Vacate Clean vs House Clean: What’s Different and Why It Matters

A regular house clean rarely passes an exit inspection. It keeps a lived-in home tidy, while a vacate clean returns the property to the condition recorded at the start of the tenancy, so grout, shower screens, window tracks, silicone and light fittings all get attention.

The name changes by state: a vacate clean in WA, a bond clean in QLD, and an end of lease clean in NSW and VIC. Whatever it is called, the scope goes beyond a regular clean, and using a regular cleaner for your move-out risks a re-clean, a delayed bond release or a bond claim. A professional vacate clean is built around that inspection.

Across the vacate cleans booked through Urgent Pro, the items agents raise most often after a self-clean or a regular clean are grout, window tracks and light fittings. A vacate clean is an inspection-grade service, which is why it is quoted and timed differently from a standard clean.

Items Most Commonly Missed in a Regular Clean

There are four primary items that are regularly skipped during a regular clean, all of which require deep cleaning and polishing to pass an agent’s exit inspection. These items include, but are not limited to:

• Grout lines (including shower and bathroom)
• Shower screens
• Bathroom and kitchen silicone
• Window and door frames

What a Regular House Clean Covers

In general, the amount of work required to meet the scope of a regular clean is not the same as the work required to meet the scope of a vacate clean. The two services are also priced differently, and using a regular clean for a move-out can lead to a re-clean or a bond claim.

Bond loss happens because the scope of work required for a vacate clean is usually larger than the work required for a regular clean. There is also a difference in purpose. A regular clean is to maintain a property in a condition that makes it habitable. Regular cleans address the accumulation of dirt and dust in a property in the normal course of its use. A regular clean may include dusting and mopping floors, cleaning bathroom fixtures, vacuuming and sweeping.

A vacate clean may include any or all of the activities that constitute a regular clean, plus additional activities required to return the property to the condition documented at the start of the tenancy.

A regular house clean through Urgent Pro starts from $186 per job, and the quote depends on bedrooms, bathrooms and condition. Additional information may be found in how much a standard house clean costs. For when a deeper service is worth it, see deep clean versus standard clean.

What a Vacate Clean Is Measured Against

The standard for a vacate clean is the exit condition report, the document the agent uses to assess the condition of the property upon vacant possession compared to the condition at the start of the tenancy.

Where an item was documented and photographed at entry, the agent compares it at exit. Providers on the Urgent Pro network work to a checklist aligned with common exit inspection expectations, although no institute formally approves a cleaner and the bond decision rests with the agent. The standards in the various states are broadly aligned. In Queensland, the RTA’s exit cleaning standard provides the framework, and each state expects the premises to be returned in the same condition as at the start of the tenancy, allowing for reasonable wear and tear.

The standards differ from state to state; however, the end result is the same and the service is designed to meet the requirements of the standard where applicable.

The Items That Make the Difference

Vacate cleans include work that agents check and that a standard clean leaves out. The table shows the difference.

A vacate clean of the same home takes considerably longer than a routine clean, because of the inspection-specific items above.

What a Vacate Clean Covers Room by Room

Kitchen. A deep clean of the kitchen includes the removal of the rangehood filter and oven racks, as well as a clean of the hood and oven interior. Additional services include a clean of splashbacks and polishing of fittings and fixtures.

Bathrooms. A standard clean helps maintain the visible surfaces of the bathroom. A vacate clean is performed to a more stringent standard and restores the bathroom to a condition suitable for an exit inspection.

Bedrooms and common areas. Skirting boards are cleaned along with corners. Light fixtures and fans are cleaned. All wardrobe interiors are wiped along with wall surfaces, switches and power points. Carpeted areas are vacuumed. Steam cleaning of carpets is scheduled separately if required.

Windows. Interior window glass is cleaned to inspection standard. Window tracks are also cleaned along with other elements that are typically neglected by tenants but routinely checked by agents.

The Exit Condition Report

The condition of the property at the end of a tenancy is compared to the condition at the start by an agent to verify the property has been returned in an acceptable condition. Photographs are taken of the condition of the property at the start of the tenancy. Notes are also taken on the condition of items within the property. These notes are compared at the end of the tenancy to determine if the property has been returned in an acceptable condition.

The scope of work for a standard end of tenancy cleaning in WA is available at what the exit inspection covers in WA. The scope of work for a standard house cleaning service is available at what a standard house clean actually covers. It should be apparent from these two documents what items are covered by an end of tenancy cleaning service and what items are covered by a standard house cleaning service.

Should You Do It Yourself?

An exit clean to a reasonable standard is possible where the tenancy has been well managed and the property is not large or heavily used. The risk increases where the tenant has limited time around moving logistics, where the oven or bathroom requires specialist cleaning, or where a vacate clean has not been done before. In these situations, a self-clean carries a higher risk of a re-clean being required, a delayed bond release, and a bond claim.

Bond Protection

Prior to any clean being conducted, you should read your lease. It may require that a specific clean or service be carried out.

Once you have read your lease, take photos of the property. Photos provide evidence of the state of the property prior to any cleaning being undertaken and help protect you in the event that the lessor claims there are marks on the property that were present prior to your clean.

You should keep all records, receipts and service reports for any cleaning conducted. These will help protect you should the lessor make a claim against the bond.

Prior to any service being conducted, do a final walkthrough of the property. Check the interior of the oven, window and shower seals, fly screen condition and the interior of wardrobes. Ensure that you differentiate between cleaning and repairs.

When Should You Engage a Cleaner?

If you are living in the property, schedule a standard house clean to help you maintain the property.

If you are preparing to move out and have a final inspection approaching, you will need a vacate clean. In WA this is known as a vacate clean, in QLD as a bond clean, and in NSW and VIC as an end of lease clean. The guide to move-out cleaning terms by state shows which name each state uses on its official forms. A standard house clean will not meet the requirements for the final inspection.

To book vacate cleaning in your city through Urgent Pro, select your location and property details. Vacate cleans booked through Urgent Pro carry a warranty that runs for up to 14 days from completion. If the agent raises a cleaning item that falls within your booking, the window closes 72 hours after the agent’s written report if that comes first, so send the report to Urgent Pro as soon as you receive it. The provider re-cleans at no charge once Urgent Pro has the agent’s written report or a documented description.

For more information on the requirements for vacate cleans in WA and to view WA legislation concerning the Residential Tenancies Act 1987 and whether professional cleans are required in WA, see WA’s professional cleaning requirements.