The Adelaide Bond Clean Checklist (2026 Edition)
Every line item your property manager will check — and how to nail each one.
A bond clean isn't a "deep clean" — it's a contractual obligation, judged against a checklist most tenants never see until handover day. After running over 1,200 end-of-lease cleans across Adelaide, we've boiled the inspection down to seven rooms and one universal rule.
The universal rule
If a property manager runs a finger across it, you should have wiped it clean.
That includes the tops of door frames, the back of the toilet pedestal, the rangehood filter, and the inside of the dishwasher seal. None of these are dramatic — they're just the spots that prove you cleaned everything, not just the obvious surfaces.
Kitchen — the highest-stakes room
The kitchen carries more weight in inspections than any other room because it's where 80% of bond disputes originate. Work top-down, dry-to-wet:
- Rangehood — remove and degrease the filter, wipe internal surfaces. New filters cost $20; missing this costs your bond.
- Oven — racks soaked in degreaser overnight; glass door cleaned both inside and between the panes.
- Splashback & cabinetry — degreaser on the splashback, sugar-soap on cupboard doors.
- Inside drawers and cupboards — vacuum, then wipe with damp microfibre. Yes, all of them.
- Dishwasher — clean the filter and wipe the door seal. Run an empty hot cycle with a cleaning tablet.
Bathrooms — grout is the bond killer
Limescale and grout are what kill bonds in Adelaide's hard-water zones. Use:
- A diluted vinegar solution on glass screens (not stone tiles — vinegar etches).
- A grout brush with oxygen bleach paste on tile lines.
- A toothbrush around taps and the base of the toilet.
Don't forget the exhaust fan cover — pop it down, wash it, replace it. It's a five-minute job that property managers always check.
Carpets — get the receipt
Most South Australian leases require professional carpet cleaning with a receipt. Doing it yourself can save money but if the receipt isn't there, the agent re-books a professional and bills you. Either pay $180 for a steam clean now, or pay $250 in deductions later.
Walls, skirting, switches
A magic eraser on light switches and door frames removes 90% of fingerprint marks in seconds. Skirting boards get a damp wipe — most haven't been touched since you moved in, so the difference is dramatic.
Windows, tracks, fly screens
Tracks are where dust accumulates for years. A vacuum nozzle followed by a damp cotton swab in the corners is the move. Fly screens come out, get a soft brush-down outside, then go back in.
Outside — laundry, garage, balcony
- Laundry — clean the lint trap, wipe behind the washing machine, sweep and mop.
- Garage — sweep, hose out oil stains with degreaser.
- Balcony — sweep, wipe rails, scrub the floor if it's tiled.
When to call us
If you're staring at a four-bedroom house and a 9am inspection on Monday, our bond clean has a written guarantee on the first re-clean — meaning if the agent flags something, we come back free. See pricing or start a booking.