DIY GUIDE · CLEANING · CHECKED OCTOBER 2026
How to do an end-of-tenancy clean yourself
A long day or a weekend. €20–€25 in products for a two-bedroom flat.
Clean to move-in standard, clear all rubbish, check the inventory and photograph every room.
- Every step, start to finish
- Checked October 2026 — sources at the end
- Honest about when to call a pro
FIRST, THE HONEST ANSWER
Do it yourself, or get a cleaner?
Do it yourself if…
- You have your inventory and move-in photos, or can ask the landlord for them
- Your furniture and belongings will be out before the final clean
- You have a full day, or two half days, before you hand back the keys
- The home was clean when you moved in and has had ordinary use
Get a pro if…
- You have moved out already and cannot get back for a full day
- Carpets have heavy staining or pet accidents beyond what a hired machine will lift
- There is mould from a long-running damp problem you have reported
- The lease requires a professional clean — read it, and check the RTB's guidance on what can be charged
Safety first
- Never mix bleach with toilet cleaner, drain cleaner or anything containing ammonia; the HSA warns a harmful gas forms.
- Oven cleaners are caustic: wear long gloves and glasses, ventilate, and keep them off catalytic liners, seals and elements.
- Use a stepladder, not a chair, and stay off the top two steps; the HSA's ladder guidance also says not to overreach.
- The HSA notes detergents and cleaning fluids commonly cause dermatitis. Wear gloves all day and moisturise afterwards.
- Wet floors are slippery; mop yourself out of each room and keep doors open so they dry.
| MATERIAL | COVERAGE | FOR THIS JOB |
|---|---|---|
| Multi-surface cleaner | Diluted as the label says | One bottle |
| Limescale remover | On acid-resistant surfaces only | One bottle |
| Oven cleaner or gel | Enamel only; never catalytic liners | One |
| Refuse sacks | For the last of the rubbish | A roll |
How long the clean takes
Hours ≈ (bedrooms × 1) + (bathrooms × 1.5) + kitchen 3 + living areas 1, plus a second pass of an hour for the final check. Example: a two-bedroom, one-bathroom flat with one living room: 2 + 1.5 + 3 + 1 + 1 = 8.5 hours — a long day, or two half days with the oven done the first evening.
A carpet washer adds a few hours of drying; book it for the first day so the carpets are dry before the inspection.
The RTB caps a deposit at one month's rent. It expects the money back promptly once the tenancy is over, unless there is a lawful reason to hold some back — though not necessarily on moving day, since the landlord is entitled to look round first. Lawful reasons on its list include rent owed, bills left unpaid, short notice and damage going past ordinary wear, a category that covers a home left dirty enough to be unhygienic or left unsafe.
Ordinary wear is not the tenant's bill, the RTB says, and what is reasonable grows with how long you stayed and how many of you lived there. The examples it gives of ordinary wear are carpet or flooring that has simply worn, taps and their washers wearing out, and a cooker ring that has died through everyday use. A family who stayed ten years will leave more marks than one person who stayed a few months.
Things the RTB treats as going past ordinary wear include scorch and burn marks, heavy carpet staining, scribbles on wallpaper, holes in doors or walls, fittings that have gone missing, broken glass, smoke damage where the lease banned smoking, and ripped curtains. A clean cannot put most of those right; if one applies, raise it with the landlord before you leave and agree a repair, rather than waiting for a deduction.
The RTB's advice is to photograph the home when you arrive and when you leave and to go through the inventory. Citizens Information says the landlord has to give you an inventory, and suggests you note the state of each item, photograph them where you can and agree the record in writing. Where money is held back, the RTB expects the landlord to show evidence, and says a badly worn item cannot be charged at the price of a new one.
An empty home needs a multi-surface cleaner, a limescale remover for the bathroom and taps, an oven cleaner or gel, a degreaser for the hood and hob, cloths and scourers. Read each label for the surfaces it suits — descalers are acids and damage natural stone — and never use two in the same place at once.
Excessive staining on carpet is on the RTB's list of excess wear. If the carpet was clean when you moved in and is now marked, a hired carpet washer or a professional clean is usually cheaper than the dispute. See the carpet guide for whether yours can be wet-cleaned.
THE PART THAT DECIDES THE FINISH
Preparing each room — by what landlords check
Go through the home with your inventory and move-in photos and do each room's preparation before the clean starts. The aim is the condition you moved into, allowing for normal wear.
Kitchen
The room inspections focus on: oven, hob, hood, presses and fridge.
- Take everything of yours out of the presses, fridge and freezer
- Defrost the freezer the day before if it has ice, with towels down
- Find the oven type — enamel, catalytic or pyrolytic — before choosing a cleaner
- Check the inventory for what should be left: cutlery, pans, appliances
Bathroom
Scale, grout, the toilet and the extractor fan.
- Open the window and run the fan from the start
- Take shower curtains down to wash or bin, as the inventory lists
- Unscrew the shower head if it comes off by hand, for descaling
- Note any mould you reported during the tenancy, with dates
Carpets and floors
Where excessive staining becomes a deduction.
- Vacuum everything once the furniture of yours is out
- Compare stains with your move-in photos
- Decide early whether you need a hired carpet washer, so it can dry before you leave
- Note worn walkways; that is normal wear, not a cleaning job
Walls, doors and paintwork
Marks, Blu-Tack, scuffs, picture hooks.
- Test a damp cloth and a little detergent on a hidden patch before scrubbing paint
- Remove adhesive putty by rolling it off with a fresh lump
- Take down your own picture hooks only if the lease or landlord agrees, and do not fill holes without agreement
- Photograph any mark that was there at move-in
Furnished items
Sofa, mattresses, curtains and appliances on the inventory.
- Check the inventory list against what is in each room
- Vacuum the sofa and mattresses; spot-clean marks after a hidden test
- Wash curtains only if the label allows; see the curtain guide
- Put everything back where the inventory or photos show it
Outside: garden, bins, shed
Only if the lease makes them your responsibility.
- Read the lease for the garden clause
- Empty and rinse the bins once the last collection has gone
- Clear your belongings from the shed and any storage
- Cut the grass and clear weeds if that is in the lease
THE JOB
How to clean a rented home for the end of tenancy, in order
Read the evidence and plan
30 minUse the surfaces section above with your inventory and your move-in photos open. Read the lease for any cleaning clause. Walk each room and note what needs cleaning, what was already like that when you arrived, and anything broken that you should tell the landlord about now. The RTB suggests landlords inspect a few weeks before the tenancy ends — it puts it at 3 to 4 weeks — so ask for a visit if none is offered.
- Write a room-by-room list and tick it off as you go
- Ask the landlord in writing whether they expect anything specific
- Book a carpet washer now if you need one
Mistake to avoid: Starting to clean without the inventory. You clean the wrong things and miss the item they will check first.
Clear everything and the rubbish
1 hourTake all your belongings out — the RTB checklist says personal belongings should be gone and all rubbish and waste removed. Empty presses, wardrobes, the fridge and freezer, the attic and the shed. Bag the rubbish, sort the recycling, and take bulky items you no longer want to a civic amenity site or arrange a collection before the last day; mywaste.ie lists what goes where.
- Check behind doors, under beds and on top of presses
- Do not leave rubbish in the bins after the last collection
- Donate furniture you no longer need rather than leaving it
Mistake to avoid: Leaving a few bags of rubbish or old furniture for the landlord. That is one of the clearest grounds for a deduction.
Top to bottom, dry then wet
1 hourStart high and work down so the dust falls onto floors you have not cleaned yet. From a stepladder, dust the tops of presses, door frames, curtain rails, light shades — switched off and cool — and cobwebs in corners. Vacuum skirting boards, radiators and vents. Then wipe light switches, door handles and door faces with a damp cloth and a little detergent, testing paint first.
- Stay off the top two steps of the stepladder
- Use a damp cloth for dust, not a dry one
- Leave the floors until the very end
Mistake to avoid: Scrubbing a scuff on matt paint hard. It polishes a shiny patch that shows more than the scuff did.
The kitchen: oven, hob, hood, fridge, presses
3 hoursDo the oven first so the cleaner can work while you do the rest — see the oven guide, and never put oven cleaner on catalytic liners. Degrease the hob, hood and splashback, and wash the hood's metal filters. Empty and wipe the fridge with lukewarm water and a little bicarbonate of soda, as one fridge maker suggests, and flush its drain hole. Wipe inside every press and drawer and dry them.
- If you switch the fridge off, leave its door ajar so it does not smell
- Clean the dishwasher filter and the washing machine door seal and drawer
- Wipe the tops of tall presses and the cooker sides
Mistake to avoid: Leaving the oven until last. It is the slowest job and the one an inspection looks at first.
The bathroom: scale, grout, toilet, fan
1.5 hoursDescale the taps, shower head, screen and tiles with a limescale remover on acid-resistant surfaces only, keeping to the label's contact time, then rinse well. Scrub grout with a grout cleaner and a small brush. Clean the bath, basin and toilet, the toilet last with its own gloves and cloth. Wipe the extractor fan cover, mirror and cabinet inside and out.
- Never use bleach in the same session as a descaler or toilet cleaner
- Dry the screen and taps so they look as clean as they are
- Photograph the bathroom straight after, before anyone uses it
Mistake to avoid: Bleaching mould and mixing it with toilet cleaner. The HSA warns the combination releases a harmful gas.
Windows, sills and frames
1 hourClean the inside of every window with water and a few drops of washing-up liquid, then squeegee or dry with a lint-free cloth. Wipe sills and frames, clean condensation channels and drainage slots, and wipe any black spots off the seals. Clean the outsides only where you can reach from the ground or the window opens inwards; you are not expected to work at height.
- Work in the shade so the glass does not streak
- Wipe glass cleaner off rubber seals
- Never kneel on a sill or lean out
Mistake to avoid: Leaving mouldy window seals. They read as neglect in photos even when the rest is spotless.
Carpets and floors
1.5 hoursVacuum every carpet slowly in two directions, edges included. Treat any stains with a spotter suited to the fibre, tested first, blotting from the outside in. If the carpets need a deep clean, use a hired carpet washer early enough for them to dry before the inspection. Then mop hard floors from the far corner back to the door, with a well wrung-out mop on laminate and wood.
- Excessive carpet staining is on the RTB's list of excess wear
- Worn traffic lanes are normal wear; do not over-scrub them
- Open windows so floors dry quickly
Mistake to avoid: Leaving the carpets damp at handover. A wet carpet smells by the next day and can look like a new problem.
Final walk-through and evidence
45 minGo through each room with the inventory, ticking each item as present and clean. Then photograph every room from each corner, plus close-ups of the oven, hob, fridge, bathroom and carpets, and take a slow video walk-through with the date visible. Your exit photos, set against the ones from move-in day, are what the RTB points to as proof of condition. Read the meters and photograph them.
- Open the oven, fridge and presses for the photos
- Keep the files somewhere you will not delete them
- Ask the landlord to attend if you can
Mistake to avoid: Not photographing because the place looks fine. If a deduction is disputed later, your photos are the evidence.
Hand back and follow up
20 minReturn all keys and fobs, and give the landlord your forwarding address and bank details in writing for the deposit. Note the date. If part of the deposit is kept, ask in writing for the reasons and the evidence; the RTB says the landlord should provide evidence and cannot charge full replacement for an item already significantly worn. If you cannot agree, the RTB's dispute resolution service handles deposit disputes.
- Keep copies of every message about the deposit
- Do not argue at the door; put it in writing
- Check the RTB's time limits for bringing a dispute
Mistake to avoid: Handing back the keys with no written request for the deposit. It leaves no clear record of when the clock started.
The mistakes that cost deposits
- Leaving rubbish, furniture or belongings behind
- Skipping the oven, the fridge or the extractor hood
- No dated photos at the end to match the move-in ones
- Filling holes or repainting without the landlord's agreement
- Mixing cleaning chemicals to get a quicker result
Stop here and get an end-of-tenancy cleaning service
- You have already moved out of the area and cannot give it a full day
- There is damage — burns, holes, broken glass — that needs repair before cleaning makes sense
- Carpets have heavy staining a hired machine will not lift
- There is extensive mould from a damp problem; report it to the landlord in writing as well
| WHAT YOU SEE | WHY, AND THE FIX |
|---|---|
| The landlord says the oven was not clean enough | Compare with your end-of-tenancy photos. If it is clean, say so in writing with the photos; if not, offer to return and clean it rather than accepting a large deduction. |
| A deduction for normal wear | The RTB's own examples of ordinary wear include worn flooring, worn-out washers and a cooker ring that failed with use. Ask for the evidence in writing and point to that guidance. |
| Carpet stains returned after the hire machine | Over-wetting drew them back up. Spot-treat and do quick passes with extra dry passes; see the carpet guide. |
| Musty smell in an empty flat | Closed-up rooms with no ventilation. Open windows, check the fridge door is ajar if it is off, and look for mould behind where furniture stood. |
| Marks on paintwork from Blu-Tack or tape | Roll a fresh piece of putty over old residue; lift tape slowly at a low angle. Do not scrub matt paint. |
| Limescale will not shift from the shower screen | Heavy scale needs repeat short applications of descaler, rinsed each time, rather than one long one. |
| An inventory item is missing | Look through your own boxes before you go. If it broke, tell the landlord now; the RTB says full replacement cannot be charged for something already worn. |
| The deposit has not come back | It should be returned as soon as possible, the RTB says, though not necessarily on the day. Ask in writing; if it is still withheld without reason, use the RTB's dispute resolution service. |
WHAT YOU SAVE
What it costs to do it yourself
| Multi-surface cleaner | €1.29–€1.49 |
|---|---|
| Bleach spray | €2.99 |
| Limescale remover | €1.99–€3.99 |
| Oven cleaner | €1.79–€3.99 |
| Microfibre cloths, scourers and gloves | €3.97–€4.47 |
| Refuse sacks, roll of forty | €1.99 |
| Flat mop | €5.99 |
| Total, two-bedroom flat | €20–€25 |
| DIY total | €20–€25 |
Guide prices compiled by the Locufy team from published Irish and UK provider price lists and 2026/27 cost guides. Updated 2026.
If the carpets need a deep clean, a hired carpet washer for 24 hours costs €37.20 at one national chain, plus detergent. Most of the kit can go with you to the next home.
RATHER NOT?
End of tenancy cleaners near you, with prices shown
The ones who cover your area, nearest first, with one score from every review. No account needed to look.
Or post the job free and let them come to you.
Back up the photos, the video, the inventory and every message about the deposit until it is returned.
Rubbish and recycling go in the right bins before the last collection; bulky items to a civic amenity site or a bulky collection; leftover strong cleaners and aerosols to a civic amenity site that accepts household hazardous waste — mywaste.ie lists them.
Take final meter readings and arrange payment of any utility bills you are responsible for, as the RTB checklist says; unpaid bills can be taken from the deposit.
Ask for the reasons and evidence in writing. The RTB's dispute resolution service handles deposit disputes between tenants and landlords.
Cleaning a rented home before you hand back the keys: questions people ask
About as clean as it was on the day you moved in, allowing for ordinary wear, with every belonging and every bag of rubbish gone. That is the gist of the RTB's checklist for tenants who are leaving.
A home left dirty enough to be unhygienic, or left unsafe, falls under damage beyond ordinary wear in the RTB's guidance, so it can be a reason for a deduction. Whatever is held back, the landlord should be able to show you the evidence.
Ordinary wear, in the RTB's examples, is flooring that has worn with use, taps and washers that have worn out and a cooker ring that has failed through normal cooking. Scorch marks, heavy carpet stains and holes in the walls go beyond it.
As soon as possible after the tenancy ends, the RTB says, though not necessarily on the day you leave, because the landlord may need time to inspect.
The Locufy price guide puts a professional end-of-tenancy clean at €110–€400 per visit, typically €240. Bigger homes, ovens and carpets add to it.
Ask in writing for the reasons and the evidence. If you still cannot agree, the RTB's dispute resolution service deals with deposit disputes.
MORE GUIDES
More DIY guides
Sources — checked October 2026
- RTB — security deposits: limits, return, reasons for keeping, tenant checklist
- RTB — wear and tear: normal and excess, evidence, avoiding disputes
- Citizens Information — tenants' rights and responsibilities: inventory and deposits
- Bosch — how to clean an oven
- Beko — how to clean a fridge freezer
- HG — limescale remover foam spray: directions and surfaces
- HSA — Safety in Contract Cleaning: incompatible chemicals and dermatitis
- HSA — using ladders safely
- MyWaste.ie — household hazardous waste
- MyWaste.ie — sofas and bulky furniture
- Mr Price — price check: bleach and multi-surface sprays, October 2026
- Mr Price — price check: limescale removers, October 2026
- Mr Price — price check: oven cleaners, October 2026
- Mr Price — price check: cloths, scourers and gloves, October 2026
- Mr Price — price check: refuse sacks, October 2026
- Mr Price — price check: mops, October 2026
- B&Q Ireland — carpet cleaner hire prices
- Mr Price — price check: multi-surface sprays, October 2026