Table of Contents
At the end of your rental property lease, you’ll likely be busy packing up your belongings and settling into your new accommodation. Among the chaos of moving out, one of the tasks to fulfil is getting the carpets cleaned.
At Best Carpet Cleaner Guide, we know that although cost of professional carpet cleaning services might not be your top priority, you shouldn’t take it off the table just yet.
We’ve had these questions one too many times:
- Do I have to pay for carpet cleaning when I move out?
- Can an apartment complex charge you for cleaning carpet after you move out?
- Is the tenant responsible for carpet cleaning upon move out?
- Can landlords charge you a paint carpet cleaning fee on the move out?
Why Should Carpets in Your Rental Look Sparking Clean As You Leave?
Property conditions are the main factor when ending any tenant lease.
Get Your Full Deposit Back
Precisely the poor appearance of the rugs, as a result of your stay, could lead to unpleasant deductions from your deposit upon moving out. If you want a 100% guarantee, It’s best to contact a carpet and rug professional for perfect results and ease of mind.
If you want to put in the effort yourself, arm yourself with a set of carpet cleaning products, a good carpet cleaner and set aside a couple of days before your final date to leave. If a regular scrub and wash won’t tackle stains you do, it’s best to look into hiring a Rug Doctor unit and use it yourself. It’s also a good idea to have an enzyme cleaner on your side.
Part With Your Landlord On Good Terms
It’s important to end contractual relationships with the property manager or owner in a conscientious and friendly manner as you might need references, advice, or help down the road.
One must always be strict and loyal to obligations. This is meant to protect and care for inventory in a rental home.
If you’ve been living there for long and haven’t had any problems with the landlord, then you should keep a good impression until your last day as a tenant.
Receive Positive References From the Owner
When renting a new home, your potential landlord might research your background and tenant history. Clever landlords will contact your former landlords.
There are three things one needs to know:
- Whether you are noisy?
- Whether anyone has filed a complaint against you?
- Should you have left the property in a spick and span state?
Now that it’s clear why you shouldn’t neglect cleaning your carpets at the end of your lease, learn more about:
Can Apartment Complex Charge For Move Out Cleaning Carpet
Conditions vary from company to company and should have a clear standpoint on your rental agreement. If you lack the explicit cause, then you should not easily succumb to such demands.
The Best Carpet Cleaning Method?
Carpet manufacturers recommend hot water extraction, often referred to as steam cleaning, which is a different technique, but you should do it either once every six months.
Carpets and rugs gather a ton of dust and dirt.
Thorough patient and diligent vacuuming can’t remove as much of the grime, allergens, bacteria, and other debris trapped inside the fibres as a handheld vacuum cleaner can take. If you want impeccable carpets at the end of your tenancy, then your best bet is professional service.
Schedule your final carpet clean after a pro team of movers move and load your belongings safely. Sanitising rugs in an empty room is better and much easier than doing it around furniture.
Chairs, tables, beds, etc. leave minor depressions on your rug. Try to remove them by placing an ice cube in each one. The impressions start to pop back while the ice is melting. Hot water extraction can also lessen or remove them.
Where To Start?
As a step further from the ordinary vacuum cleaner, you can hire carpet-cleaning machines such as the Rug Doctor. It could be tricky, though. If you’re not careful and experienced, you might end up making stains even worse than they were prior.
Make sure you use all detergents correctly. Read the instructions on the labels and always test the products in a small area before use.
If you are doing a move-out clean up yourself, you should plan enough time to complete the task and to allow carpets and furniture to dry.
What Should You Know About The Rug Doctor?
This cleaner is slightly bulky and noisy, but not so heavy and difficult to operate with. There is an online booklet and images on the machine itself.
First, prepare your floor with a simple vacuum. The Rug Doctor cleans that in a single run. For heavily soiled rugs, let them dry for 3 hours, and then run the machine again. There is a useful hand tool kit for deep sanitising of fabric furniture and stairways.
Expert Carpet Sanitising Vs. The Rug Doctor Machine
Professional cleaning companies use a variety of eco-friendly and effective cleaning products. Most of them aren’t available for purchase or hire by the public. So even if you give your carpets what seems like a rigorous clean, the actual results will probably be limited.
See why expert help is better than running a Rug Doctor carpet cleaner or spot-cleaner:
- Professional cleaners come to your home at a convenient time and day. For the Rug Doctor, you must drive to the store to get it;
- Average sanitising takes up to 2 hours, while the rental of the Rug Doctor expires after 24 to 48 hours;
- The price of professional service includes all cleaning solutions used. If you rent the Rug Doctor, you must purchase all detergents. You have to pay for pre-treat, spot clean, and deodorizer, too.
- You save your personal time and labour by leaving everything to the professionals. When it comes to the Rug Doctor, you must run carpet sanitising yourself, clean out the machine, and then drop it off at the store.
- Basic Carpet Cleaning Laws
It’s mandatory for both tenants and landlords to know and observe the laws and stipulations. When talking about expert deep carpet cleaning, there are two types of laws:
- Laws that protect renters from exploitation;
- Laws that protect property owners from having to pay excessively for any mistakes by their tenants.
Here is what you should know in a brief:
Routine Carpet Sanitising At The End Of Lease Is the Tenant’s Duty
It’s the duty of tenants to deep clean and vacuum the rugs at the end of rental tenancy. Landlords have the responsibility to keep the rugs under a reasonable state of repair.
Tenants Are Responsible For Paying For Professional Carpet Cleaning Due To Negligence And Improper Use
If a tenant is using a property in a manner that is contrary to the lease, it is the owner’s responsibility to take action. Landlords can assign responsibility to renters via contractual provision.
Without regular sanitising, rugs become soiled, damp, and damaged. The less often you clean them, the more likely you are to give away some of your deposit to pay for repairs and replacements.
Use a quality vacuum cleaner with an electronically driven brush, especially if you have pets. Adjust the vacuum to make contact with carpet fibres without pulling or grabbing on them.
Landlords Must Change Carpets Once Every Seven Years
Tenants must replace carpets in their rental flat or house at least once every seven years. The law requires landlords to change rugs every seven years.
Even today, you should replace high-traffic carpets once in a while. They might be strong and durable, but will start to fade in colour and lose their texture after four to five years of use.
If you’re moving into a new flat, ask how long the carpets have been in place. If it’s been going on for over five years, your landlord must replace them. That’s because rugs become worn-out after five years of use, meaning they’ll wear out by the time you move out. A dishonest landlord might make you replace them at the end of your rental tenancy.
Tenants Must Leave Carpets As Clean As Day #1
When you book and rent a flat, you have a legal duty to make sure all carpets are in a proper condition. It’s the same when you leave.
So, during the tenancy period, do your best to take good care of carpets and clean them often (at least once per year).
Landlords Should Not Force Tenants To Pay For Carpet Cleaning
Be cautious when signing a tenancy agreement. Some landlords enforce illegal rules and regulations, so they can impose undeserved fines and fees on their tenants. For example, some landlords might withhold your deposit to pay for professional carpet cleaning.
Landlords May Not Withhold Tenant Deposits To Cover Wear And Tear
Landlords don’t need permission to deduct a security deposit from a renter to pay for damages caused by tenants. The latter will be held accountable for any costs of cleaning or replacing the rugs, soiled or damaged beyond standard wear and tear.
Tenants Shouldn’t Pay Maintenance When Landlords Change
In some cases, property ownership might change when a landlord decides to sell a house fast, and renters should not be held responsible for covering the cleaning when moving out.
Advantages of Professional Move Out Carpet Cleaning
Let us summarise this for you:
- You get germ-free, fresh and beautiful carpets;
- You return your deposit in full, unless you have caused another kind of damage;
- You can move to your new place while professionals are busy with precise carpet sanitising;
- Expert carpet cleaners can deal with specific stains, pet odours, etc.;
- You don’t need to buy any cleaning solutions;
- You will avoid the risk of mistreatment of the rugs;
- You don’t have to engage friends and family for disinfecting.
Wrap-up
It is important to entrust your carpets with a reliable cleaning company that possesses the right credentials and modern equipment. Choosing the cheapest option out there might bring you a poor service that does not meet your property owner’s hygiene standards. If you want the extra touch, experts recommend using a fine touch of aroma to have inventory clerks, property managers, or landlords themselves, have a pleasant surprise.