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8 Tips for Cleaning Your Rental Kitchen Between Tenants

Larry Alton
2 min read
8 Tips for Cleaning Your Rental Kitchen Between Tenants

Landlords know better than anyone just how rough tenants can be on a property – especially when they rent it for long periods of time. And while it’s possible for any room to get trashed, few undergo as much wear and tear as the kitchen.

Knowing how to quickly conduct a deep clean between tenants can make a huge difference. Here are a few tips to help you make the process faster and more efficient.

1. Require Tenants to Clean Before Vacating

If you want to get a head start on your cleaning, make sure the lease agreement requires tenants to clean the property before moving out. They won’t do a perfect job, but they’ll usually make the property look decent. You can then go in and clean up what they’ve left behind.

Related: Cleaning Your Rental: A Checklist

2. Start With Repairs & Maintenance

The last thing you want is to clean the property and then make a huge mess by cutting into drywall to fix a hole in the wall. So, before cleaning, address any repairs and maintenance issues that exist.

3. Choose the Right Cleaning Supplies

The right supplies make all the difference when cleaning – especially when it comes to kitchen cabinets. According to Kitchen Cabinet Kings, it’s best to stay away from harsh chemicals and instead use everyday household items like dish soap, baking soda, and vinegar. You’ll also find that it’s helpful to have a variety of sponges, cloths, rags, scrubbers, and Magic Erasers on hand to take care of all the nooks and crannies.

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4. Be Sure to Dust

Before getting too far into the cleaning process, be sure to dust the high surfaces: The top of the refrigerator, cabinets, and trim work are known for collecting filth. If you wait until the end to do this, you’ll send dust all over the countertops and floor.

5. Hit the Appliances

Even if your previous tenant attempted to clean the kitchen appliances, you’ll find that they’re most likely still pretty filthy. Spend some time on the refrigerator, oven, microwave, stovetop, dishwasher, and coffee maker. Your next tenant will notice and appreciate how well cared for the appliances are.

Related: The Landlord’s Itemized List of Common Tenant Deposit Deductions

6. Mop the Floor

Sweeping is one thing. You’ll get all the loose dirt, dust, and debris that’s been tracked inside. However, sweeping doesn’t actually do much to clean the hardwood, tile, or linoleum flooring. If you were to run a wet paper towel over a floor after sweeping, it would probably come up pretty dirty. That’s not something you want your tenants to discover upon moving in. So grab a mop and bucket and give the floor a true clean

7. Hire a Professional

Even after getting your hands dirty and cleaning your property from top to bottom, there is probably some dirt left behind. While you may not have the money to hire a professional crew to come through and spend half a day making the rental spotless, you certainly have the cash to hire a local cleaner to come through and spend one hour vacuuming and cleaning up anything you may have left behind. At the end of the day, that’s money well spent.

8. Give Your Tenants What They Deserve

If you expect your tenants to keep your property clean and turn it over to you in good condition upon leaving, you need to hold up your end of the bargain and give them a clean property to start with. While it may cost you some time and money on the front end, handing over a clean property will get the relationship started on the right foot. It’s as simple as that.

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What are your tips for turning over a clean rental?

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Note By BiggerPockets: These are opinions written by the author and do not necessarily represent the opinions of BiggerPockets.