How much does move out cleaning cost?

The end of a lease can be a stressful time.

Because you definitely don’t want to lose your bond, many people think it's worth calling in professional cleaners to help get the property up to scratch before you move out. You could also be selling up and moving out, and need a thorough vacate cleaning before the new owners move in.

Whichever situation you find yourself in, it’s good to know how much end of lease cleaning costs or bond cleaning costs are so you can budget for it ahead of time, and get an idea what cleaners charge for this type of job. 

Vacate cleaning prices will depend on: 

• The type of house (apartment, house)
• The number of rooms in your home
• The tasks you want done
• How much work is involved for the cleaner

Moving out or end of lease cleaning services will typically charge a flat fee ranging from $200 for smaller one bedroom units to $1000 for larger homes.

But do you actually need move out or end of lease cleaners?

Why hire end of lease cleaners?

You will be surprised how much work is involved in a move out or end of lease clean. It’s a lot more than a light dusting and a quick vacuum.

If you are moving out of a rental, you will want to get your bond back (usually a month's rent), avoid any black marks against your name on national tenant databases and leave the place in good nick for the next tenants.

You are also likely to be quite busy packing up your home, organising to have services like electricity and internet transferred to your new place and letting people know your new address. 

"If you are moving out of a rental, you'll want to get your bond back, avoid any black marks against your name on national tenant databases and leave the place in good nick for the next tenants."

If you are moving because you are selling your home, you will have even more work to do in preparing your home for sale and you'll want to make it look as attractive as possible to prospective buyers. There's no underestimating how much of a facelift a good clean can give your home.

But do you have to clean your property before you sell?

Do I have to clean my property before I sell?

In short, yes. If you leave your property in an unfit state, the buyer could make a claim during the pre-settlement inspection, and you could liable to cover the cost of any cleaning that needs to be done.

So it makes sense to ‘do unto others as you would have them do unto you’, and leave your home sparkling clean.

If you're looking to sell your home anytime soon, it's a good idea to calculate the cost of selling your home to help you budget accordingly.

There is more to a move out clean than meets the eye

When you move out all your possessions and furniture, you will discover dust in previously hard to reach areas, and empty clothes drawers and cupboards that need to be cleaned.

The same goes for surfaces like kitchen benchtops, shelves and window sills, which all typically need a good dust, wipe and clean. 

You also need to take care of the carpet, especially if you have left any stains. Otherwise a good vacuum may be enough, or book a steam clean for a more thorough deep clean. 

"You may be good with a mop and a scrubbing brush, but experienced cleaners are likely to have the best tools and cleaning products available to do an even better job"

You may be good with a mop and a scrubbing brush, but experienced cleaners are likely to have the best tools and cleaning products available to do a better job, and are more likely to do it all in a much faster time. It's their day job after all!

So to find out how much you could be paying for professional cleaning services, keep on reading.

How much is end of lease cleaning?

Bond clean prices vary based on location, the size of your property, how much cleaning is needed and where you live. 

You can expect to be charged anywhere from:

• $150 for end of lease cleaning, this is for a small one bedroom apartment with no carpet cleaning included. This would be an additional $40 - $50.
• $210 for move out cleaning or end of lease cleaning for a 2 bedroom apartment, or $250 with carpet steam cleaning included.
• $260 for a three bedroom family home, or $290 with carpet cleaning included.
• $340 for a 4 bedroom house, or $390 with carpet cleaning.

How much does move out cleaning cost?

Across Australia, moving out cleaning services will typically charge an hourly rate between $20 and $50, or a flat fee ranging from $200 for smaller properties to $1000 for larger houses.

"Prices will vary depending on the types of services you need, on top of the size of your property and how much work is required."

Keep in mind, prices will also vary depending on the types of services needed, on top of the size of your property and how much work there is. Check out the numbers below to get an idea of typically quoted prices of common cleaning jobs:

• End of lease cleaning can range from $200 for a smaller property, all the way up to $1000+ for larger five/six bedroom homes
• Carpet steam cleaning can cost on average $450 or $2.50 per sqm, also depending on the amount of rooms you have
• Window cleaning: $225 or $30-45 per hour, depending on the number and size of windows, ease of access, and the amount of dirt and grime.

To get more precise quotes specific to your property and its needs, remember to get quotes from at least three different local cleaning professionals.

Moving out cleaning checklist

The state of Queensland's Residential Tenancies Authority provides this cleaning checklist:

Kitchen

• Clean the inside and outside of all cupboards.
• Wash all countertops and surface areas.
• Clean inside and outside of the oven, microwave, dishwasher, fridge and defrost freezer (if supplied).
• Clean the cooktop, grill and range hood.
• Clean the sink and taps, including descaling.
• Clean windows, window sills or tracks, window and door frames and fly screens.
• Sweep or vacuum and wash floors.

Bathroom

• Clean the sink, toilet and bath, including taps.
• Clean tiles.
• Remove any mould from walls, tiles and ceiling.
• Wash shower curtain. Or clean shower doors or enclosure.
• Clean all surface areas, shower rails and mirrors.
• Sweep and wash all floors.

Other rooms

• Dust and wash all surfaces.
• Dust and wash door and window frames and window sills or tracks.
• Clean mirrors.
• Dust fans.
• Wipe outside of air conditioning units and clean filters.
• Clean out any cupboards or wardrobes.
• Dust and clean skirting boards.
• Vacuum and wash floors.

Outdoor areas

• Mow grass, weed and trim edges.
• Clean out any leaves or debris in the pool (check for any special conditions in the tenancy agreement).
• Sweep external areas.
• Empty and wash out bins.
• Remove any oil stains on driveway or in garage.
• Remove cobwebs.

General

• Remove all rubbish from property.
• Get carpets cleaned

Choosing an end of lease or move out cleaner

The best way to find a good cleaner is via word of mouth from family and friends. Otherwise ask your real estate agent for a recommendation or do an online search. Check any reviews and customer feedback available for the cleaners or ask for references.

A crucial requirement when allowing people into your home is that they be honest and reliable. If it's important to you, ask what products the cleaners use, especially if the landlord has specified they want green products used. And crucially, after you have found out the end of lease cleaning price check whether they are insured.

"Before deciding on one particular cleaner, be sure to get quotes from several different cleaning companies and ensure they clearly detail what services are included in their fee"

In this case, it's important that they are not just great cleaners, but also have some "move out" cleaning experience – that they know what will please sharp landlords, property owners or home buyers. 

Before deciding, get quotes from several cleaning companies and ensure these clearly detail what services are included – so apples can be compared with apples. Remember that price isn't everything; the cheapest cleaning service may not be the best!

Also, check whether the cleaners will be flexible and willing to customise their services to your needs, and that they are available when you need them; there may be a very short timeframe available for cleaning if the next tenant is scheduled to move in soon after you leave.