End-of-Tenancy Cleaning: How to Prepare
Your cleaning company is booked?
Then your preparation helps decide whether the end-of-tenancy cleaning goes according to plan. Time lost because of missing keys, full
cabinets or a refrigerator that has not been defrosted can be charged extra.
These 12 points help the crew get started right away. What has to be clean in the end is covered by the
end-of-tenancy cleaning checklist .
The 12 Preparation Points
Sort out the key handover:
The crew must be able to get into the apartment on time. Arrange a personal handover or a secure alternative with the company (e.g. a key safe or depositing the key with the property management). Leaving a key out in the open is a break-in risk — even with an empty apartment, you remain liable for who gets access.
Empty all cabinets and drawers:
Double-check the kitchen, bathrooms, built-in closets and high shelves. If the crew has to clear things out first, time is lost — and can be charged extra.
Dispose of trash:
Hand over the apartment as free of trash as possible — disposal is not part of the cleaning job, even if many companies are accommodating.
Defrost the refrigerator the day before:
Defrosting often takes several hours (follow the manufacturer's instructions and catch the meltwater), and the freezer compartment can keep dripping afterward. Leave the door slightly ajar so no odors develop.
Have an official garbage bag ready:
Trash often turns up behind cabinets and under drawers, and the crew uses up supplies too — with an official chargeable garbage bag ready, disposal is taken care of on site.
Have filter mats for the extractor hood ready:
Inserts and filter mats that are replaced rather than cleaned should be laid out — that way the apartment is ready for handover as soon as the cleaning is done.
Make sure there is hot water:
When an apartment stands empty, the boiler is often switched off. For certain tasks, cleaning with cold water is much harder — and it takes a while for the boiler to heat up again. Switch it on in good time.
Keep spare fuses on hand (older buildings):
In older buildings with screw-in fuses, several cleaning machines can overload the circuit. Without spare fuses, the crew comes to a standstill.
Point out delicate surfaces:
Marble must never come into contact with descaler, unsealed sandstone not with degreasers, and unsealed parquet cannot take water stains. Point such surfaces out to the company — it prevents expensive damage.
Document existing damage:
Note down existing damage in advance, photograph it and report it to the company. That way you avoid a "your word against theirs" situation at the handover inspection.
Do not let the dirt build up:
The quote is based on the condition at the viewing. Keep the apartment in its usual state until the appointment — and gently pre-soak stubborn limescale and urine-scale deposits days in advance (e.g. overnight with a vinegar-based cleaner), rather than forcing the company to resort to aggressive products.
Allow a time buffer for re-cleaning:
If the landlord finds defects, a re-cleaning is needed. Do not schedule the handover for the last possible day, and agree that someone from the company will be present at the handover inspection.
No company booked yet? Compare several quotes first — our overview of
end-of-tenancy cleaning costs
shows the prices by apartment size.
