End of Lease Carpet Cleaning
A Definitive Guide For Tenants
Moving out of a house or apartment at the end of your lease can be exciting but it’s important to remember to follow the contract made between you and your landlord. Once your lease is up, there may be certain things you’re required to do to avoid losing your deposit. Among those things is carpet cleaning.
In this article, we’ll cover why you need to clean your carpets before moving out. We’ll also give you tips on how to do so effectively and the difference between a DIY job and hiring a professional.
Why Do You Need to Clean Your Carpets Before Moving Out?
Before you leave your rental forever, it’s possible there are some stipulations in your rental agreement you need to fulfil. Among these is likely a thorough carpet cleaning before you fully move out. In many cases, a landlord will put some type of “carpet cleaning clause” in your rental agreement that states the tenant is responsible for cleaning the carpets before moving out.
While some may not specify what kind of clean, others may require you to hire a professional bond cleaning in Brisbane to get the job done. This clause is typically put in place for tenants who own pets and failure to complete this part of the contract may cause you to be responsible for paying for damages to the carpet.
How to Effectively Clean Your Carpet
If your landlord doesn’t require a professional service to the home or apartment, you can definitely do the job on your own for much cheaper. With that said, you need to understand how to do it correctly to avoid any penalties. To effectively clean the carpets in the dwelling, follow these steps:
- Tidy up the space. Make sure the floors are free from any boxes or other mess. You may also choose to move the furniture from the room but it’s probably better to use furniture pads instead. Using furniture pads instead will avoid any possible damage done when moving the furniture out of the way.
- Vacuum the room before starting. A vacuum will suck up anything on the surface and make the carpet cleaner run smoother.
- Prepare the machine. Depending on the model of carpet cleaner you use, the startup instructions will vary. Add in your warm water and either add detergent to the same spot or in a designated reservoir.
- Run the machine. Start at the end of the room opposite the door. Go up and down in straight lines and slightly overlap your lines to make sure you don’t miss any spots. It’s important to do this in a uniform way so you don’t have to walk on a wet carpet.
- Go over a second time. Using just water this time, go over once more to rinse out any leftover residue.
- Wait to dry and vacuum. Once the carpet is dry, you may choose to vacuum again to pick up anything that may have been left behind.
- After the initial clean, you may also need to spot clean certain areas if they have particularly stubborn stains. If you still find the carpet looks dingy or dirty, you’ll likely need to call in a professional.
DIY vs. Professional: Which is Better?
If you have the choice between a professional service or doing it on your own, you may have trouble deciding which is the best route to take. While one method isn’t necessarily better than the other, there’s one method that may work better in your unique situation.
Anyone who may not have the extra money to spend on a professional service would benefit more from doing the job by themselves. However, that requires you to either purchase a carpet cleaner or find somewhere that will rent one to you for cheaper than the cost of hiring the work out. On top of that, you need to make sure you’re using a professional quality machine to ensure a thorough clean.
On the other hand, professional service is more feasible for people who don’t have much free time or don’t feel comfortable doing the job on their own. A professional knows how to do a thorough clean and they have the knowledge of how to do it without causing damage to the machine or parts of your home.
The downside of hiring a professional to do the work boils down to the cost. Hiring a professional will cost more than doing the job yourself. For that reason, it may be wiser to go with the former option unless you’ve budgeted for the added expense.
