The Checklist: What a Professional Bond Clean Covers Room by Room
Use this as a reference when checking a quote or inspecting the finished job. Items marked ✦ are frequently missed and worth confirming explicitly.
KKitchen
- Oven interior — walls, racks, glass door, and door seals
- Rangehood — filter (soaked and cleaned), exterior surfaces
- Stovetop — burners or ceramic plate, surrounding surfaces
- Cupboards — interior shelves and exterior faces
- Splashback — grease and residue removed
- Sink and tap — descaled and polished
- Benchtops — cleaned and sanitised
- Dishwasher interior — filter, spray arms, door seal ✦
- Microwave interior and exterior (if fitted) ✦
- Skirting boards and light fittings
BBathrooms (repeat for each)
- Shower screen — mould, soap scum, and seal cleaned
- Tiles and grout — scrubbed (mould in grout is a common agent concern)
- Bath — descaled, cleaned and polished
- Toilet — bowl, under rim, seat, cistern top, base
- Basin and tap — descaled and polished
- Vanity — interior shelves, exterior, and mirror
- Exhaust fan — cover removed and cleaned ✦
- Floor tiles and grout
- Skirting boards and light fittings
RBedrooms & Living Areas
- Skirting boards — wiped down along full length
- Light fittings — cobwebs and dust removed
- Light switches and power points — wiped clean
- Door frames and handles — both sides cleaned ✦
- Walls — scuff marks and fingerprints removed
- Window sills and tracks — dirt and dead insects cleared
- Blinds — slats or fabric wiped/cleaned
- Built-in wardrobe interiors — shelves, rails, floor ✦
- Vacuuming throughout — carpet steam cleaning usually quoted separately (see below)
LLaundry
- Inside washing machine — drum, door seal, detergent drawer
- Dryer lint filter — cleaned ✦
- Tub and tap — descaled
- Cupboards or shelving (if fitted)
- Floor — swept and mopped
FHard Floors (all rooms)
- Swept and mopped throughout
- Tile grout cleaned (if applicable) ✦
- Threshold strips and door edges cleared
WWindows (interior)
- Glass — smear-free both sides of interior pane
- Tracks — dirt and dead insects removed
- Sills — wiped down
- Exterior window cleaning is usually quoted separately — confirm scope
GGarage & Outdoor Areas
- Garage floor — swept
- Cobweb removal from walls and ceiling corners
- Balcony or courtyard — swept (confirm with agent what is expected)
What's Usually NOT Included in a Standard Bond Clean
Confusion about scope is the most common source of bond-clean disputes. These items are typically excluded from a standard quote — always confirm scope before you proceed.
NSW-Specific: What Agents Can Legally Require
The NSW Residential Tenancies Act 2010 sets the framework for what can be required of a departing tenant. A few key points worth knowing before your final inspection:
The entry condition report is the benchmark
You are required to return the property to the condition documented in the entry condition report at move-in, accounting for fair wear and tear. The agent cannot demand the property be left in a higher standard than it was at entry.
Professional cleaning is not automatically required
Unless the entry condition report shows the property was professionally cleaned before you moved in, you are not legally obligated to engage a professional cleaner. You need to return it to the documented standard — how you achieve that is your choice.
Tax invoice requirements for bond claims
Most real estate agencies require a valid tax invoice as evidence when processing bond deductions. A compliant invoice must include the cleaner's ABN, date of service, and an itemised description of rooms and tasks completed. Request this from the cleaner before they leave.
If a dispute arises
Bond disputes in NSW are handled by NSW Fair Trading (for informal resolution) or NCAT (NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal) for a formal hearing. Keep your entry condition report, exit inspection report, and cleaning invoices as evidence.
How to Review a Bond Cleaning Quote
Before confirming a quote, run through these four points:
Check whether carpet steam cleaning is included
It almost never is in the base price. Ask for a separate carpet cleaning line item and confirm the total all-in figure.
Confirm the tax invoice format
The invoice must include the cleaner's ABN, date of service, and an itemised list of rooms and tasks. Without this, your agency may reject it as evidence for bond purposes.
Ask about the re-clean guarantee and its time window
48 hours is the standard. Some cleaners offer 72 hours. Confirm the guarantee covers the items in the checklist above — not just a general "satisfaction" clause.
Confirm who attends the final inspection
Some cleaners offer to attend the inspection and address any items on the spot. Many do not. Knowing this upfront helps you plan whether to be present.
Ready to find a bond cleaner near you?
Tell us your suburb — we'll find a local cleaner for your job in Miranda, Caringbah, Cronulla, and across the Sutherland Shire.
We connect you with a local cleaner — you contract directly with them. How this works
Find a bond cleaner in my suburbFrequently asked
Can my landlord insist on a professional bond clean?
In NSW, a landlord cannot require you to use a professional cleaner unless the entry condition report shows the property was professionally cleaned when you moved in. The NSW Residential Tenancies Act 2010 requires the property to be returned to the same condition as at entry (fair wear and tear excepted) — not to a higher standard. If the condition report notes the property was professionally cleaned at entry, a professional clean at exit is a reasonable expectation.
How much does a bond clean cost in Sydney?
A standard bond clean for a 2-bedroom Sydney unit typically runs $350–$550, and a 3-bedroom house $450–$700, depending on condition and inclusions. Carpet steam cleaning is almost always quoted separately. See our full guide on end-of-lease cleaning cost in Sydney for a detailed breakdown by property size.
What happens if the agent is not satisfied with the bond clean?
Most bond cleaners offer a 48-hour re-clean guarantee — if the agent raises specific cleaning issues within that window, the cleaner returns to address them at no extra cost. If the dispute cannot be resolved and the agent withholds bond, you can apply to the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT) for a bond claim hearing. Keep your tax invoice and any written communication from the agent as evidence.
Is carpet steam cleaning included in a bond clean?
Usually not. Most bond cleaners quote carpet steam cleaning separately because the price depends on room count and carpet condition. Always ask when comparing quotes — confirm in writing whether carpet cleaning is included, and ask for the total all-in price before you proceed.