END OF LEASE CLEANING · BRISBANE'S INNER SUBURBS
Brisbane bond cleaning checklist: what your agent actually checks
Most renters lose bond money not because they didn't clean, but because they missed the specific things agents look for. Property managers in Brisbane use the ingoing condition report to compare before and after, and they know exactly where corners get cut.
This checklist covers every area Queensland property managers check during a vacate inspection. Work through it room by room before your agent walks through. If you're using a professional bond cleaner, send it to them before the job so there are no gaps between what you expect and what gets done.
5 min read | Updated 2026 | By Dash Cleaning
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Why bond inspections catch people out
Property managers in Brisbane conduct vacate inspections against the ingoing condition report signed at the start of your tenancy. They're not looking for perfection, they're looking for the property to be returned in the same condition it was in when you moved in, allowing for fair wear and tear.
The areas that consistently trip renters up aren't the obvious ones. It's the rangehood filter that hasn't been touched in three years. The grout between shower tiles. The dust accumulated on blind slats. The inside of the oven door. These are the items that show up on exit reports and cost people money.
The complete bond cleaning checklist (room by room):
Kitchen
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Oven - inside walls, door glass (inside and out), racks, grill element, oven floor, knobs
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Rangehood - filters removed and cleaned or replaced, exterior wiped, light cover cleaned
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Cupboards - inside and out, including hinges, handles and tops
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Drawers - inside and out, including underneath
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Splashback - tiles, grout lines, edges
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Sink - basin, taps, overflow, under-sink area including pipes, drain
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Benchtops - all surfaces including edges and corners
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Dishwasher - inside (filter, door seal, spray arms, interior walls), exterior and top
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Walls - grease splatter near cooktop, marks above benches
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Light fittings - covers removed, cleaned inside and out, replaced
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Power points and light switches wiped clean
Watch out for: Shower screens with built-up hard water marks take time and the right product. If screens have calcium build-up, a standard spray won't cut it as you need a purpose-built descaler. Grout lines are always checked.
Bathroom
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Shower screen - glass (both sides), seals, frame, tracks at base
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Shower tiles - all walls, grout lines throughout
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Shower head, taps and fittings, descale and polish
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Bath (if applicable) - basin, taps, overflow, rim and surrounding tiles
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Toilet - bowl under rim, cistern (lid and body), seat both sides, hinge area, behind toilet, base and floor around base
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Vanity - basin, taps, mirror (streak-free), inside cabinet, exterior
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Floor tiles - tiles and grout lines
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Exhaust fan - cover removed and cleaned, interior if accessible
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Towel rails, toilet roll holder and any fixtures wiped and polished
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Walls - soap scum, water marks, any mould spots
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Skirting boards
Watch out for: The oven is the single most common reason bonds are disputed in Brisbane. Don't rush it. Rangehood filters are frequently overlooked entirely. Pull them out, soak and clean or replace them.
Bedroom
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Wardrobe - shelves wiped, hanging rail cleaned, floor vacuumed and wiped, sliding door tracks, exterior of doors, handles, mirrors on doors
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Blinds - each slat wiped both sides, mechanism cleaned, bottom rail
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Windows - internal glass cleaned streak-free, sills wiped, tracks vacuumed and wiped
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Ceiling fan - both sides of each blade, housing, light fitting if present
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Skirting boards - full run around the room, including corners
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Light fittings - cover removed, cleaned inside and out
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Power points and light switches
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Walls - marks, scuffs, any blu-tack residue
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Fly screens (if present) - removed and cleaned or hosed
Watch out for: The oven is the single most common reason bonds are disputed in Brisbane. Don't rush it. Rangehood filters are frequently overlooked entirely. Pull them out, soak and clean or replace them.
Living and dining areas
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Blinds - same as bedrooms
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Windows - glass, sills, tracks
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Skirting boards - full run, including behind furniture positions
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Ceiling fan (if present)
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Light fittings
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Power points and switches
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Walls - marks and scuffs
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Air conditioning unit — filter removed and cleaned, exterior wiped, vents cleaned
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Fly screens (if present)
Laundry
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Trough - basin, taps, drain
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Behind and around washing machine connection point (if applicable)
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Cupboards and shelving - inside and out
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Walls, skirting, light fitting, power points
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Floor - sweep and mop, grout if tiled
Floors (all rooms)
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Carpet - vacuumed thoroughly throughout, including edges and wardrobes
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Hard floors - swept and mopped, including under appliances
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Tiled floors - mopped, grout lines cleaned
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Carpet steam cleaning (check your lease - see note below)
Garage and car space (if applicable)
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Floor swept and mopped
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Oil or grease stains treated
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Walls wiped
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Garage door and mechanism wiped
Balcony and outdoor areas (if applicable)
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Floor swept and mopped or hosed
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Balcony drain cleared of debris
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Railings wiped - top rail and vertical bars
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Outdoor furniture moved and area underneath cleaned
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External windows (if accessible and quoted)
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Any outdoor light fittings
A note on carpet steam cleaning in Queensland
Under Queensland's Residential Tenancies and Rooming Accommodation Act, landlords cannot require professional carpet cleaning as a standard lease condition unless it was professionally cleaned at the start of your tenancy and documented in your ingoing condition report.
Check your ingoing condition report and lease agreement. If carpet steam cleaning is noted as a condition, you'll need to arrange it and provide a receipt. If it isn't, you're only required to return carpets in the same condition as when you moved in - clean and vacuumed.
If you're unsure, contact the RTA Queensland on 1300 366 311 or visit rta.qld.gov.au.
For a full checklist of everything to organise when moving out of a Brisbane rental, see our Brisbane moving out guide.
AGENT INSIGHTS
What Brisbane agents flag most often
Based on what we see on exit reports and re-clean requests across Brisbane's inner suburbs every week:
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Oven interior - the most common reason for bond disputes. The inside of the oven door glass and the oven floor are checked closely.
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Shower screens - hard water marks and soap scum. Agents hold screens up to the light.
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Rangehood filters - most renters don't clean these at all during a tenancy.
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Blind slats - dust accumulation over years. Each slat needs to be wiped.
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Window tracks - grit and debris that accumulates over a tenancy.
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Skirting boards - the full run of every room, including behind where furniture sat.
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Ceiling fans - both sides of the blades. Easily forgotten.
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Grout line - in both bathrooms and tiled living areas.
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Wardrobe interiors - shelves and tracks are checked.
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Exhaust fan covers - removed and inspected in most thorough inspections.
What to do if your agent flags something
If you used a professional bond cleaner who offers a re-clean guarantee, contact them immediately with the agent's written report or photos. A reputable cleaner will return to address the specific flagged items within the guarantee window at no additional cost.
Dash Cleaning's 72-hour re-clean guarantee works like this: if your property manager raises any cleaning concerns within 72 hours of the job, we return once to fix the specific items listed, free of charge. You need to provide the agent's report or photos and the property must remain vacant.
If you cleaned the property yourself, you'll need to return and re-clean the flagged items within the timeframe your agent specifies. Document everything in writing and respond quickly - delays can complicate bond return negotiations.
You can read more about the moving out process in our Brisbane moving out guide.