DIY vs Professional End of Tenancy Cleaning
Most of an end of tenancy clean is DIY-able. The problem areas are concentrated in a handful of specific tasks.
Understanding exactly which tasks fall into which category is the difference between wasting £300 on a full professional clean you didn't need — or losing £500 from your deposit because you thought your oven looked "fine."
Every end of tenancy cleaning guide on the internet says the same thing: professional cleaning is worth it. And most of them are written by cleaning companies trying to sell you a service.
This page is different. We've broken the entire end of tenancy clean into every single task across every room — and given each one an honest verdict. Some of these tasks are completely straightforward and any person with a cloth and a bottle of all-purpose spray can handle them. Some are technically possible but genuinely difficult without the right products. And a small number are tasks where a regular person with regular household products simply cannot achieve the standard an inventory clerk expects.
The truth that nobody tells you is this: most of an end of tenancy clean is DIY-able. The majority of tasks are basic cleaning — wiping, vacuuming, mopping, dusting. The problem areas are concentrated in two rooms — the kitchen and the bathroom — and within those rooms, in a handful of specific tasks that require either professional-grade products, specialist equipment, or both.
Find Out What's Right for Your Situation
Not sure whether to DIY or hire? Answer five quick questions and get an honest recommendation based on your specific circumstances. The right answer depends on what you'll face at the checkout inspection.
Should You DIY or Hire Professionals?
Answer five quick questions for an honest recommendation1.How large is your property?
2.How many days before checkout do you have?
3.How would you describe the property's current state?
4.When did you last properly clean the oven?
5.Will you have help?
What "Professional Standard" Actually Means
If your check-in report says "professionally cleaned" — and most do — then "professional standard" is the benchmark you need to match at checkout. This doesn't mean you have to hire a professional. It means the result must match what a professional would achieve.
What Checkout Clerks Actually Check
The specific standards your property is measured againstOven interior
Zero visible grease, carbon, or residue on walls, ceiling, floor, door glass (including between panels), racks, and trays
Extractor hood
Grease-free exterior, clean filters you can see light through
Fridge/freezer
No food residue, clean seals, no odour, clean behind and on top
Bathroom taps
No limescale visible at base, around handles, or on spout
Shower screen
No limescale, no watermarks, no soap scum
Grout lines
Original colour visible, no mould discolouration
Cupboards
Inside wiped — no crumbs, dust, sticky residue, or shelf liner remnants
Window tracks
No dirt, dead insects, or moisture residue in runners
Skirting boards
Dust-free along entire length, including behind furniture positions
Carpet
Vacuumed thoroughly, no stains (or stains documented at check-in)
The inventory clerk doesn't care who cleaned. They care about the result. If you can achieve these standards yourself, DIY is the right choice. If you can't, the deduction will cost more than the cleaner. For a printable version, see our full end of tenancy cleaning checklist.
The Real Cost Comparison
Select your property size to see honest numbers — product costs, time investment, professional pricing, and what's actually at stake. For a full breakdown of end of tenancy cleaning costs in London, see our dedicated pricing page.
The Real Cost Comparison
Select your property size for honest numbers🧴
DIY product cost
£30–60
Supermarket cleaning products, cloths, bin bags⏱️
DIY time investment
12–20 hrs
Across 1–3 days, physically demanding work✨
Professional clean cost
£280–370
London average, includes most appliances🏦
Your deposit at stake
£1,200–2,000
Based on 5 weeks' rent — this is what you could loseEvery Task, Every Room, Every Honest Verdict
Open each room to see every cleaning task broken down — what it involves, what products you need, how long it takes, and whether you can realistically do it yourself. To avoid the most common mistakes tenants make, pay close attention to the amber and red tasks.
34
Total tasks
22
You can DIY
11
Possible but tricky
1
Hire a professional
The kitchen is where most deposit deductions originate. It's the most scrutinised room during checkout because heat, grease, and moisture create layered grime that regular cleaning doesn't touch.
Warm soapy water and a microfibre cloth handle most surfaces. For stubborn marks on tiles, a paste of bicarbonate of soda works well. Avoid abrasive scourers on laminate or granite.
Time estimate
20–30 min
What you need
Washing-up liquid, microfibre cloths, bicarbonate of soda
💡
Insider tip: Wipe in one direction to avoid streaks. Dry with a separate cloth.
Empty everything. Wipe shelves, remove crumbs, clean sticky residue. Wipe exterior doors and handles. This is tedious but straightforward — just thorough.
Time estimate
30–60 min
What you need
All-purpose spray, damp cloth, dry cloth
💡
Insider tip: Open all doors and leave them open while cleaning so you don't miss any.
The sink itself is easy. The challenge is limescale around the tap base and the state of the plughole. London's hard water means mineral deposits build up fast. White vinegar soaked on cotton pads and wedged around tap bases helps, but heavy buildup may need a commercial descaler.
Time estimate
15–30 min
What you need
White vinegar, citric acid, old toothbrush, commercial descaler for heavy buildup
💡
Insider tip: Soak, don't scrub. Let acid do the work for 15–30 minutes before wiping.
This is the single most common area that fails checkout inspection. Baked-on carbon and grease inside the oven cavity, between the glass door panels, on racks and trays — a regular person with supermarket oven cleaner and a sponge cannot match what a professional achieves with commercial-grade caustic solutions and a dip tank. The oven door glass has an inner panel that traps grease between the panes. Most people don't even know it opens.
Time estimate
2–4 hours (DIY) vs 30 min (professional)
What you need
Supermarket oven cleaner gets you 60–70% there. The last 30% needs professional products or a dip tank.
💡
Insider tip: If you DIY everything else but hire a professional for one thing — make it the oven.
The hob surface is manageable with degreaser and patience. The extractor is the problem — grease-saturated filters, sticky hood interior, and the housing above the filter that nobody remembers exists. Metal filters can be soaked in hot water with washing-up liquid. Carbon filters can't be cleaned and may need replacing.
Time estimate
30–60 min
What you need
Degreaser spray, hot soapy water for metal filters, scrubbing brush
💡
Insider tip: Remove the filter and hold it up to the light. If you can't see through it, it's not clean.
Switch off the freezer 24 hours before your clean date. Remove all shelves, drawers, and door compartments. Wash each piece in warm soapy water. Wipe interior walls. Clean door seals with an old toothbrush — mould hides in the folds. Pull the unit out and clean behind and underneath.
Time estimate
30–60 min (plus defrost time)
What you need
Warm soapy water, bicarbonate of soda for odours, toothbrush for seals
💡
Insider tip: Leave the door open after cleaning so it fully airs out. Don't forget the top of the fridge — clerks check it.
Pull out the detergent drawer completely — it comes out. Scrub the drawer and the cavity behind it. Black mould builds up in the door seal of front-loaders — fold back the rubber gasket and clean inside. Run an empty hot cycle with white vinegar. For the dishwasher, remove and clean the filter, wipe the door edges, clean the spray arms.
Time estimate
20–40 min
What you need
White vinegar, old toothbrush, hot cycle
💡
Insider tip: The washing machine door seal is the second most commonly failed item after the oven.
Vacuum along kickboards. Pull out freestanding appliances and clean the floor and walls behind them. Dust, food debris, and grease accumulate here for years. Simple but easy to forget.
Time estimate
15–20 min
What you need
Vacuum with crevice attachment, damp cloth
💡
Insider tip: Take photos behind appliances after cleaning — this is a common dispute area.
Vacuum first, then mop. Pay attention to floor edges where the mop doesn't reach — use a cloth. Grout lines between tiles may need a scrub. This is straightforward physical work.
Time estimate
20–30 min
What you need
Vacuum, mop and floor cleaner, cloth for edges, grout brush if tiled
💡
Insider tip: Move the bin, move the recycling, clean under everything that was on the floor.
The second most scrutinised room. Limescale, mould, and soap scum are the main enemies. London's hard water makes this significantly harder than it would be in a soft water area.
Apply toilet cleaner under the rim, leave for 10 minutes, scrub with a toilet brush. Clean the exterior, seat, hinges, and cistern. Clean behind and around the base where it meets the floor — this is where clerks look first.
Time estimate
15–20 min
What you need
Toilet cleaner, disinfectant spray, cloth, old toothbrush for hinges
💡
Insider tip: Lift the seat and clean the bolt covers and hinges. Nobody does this. The clerk will.
Light soap scum comes off with bathroom cleaner and a non-scratch sponge. The difficulty escalates with hard water staining and silicone sealant that's gone pink or black with mould. You can clean the surface of sealant but you cannot restore discoloured sealant to white — that requires re-sealing, which is a repair, not cleaning.
Time estimate
20–40 min
What you need
Bathroom cleaner, non-scratch sponge, limescale remover for heavy staining
💡
Insider tip: Mouldy sealant is cleaning. Discoloured sealant is wear. Know the difference — it affects your deposit.
Recent water spots come off with white vinegar spray and a squeegee. Months or years of baked-on limescale on glass is genuinely one of the hardest DIY cleaning tasks. You need citric acid or a commercial limescale remover, applied repeatedly, left to soak, and scraped carefully with a plastic scraper.
Time estimate
15–30 min
What you need
White vinegar or citric acid, spray bottle, squeegee, plastic scraper, microfibre cloth
💡
Insider tip: Apply, wait 20 minutes, wipe, repeat. Heavy buildup needs 3–4 treatments over 2 days.
Wrap cotton pads or cloth strips soaked in white vinegar around the taps and leave for 30 minutes. For the showerhead, unscrew it and soak in a bowl of vinegar for an hour. The difficulty is the base of the tap where it meets the basin.
Time estimate
15–25 min
What you need
White vinegar, cotton pads, old toothbrush, microfibre cloth for polishing
💡
Insider tip: After descaling, polish chrome dry with a clean microfibre cloth. The difference is dramatic.
Tiles themselves wipe clean easily. Grout is the problem. Surface mould on grout responds to a bleach-based spray left for 10 minutes then scrubbed with a grout brush. Deep staining that has penetrated the grout cannot be restored with cleaning — it needs re-grouting.
Time estimate
30–60 min
What you need
Bathroom cleaner, grout brush or old toothbrush, bleach-based mould spray
💡
Insider tip: Spray, leave, scrub, rinse, repeat. Do this the day before checkout so grout has time to dry and show its true colour.
If the cover removes easily (most clip or screw off), take it down and soak in warm soapy water. Wipe dust off the fan blades with a damp cloth. Reattach. If it doesn't remove easily, vacuum the grille and wipe what you can reach.
Time estimate
10–15 min
What you need
Warm soapy water, vacuum with brush attachment, damp cloth
💡
Insider tip: This takes 10 minutes and gets missed in 80% of DIY cleans. Don't be in that 80%.
Glass cleaner and a lint-free cloth for the mirror. Empty and wipe inside any cabinets. Clean shelves and brackets.
Time estimate
10–15 min
What you need
Glass cleaner, lint-free cloth, all-purpose spray for cabinets
💡
Insider tip: Check the top edge of the mirror and the top of the cabinet — dust settles there.
Sweep or vacuum first, then mop with bathroom floor cleaner. Get behind the toilet pedestal and into corners. Clean the skirting boards while you're down there.
Time estimate
10–15 min
What you need
Vacuum, mop, bathroom floor cleaner, cloth for edges
💡
Insider tip: The strip of floor behind the toilet that you can barely reach? That's exactly where the clerk looks.
Bedrooms are generally the most DIY-friendly rooms. The main tasks are cleaning, dusting, and vacuuming — things a regular person can absolutely handle. The risk areas are carpets and walls.
Empty completely. Wipe inside all shelves and drawers. Remove any liner paper if dirty. Wipe exterior surfaces and handles. Don't forget the top of the wardrobe — thick dust accumulates here.
Time estimate
15–30 min per room
What you need
Damp cloth, all-purpose spray, dry cloth
💡
Insider tip: Run your finger along the top of the wardrobe. If it leaves a mark, it's not clean.
Inside glass is easy with glass cleaner and a lint-free cloth. Window tracks are the hidden challenge — they accumulate dirt, dead insects, and moisture residue. Use a vacuum crevice tool then scrub with an old toothbrush and soapy water.
Time estimate
15–25 min per window
What you need
Glass cleaner, lint-free cloth, vacuum crevice tool, old toothbrush, soapy water
💡
Insider tip: Window tracks are checked at every single checkout. Clean them.
Wipe scuff marks with a damp cloth — start gently, some paint marks easily. Dust skirting boards. Wipe light switches and door handles with disinfectant. Don't try to paint over marks unless you're confident you can match the colour exactly.
Time estimate
15–20 min per room
What you need
Damp cloth, magic eraser sponge (test in hidden area first), disinfectant wipes
💡
Insider tip: Magic eraser sponges work brilliantly on scuff marks but can remove paint sheen. Test first.
Dust the top and front with a damp cloth. For behind the radiator, use a long-handled radiator brush or a ruler wrapped in a damp cloth. Vacuum dust that falls to the floor.
Time estimate
10–15 min per radiator
What you need
Damp cloth, radiator brush or improvised equivalent, vacuum
💡
Insider tip: The dust behind radiators is visible when sunlight hits it. The clerk will notice.
Standard vacuuming is absolutely a DIY task — vacuum thoroughly including edges and under furniture positions. Deep carpet cleaning (hot water extraction / steam cleaning) requires equipment you probably don't own. For stained, high-traffic, or long-tenancy carpets, professional extraction is markedly better.
Time estimate
15–20 min vacuuming; 1–2 hours if shampooing
What you need
Your own vacuum for standard cleaning; hired machine or professional service for deep extraction
💡
Insider tip: Vacuum in multiple directions. Move all furniture. Get the edges with a crevice tool.
Dust light fittings, remove cobwebs from ceiling corners with a long-handled duster or damp cloth on a mop handle. Clean any pendant shades. London's high ceilings make this awkward but not difficult.
Time estimate
5–10 min per room
What you need
Long-handled duster, step ladder if needed, damp cloth
💡
Insider tip: Stand in the doorway and look at the ceiling. That's what the clerk does.
Wipe the door surface, both sides. Wipe the top edge (dust). Clean the door frame. Remove fingerprints around handles. Check the bottom edge for scuffs.
Time estimate
5–10 min per door
What you need
Damp cloth, all-purpose spray
💡
Insider tip: The top edge of every door collects dust. Every checkout clerk checks it.
Similar to bedrooms in terms of DIY feasibility. The main additional challenges are larger windows, more surface area, and potentially a fireplace.
Dust and wipe all surfaces. Remove items from shelves, clean the shelf, replace. If there's a fireplace mantel, clean the top and front. Check inside the fireplace if there is one — ash and soot should be removed.
Time estimate
15–20 min
What you need
Damp cloth, all-purpose spray, dustpan for fireplace ash
💡
Insider tip: If there's a working fireplace, clean out all ash and wipe the hearth. Check the check-in report for its original condition.
Clean inside glass and frames as per bedrooms. Blinds need individual slat wiping — a damp cloth works but it's slow. Venetian blinds with heavy dust may need removing and soaking. Curtain rails collect dust along the top.
Time estimate
20–40 min
What you need
Glass cleaner, damp cloth, step ladder for curtain rails
💡
Insider tip: Photograph blinds after cleaning — they're a common dispute item.
Vacuum thoroughly. For hard floors, sweep then mop. For carpet stains, see bedroom notes on deep cleaning.
Time estimate
15–30 min
What you need
Vacuum, mop for hard floors
💡
Insider tip: Move the sofa, move the TV unit, vacuum where they sat. Furniture marks on carpet are wear, not damage.
Dust all light fittings. Wipe switches and sockets with a barely-damp cloth (never wet — electrical safety). Clean any pendant shades or lampshade rims.
Time estimate
10–15 min
What you need
Barely-damp cloth, duster
💡
Insider tip: Yellowed light switches are wear, not dirt. Don't try to scrub them white.
The first thing the inventory clerk sees. First impressions set the tone for the entire inspection. A clean hallway signals a clean property.
Wipe both sides of the front door. Clean the letterbox. Wipe the door frame. Clean the threshold strip. Remove any residue from removed stickers or hooks.
Time estimate
5–10 min
What you need
All-purpose spray, damp cloth
💡
Insider tip: If you used adhesive hooks, remove them carefully. Sticky residue needs WD-40 or adhesive remover, not scraping.
Vacuum or sweep, then mop. Dust skirting boards and any dado or picture rails. Hallway floors get the most foot traffic — they may need more attention than other rooms.
Time estimate
10–20 min
What you need
Vacuum, mop, damp cloth for woodwork
💡
Insider tip: Scuff marks on hallway walls from shoes, bags, and moving furniture are common. Try a damp cloth first, then a magic eraser.
Empty completely. Wipe shelves. In the airing cupboard, remove any items stored on the boiler or hot water tank. The meter cupboard just needs to be accessible and clean.
Time estimate
10–15 min per cupboard
What you need
Damp cloth, vacuum for floors inside cupboards
💡
Insider tip: Airing cupboards collect lint and dust on the hot water tank. Wipe it down.
Dust the hallway light. Check that smoke alarm and CO detectors are in place — removing batteries or detectors can be a tenancy breach, not just a cleaning issue.
Time estimate
5 min
What you need
Duster, step ladder if needed
💡
Insider tip: If you removed a smoke alarm battery because of cooking smoke, replace it before checkout.
Only relevant if your tenancy includes outdoor space documented in the inventory. If it does, it gets inspected. If it doesn't, skip this section.
Sweep the floor. Wipe railings. Remove bird droppings with warm soapy water. Remove any personal items, plant pots, or furniture unless they came with the property. Clear drains or drainage holes.
Time estimate
15–30 min
What you need
Broom, warm soapy water, bucket
💡
Insider tip: Blocked balcony drains cause water damage to the flat below. Clear them.
The requirement is generally to return the garden to a 'maintained' state — mown lawn, trimmed hedges, weeded beds, clear paths. If you've let it go for months, this is a full day's work. For overgrown gardens, a professional gardener may be cheaper than the deposit deduction.
Time estimate
1–4 hours depending on size and state
What you need
Lawnmower (borrow or hire), secateurs, bin bags
💡
Insider tip: A neglected garden is one of the easiest things for a landlord to photograph and claim against. Don't underestimate this.
Detailed guides for the trickiest tasks
For the amber and red tasks above, we've written step-by-step guides: deep cleaning an oven before moving out, removing limescale, removing carpet stains, dealing with mould in a rented flat, and cleaning behind kitchen appliances.
The Hybrid Approach
It doesn't have to be all-or-nothing. The most cost-effective approach for most tenants is a hybrid: do everything you can yourself — the bedrooms, living room, hallway, general surfaces, cupboards, floors — and hire a professional specifically for the tasks that defeat household products. That typically means:
Oven deep clean (the single highest-risk item at checkout)
Hob and extractor degrease
Bathroom descale — taps, shower screen, tiles
Carpet deep extraction (if stained or long tenancy)
A targeted professional clean for just these items costs roughly half of a full property service — and combined with your own thorough DIY work on everything else, it covers all the high-risk areas while keeping total spend down.
Get a Quote for the High-Risk Areas OnlyWhen DIY Is Completely Off the Table
There are situations where DIY cleaning — no matter how thorough — is simply not the right call:
Your tenancy agreement or landlord requires a professional invoice
Some landlords accept only receipted professional cleans. While they cannot legally require you to hire a professional under the Tenant Fees Act 2019, they can require a professional standard — and some agents will only release the deposit against a professional receipt. Check your paperwork before you start scrubbing.
You're checking out the same day as moving
Removals and cleaning on the same day is a recipe for a failed checkout. Furniture removal creates dust. Cleaners can't work around boxes. If you can't schedule the clean before or after the move, hire professionals — they can work while you focus on the move.
The property has been neglected for a long time
If the oven hasn't been cleaned for the entire tenancy, the bathroom has heavy limescale buildup, and the carpets are stained — the accumulated grime requires commercial-grade products and equipment. A weekend of scrubbing with Tesco's own-brand cleaner will improve things but won't reach the standard documented in your check-in report.
You have a large property with multiple bathrooms
The maths changes at scale. Descaling one bathroom is a 2-hour DIY job. Descaling three bathrooms across a 4-bed house is a full day of physical work — and that's before you touch the kitchen, bedrooms, and living areas. The time investment in a larger property makes professional cleaning significantly better value.
Your landlord or agent has a track record of difficult checkouts
If you know — from experience or from other tenants — that your landlord scrutinises every detail, a professional clean with a re-clean guarantee gives you a safety net. If the landlord challenges the clean, the company returns and fixes it. DIY gives you no such safety net.
Know your rights: Landlords cannot charge you for a professional clean under the Tenant Fees Act 2019 — but they can deduct from your deposit if the property isn't returned to the standard documented at check-in. Our guide on whether a landlord can demand professional cleaning explains exactly where you stand.
When DIY Is the Smart Choice
In plenty of situations, doing it yourself is not just viable — it's the better financial decision. Remember that normal wear and tear is your landlord's responsibility, not yours — you only need to address actual cleaning.
You're in a studio or 1-bed flat that you've kept reasonably clean
You have 2–3 days before checkout and no other major commitments
You have a helper — partner, friend, flatmate — to split the work
The oven and bathroom are in decent shape (not heavily soiled)
Your check-in report noted the property as 'domestically clean' rather than 'professionally cleaned'
You're comfortable being thorough and patient — this is physical work, not rocket science
If several of these apply to you, save the £250–350 and put the time in yourself. Follow the room-by-room guide above, photograph everything, and you'll pass the checkout. For more on protecting yourself, see our guide on how to get your full deposit back.
Your DIY Supply List
If you're going the DIY route, here's everything you'll need. Most of this costs under £30 total from a supermarket.
Essential products
All-purpose spray
Washing-up liquid
White vinegar (2L minimum)
Bicarbonate of soda
Bathroom cleaner / limescale remover
Glass cleaner
Toilet cleaner
Bleach-based mould spray
Floor cleaner
Bin bags
Essential tools
Microfibre cloths (pack of 10+)
Non-scratch sponges
Old toothbrushes (3–4)
Rubber gloves
Bucket
Mop
Vacuum with crevice tool
Spray bottle
Step ladder or step stool
Squeegee for glass
Nice to have
Magic eraser sponge
Citric acid powder
Commercial oven cleaner
Grout brush
Long-handled duster
Plastic scraper for glass
WD-40 or adhesive remover
Pumice stone for toilet stains
The Ideal DIY Timeline
If you have 2–3 days before checkout, here's how to structure the work so nothing gets rushed.
🗓️
2–3 days before
Defrost the freezer. Apply oven cleaner (leave overnight if using bicarbonate paste). First pass on heavy limescale — soak, don't scrub. Start on the areas that need repeat treatments: shower screen, tap bases, grout.
🧹
Day before checkout
Full kitchen clean — appliances, cupboards, worktops, floor. Full bathroom clean — second pass on limescale, toilet, bath, mirrors. Wash all windows inside. Clean all cupboards and wardrobes.
📸
Checkout day (morning)
Vacuum and mop every floor. Final wipe of all surfaces. Final bathroom polish — dry all chrome. Final window check for streaks. Photograph every room, every surface, every appliance interior. Walk through with your check-in report and compare.
The Bottom Line
Of the 34 individual cleaning tasks that make up an end of tenancy clean, the overwhelming majority can be done by any person willing to put in the time. The tasks that genuinely require professional intervention are concentrated in a small number of high-impact areas — primarily the oven interior, heavy limescale buildup, and deeply stained carpets.
The question isn't really "can I do this myself?" For most tasks, yes. The question is: "given my specific situation — the size of my property, the time I have, the condition it's in, and the amount of deposit at stake — does the saving justify the risk?"
For a well-maintained studio with time to spare, DIY is the smart financial choice. For a 3-bed house with an oven that hasn't been touched in two years and a checkout date on moving day, professional cleaning isn't an expense — it's deposit insurance. If you're juggling the clean with a move, make sure you read our guide on whether to clean before or after removals — the sequence matters more than most people realise.
Professional End of Tenancy Cleaning in London
Whether you need a full clean or just the oven and bathrooms, we'll handle it with a 72-hour re-clean guarantee.
Book the full clean or just the high-risk areas — whatever makes financial sense for your situation.
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Deni is a seasoned professional with over 10 years of experience in content marketing and vast knowledge in the cleaning business. He specializes in creating engaging content that drives growth and builds brand identity. Passionate about innovation, Deni believes in delivering value through impactful messaging and providing value to readers in a concise and comprehensive manner.
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