.
Ocean Breeze Toilet Cleaner is Mirius Super Professional W8, supplied in an individual 750ml bottle for regular toilet-bowl cleaning. It removes limescale, grime and soiling while leaving an ocean fragrance. Mirius confirms testing to BS EN 1276, keeping documented bactericidal performance central to this washroom product.
Apply around the toilet bowl and beneath the rim, then leave for at least 10 minutes according to the manufacturer’s instruction sheet. For best results, Mirius recommends leaving the product overnight before flushing. Regular use helps prevent the accumulation of scale and soiling where bacteria and unpleasant odours can develop. Follow the bottle’s instructions and keep this cleaner separate from other chemicals or detergents.
Cleaning Floors and Carpets
Once you've finished cleaning the surfaces above floor level, it's time to tackle the floors.
Start by vacuuming carpets thoroughly, paying particular attention to edges, corners and areas underneath furniture. Hard floors should be swept or vacuumed before being mopped.
For hard floor cleaning, Super Professional Floor Cleaner provides a practical solution for removing everyday dirt and grime from suitable hard flooring.
If you're cleaning a larger property or multiple rental properties, concentrated products can also be useful as they can be diluted according to the manufacturer's instructions.
Always check that a floor cleaning product is suitable for the specific flooring before use, particularly with wood, laminate and other sensitive surfaces.
Windows and Glass
Clean windows can make a surprisingly noticeable difference to an empty property, particularly when it's being prepared for viewings.
Clean the glass, frames and window sills, paying attention to fingerprints, dust and built-up dirt. Mirrors, glass doors and other internal glass surfaces shouldn't be forgotten either.
Super Professional Glass & Window Cleaner is a useful option for cleaning suitable glass surfaces and helping achieve a clear, streak-free finish.
Don't Forget the Small Details
When carrying out an end of tenancy clean, it's often the little things that get overlooked.
Take a few minutes to check:
- Light switches
- Door handles
- Skirting boards
- Radiators
- Plug sockets
- Cupboard interiors
- Drawer interiors
- Window sills
- Extractor fans
- Areas behind doors
- Areas underneath appliances
- Shower screens
- Taps and other fixtures
Individually, these areas might seem insignificant, but together they can have a big impact on how clean a property feels.
A Final Check for Tenants
If you're a tenant, don't leave your final inspection until the day you're handing back the keys.
Walk through the property room by room and, if possible, compare it with your check-in inventory or photographs. Make sure you've removed all belongings and rubbish and dealt with any obvious cleaning issues.
It can also be useful to take photographs once you've finished cleaning, giving you a record of the property's condition when you left.
Remember that normal wear and tear is different from damage or excessive dirt. The aim isn't necessarily to make the property look brand new, but to return it in the appropriate condition.
A Final Check for Landlords
For landlords, the end of a tenancy provides a useful opportunity to inspect the property properly.
Look beyond the obvious areas and check inside appliances, cupboards and drawers, around bathroom fittings and behind furniture. This is also a good time to identify any repairs or maintenance that need to be completed before the next tenant moves in.
Once everything has been cleaned, it's much easier to see whether anything needs repairing, replacing or refreshing.
Cleaning Products for Your Next End of Tenancy Clean
A thorough end of tenancy clean can feel like a big job, but breaking it down room by room makes it much more manageable.
Start at the top, work methodically, use the right product for each surface and give the areas that see the most use a little extra attention.
At Astral Hygiene, we stock a wide range of professional cleaning and hygiene products, including products from Super Professional and Evans Vanodine. From everyday surface and floor cleaners to specialist washroom and oven cleaning products, choosing the right products can make a deep clean considerably easier.
Whether you're a tenant preparing to move out or a landlord getting a property ready for its next occupants, a little planning can go a long way towards achieving a cleaner, fresher property.
Evans Clear Window & Glass Cleaner is a ready-to-use cleaner for glass, mirrors and suitable stainless-steel surfaces. Its alcohol-based formula removes grime and fingermarks while leaving a streak-free finish, making it useful for reception areas, lifts, washrooms, offices and hospitality premises. Choose the 750ml or 5-litre size from the options on this page to suit your cleaning routine.
Use undiluted and apply sparingly, wiping immediately with a clean, dry cloth. For small areas, apply to the cloth first. Check surface compatibility before use, and do not use on flat televisions or VDU screens. Available from Astral Hygiene with UK-wide delivery, Evans Clear supports everyday glass and mirror cleaning alongside the cloths and other janitorial supplies your team needs.
This blog was written by Sam Dyer, Operations Administrator at Astral.
Please get in touch if there are any particular topics you would like us to talk about on the blog!
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