Checklist for Apartment Cleaning

Anyone who wants to have their apartment cleaned by a cleaning company should keep certain points in mind. Most of the time, these companies plan only one day of work for a normal apartment, and afterwards the apartment must be ready for handover. So that the cleaning can run as planned, these preparations should be made.

Key Handover

It is essential that the cleaning team can get into the apartment on time in the morning. If the key handover is not sorted out, this can lead to considerable delays. A good option is to stick the key to the top of the milk box. That way the key is not recognizable at first glance, but it can be picked up by the cleaning crew without any problems, without the client having to come on-site specially.

Empty the Kitchen Cabinets

Before you leave the apartment for good, you should definitely take another look in all cabinets and cupboards to check that everything really is empty. It happens very quickly that some items are left out when packing the boxes, perhaps because you are not yet sure whether they are coming along. If these things still have to be cleared out and moved around during the cleaning, valuable time is lost, which may have to be charged to you in addition.

Defrost the Refrigerator

It easily takes a good two to three hours until a refrigerator is fully defrosted. And even after it has supposedly finished defrosting, there can still be ice residue in the freezer compartment door, which can then keep dripping for some time. So that the cleaning team can start working right away, it makes sense to defrost the refrigerator at least the day before. Mind you, you should then leave the refrigerator door slightly ajar so that no unpleasant odors develop.

Refuse Bags

Have a chargeable refuse bag ready for the cleaning team. Again and again it happens that waste turns up behind the cabinets and under drawers and has to be disposed of. In addition, the cleaning staff also use up materials, which can most easily be disposed of right there on-site.

Extractor Hood and Filters

Certain extractor hoods and filters have inserts and filter mats that must not be cleaned but replaced. Have the appropriate filter mats ready for the cleaning staff so that they can be fitted right after the cleaning. That way the apartment is ready for handover immediately once the work is done.

Boiler

Make sure that hot water for the cleaning is available for the cleaning team. Especially when an apartment stands empty for a while until the handover, it can happen that the hot water boiler is sensibly switched off. This is a fair gesture for the environment and for the boiler. But although most cleaning products are made for use with cold water, it can be very tedious for certain tasks if there is no hot water during the cleaning. It takes a while until the boiler has heated up again, and the cleaning work can be unnecessarily delayed or made more difficult.

Fuses for the Electricity

In older buildings there are still old fuse boxes in which a new fuse has to be screwed in when it has blown. During the cleaning it is quite possible that several power-hungry machines are in use, which can overload the electrical grid. If there are then no spare fuses available, this is very unpleasant for the cleaning team and can cause unnecessary trouble.

Special Surfaces

Certain floors or stone surfaces require special handling and care during cleaning. If, for example, a panel in the bathroom is made of marble, it must under no circumstances come into contact with descaling agent, as this dissolves the marble. A degreasing agent can lead to very ugly stains on an unsealed kitchen countertop made of special sandstone. Water stains on an unsealed parquet floor unfortunately have to be treated by a specialist, and that again means a great deal of trouble and organization. Clarifying things in advance with the landlord and giving the cleaning crew a corresponding note can save a lot of hassle. Hand on heart: anyone who chooses a cleaning company in the higher price segment may perhaps be able to spare themselves this effort. But for rock-bottom prices you should not expect above-average trained cleaning staff with outstanding expertise. In that case, it is worth clarifying these special cases beforehand so that you are not left to pick up the pieces afterwards. Because even if a handover guarantee is in place, you as the tenant are responsible for ensuring that the apartment can be handed over in proper condition in the end – damage in the apartment means additional effort for you in any case.

Invoice

In the cleaning industry it is customary for the money to be handed over in cash after a successful apartment handover. Clarify this with the company so that you have the correct amount with you. But CAUTION: only pay the cleaning company once the house / apartment has been accepted by the landlord. That way you can be sure that any follow-up cleaning is also carried out properly. Once you have paid a company, it can become unpleasant if the apartment is not accepted by the landlord.