Cleaning Appliances Before Moving Out

When the end of tenancy gets discussed, we tend to think about things like wiping down the skirting boards, scrubbing the walls and clearing out the dusty, cobwebby cupboards. It’s easy to forget that the appliances need to be deep cleaned, especially if the appliances in question were rented along with the rest of the house (if you own the fridge, washing machine or whatever, that’s another story). However, it can be easy to forget about them – which comes back to bite you in the backside if you leave a packet of frozen peas in the deep freeze for the next people (and the landlord) to find all mushy and disgusting.

All the white goods are certain things that professional end of tenancy cleaning companies have to deep clean as part of our standard moving out cleaning checklist. What’s more, if you hire a team of professionals to do the cleaning work for you so you get your deposit money back, they will pay attention to the appliances (if there are any). If you want to do your own moving out cleaning, you need to know how to do the job properly.

Ovens – The Big Bad Boss

We will reverse things from the plot of your typical video game or fantasy novel and start with the kitchen appliance that is the hardest and the nastiest to clean – the oven. Even if the landlord doesn’t provide any other appliances, there will be an oven, which will need more than a quick wipe-down for end of tenancy cleaning. It will be a hard job, so prepare to spend plenty of time and energy on it. The self-cleaning function on an oven will help, but it won’t work miracles, and you’ll need to spend a bit of time scrubbing.

You can opt for a store-bought spray. In this case, read the instructions and follow the safety precautions regarding gloves and good ventilation, as this stuff will do to your skin what it does to grease.

The other option is to mix baking soda and water into a paste. You’ll need to apply quite a lot of it all over the inside of the oven, then leave it to sit for a while before scrubbing like mad. The baking soda will cut the grease, but you will need to do a lot of rubbing and scrubbing.

You can also help it on its way with steam – put a bowl of hot water (from the kettle) inside the oven, shut the door and switch the oven on hot so the water boils and steams all over the place. Leave the door shut for 30 or so minutes. Then open the door and wipe down the loosened grime and other debris. You may need to follow this with baking soda.

It’s hard work – and did you know that it’s possible to call a professional in to clean the oven?

Cleaning The Fridge

With the fridge, you’ll need to clean it out thoroughly. This involves switching it off at the wall, removing everything inside it, wiping out larger bits of debris, and then getting stuck in with the baking soda and water, which does a great job of cleaning fridges and absorbing odours as well. Whip out the racks and trays, and wash them by hand in the sink.

During moving out cleaning, don’t forget to pull the fridge out from the wall, clean the floor underneath it, and damp-dusting the dust and other grime off the back of it.

Cleaning The Freezer

Whether the freezer is part of the fridge or a separate unit or both, it will need to be defrosted as part of the moving out cleaning. To do this, remove whatever’s inside, switch the unit off at the wall, and then pop a couple of thick absorbent towels down the bottom. Now get a bowl of boiling water and pop that inside the unit, and shut the door firmly. Wait a while (overnight is good), then open the door and remove the water. You should find sopping wet towels and some chunks of ice. Remove the chunks of ice and the towels, then blot up any more water sloping around. If you need to, use a spatula to remove any ice remaining around the walls. Wipe out the stray bits of diced carrot and corn that will have inevitably hidden in the corners. If the inside looks gungy, use baking soda and water to remove the grime.

How To Clean A Washing Machine

Washing machines collect a surprising amount of gunge. Your first step is to clean out the lint trap. Then run a cycle on hot with nothing in it, using several cups of white vinegar instead of ordinary laundry detergent or powder (some people swear by dishwasher detergent tablets, dissolving them first before adding them to the tub). Once the machine has run through the cycle, wipe out the inside, around the lid, hinges, and any other parts you can reach. Don’t forget to clean the floor underneath the machine and remove grime from the back.

Cleaning Out The Dryer

Dryers get sticky inside if you use dryer sheets that prevent static cling. If you use these, then use washing up liquid and water to scrub the inside of the drum, then dry it out thoroughly. If you don’t use these sheets, then damp-dusting the inside will do the job and should remove most gunge from the inside. Empty the lint trap, wipe down the top and the sides with your favourite cleaner, and you’re good to go – apart from washing the floor underneath the dryer and dusting the back, especially around the vents.

Cleaning The Dishwasher

Start by cleaning out the filter and removing any visible bits that are lying around the bottom (there are always those people who don’t rinse and scrape plates properly). Then run a cycle on hot with baking soda instead of your regular dishwasher powder or tablet and vinegar instead of the rinse aid. Finish by drying out the inside with a towel. If the dishwasher is a free-standing unit rather than built into a cupboard, pull it out, clean the floor underneath it and wipe down the back and all the other sides.

Cleaning A Microwave Oven

Last but not least, don’t forget the little microwave. Do you know how to clean a microwave oven properly?

Start by removing the turntable – wash it in the sink by hand like your dishes. Then remove anything visible (usually peas – always peas!). Now put a bowl of boiling water inside, shut the door, zap it on high for 10 minutes, and leave the door shut for another 20 minutes. The steam will loosen the grime and grease. Now open the door, remove the bowl of water, and then give the inside a good wipe with baking soda paste. Finish by wiping down the top, back and sides… and don’t forget the wall and bit of countertop where the microwave was standing.

After You’ve Finished

Once you’ve cleaned all the appliances and are ready to move out, you need to leave them so they won’t go nasty and mouldy for the next tenant. Ovens are usually OK, as they have decent ventilation and don’t tend to grow mouldy. The best way to prevent mould is to leave the units switched off at the wall (especially in the case of the fridge and freezer) with the door slightly open to allow air to flow in and out, which will allow the unit to dry thoroughly and will deter mould (spiders are another story, but this is something that you can’t do anything about).