Cleaning after moving house — What the landlord really expects

Final cleaning in Switzerland — more than just cleaning

In Switzerland, there are particularly high cleaning standards when handing over apartments. What would be considered “clean enough” in other countries is often not enough for a Swiss landlord or professional property management company. Limestone stains in the bathroom, grease on the stove or uncleaned windows can lead to deductions from the rental deposit — or to the transfer of the apartment being postponed until the defects have been corrected.

The final cleaning is therefore not a secondary issue, but a central part of the handover of the apartment. Anyone who takes it seriously and prepares it thoroughly protects their deposit and leaves a professional impression.

In this article, you will find out what landlords and property managers in Switzerland actually expect when it comes to final cleaning — room by room.

What does “broom clean” really mean?

The term “broom clean” appears in virtually every Swiss rental agreement — but it is often misunderstood. Broom clean doesn't simply mean having sucked through once. It means:

• All rooms are completely empty
• Floors are swept or vacuumed and mopped
• All surfaces are dusted and cleaned
• Windows are cleaned — inside and out
• The kitchen and bathroom are thoroughly cleaned and descaled
• Cellar, screed and outdoor parking spaces have been emptied and swept

In practice, the bar set by most Swiss landlords is significantly higher than this basic definition. A truly successful apartment handover requires thorough cleaning, which in depth and care corresponds to a professional final cleaning.

Room by room: What really needs to be cleaned

kitchen

Experience has shown that the kitchen is the most demanding area when it comes to final cleaning. Grease and calcium deposits settle over years and are difficult to remove.

What needs to be cleaned:

• oven: Inside and outside, including baking trays, grates and door seals — completely remove grease deposits
• Stovetops and cooktops: Remove burnt residue, polish chrome steel rings
• Extractor: Clean or replace filters, degrease the hood inside and out
• refrigerator: Completely defrost, clean all compartments and drawers, clean seals
• freezer: Defrost and dry completely
• Sink and faucets: Descaling and polishing
• Cabinets and drawers: Wipe inside and out, clean hinges
• Work surfaces: Degrease and polish
• soil: Laundry, including under the kitchen and behind the stove

bathroom and toilet

The bathroom is the second critical area. Limestone, soap residues and stains are checked particularly carefully by landlords.

What needs to be cleaned:

• Bathtub and shower tray: Descaling, cleaning joints, polishing fittings
• shower cubicle: Descaling glass panes, cleaning seals, cleaning rails
• TOILET: Inside and outside, toilet tank, seat and lid, area behind the bowl
• Washbasin: Descaling, polishing the faucet, cleaning the siphon
• Mirror: Clean streak-free
• tiles: Descaling, cleaning joints
• soil: washing, including behind the toilet and under the sink
• Extraction openings: De-dusting

Living rooms and bedrooms

Cleaning in living rooms is less intensive than in kitchens and bathrooms — but here, too, there are points that are often forgotten.

What needs to be cleaned:

• soils: Vacuum and mop, maintain parquet, depending on the floor covering
• window: Interior and exterior, window sills, window frames and seals
• Window shutters and blinds: Dust and wipe
• Sockets and light switches: Wipe
• radiator: Dust removal, even between slats
• Doors and door frames: Wipes, including door handles
• wall surfaces: Check for dirt, wash off if necessary
• built-in closets: Clean inside and out

Cellars, screed and outdoor spaces

These areas are often overlooked during handover — and that is precisely why landlords check them particularly closely.

What needs to be done:

• Completely empty and sweep the cellar
• Empty and sweep the screed
• Check the cellar compartment for objects left behind
• Clean the outdoor parking space or bike cellar
• Leave part of the garden in good condition

Typical mistakes during final cleaning

Forgotten window

Windows — especially the outer surface — are often neglected when cleaning ourselves. However, landlords specifically check windows for streaks, chalk stains and dirt. Professional window cleaning inside and outside is essential in most cases.

Underestimate lime

Calcium deposits in bathrooms and kitchens are persistent and can hardly be completely removed without the right tools. Household vinegar or special lime removers help — but only if they can work for a sufficiently long time.

Clean the stove and oven to the surface

The stove and especially the oven are checked very carefully by landlords. Burnt on fat deposits that are not noticeable when you first look at them can be felt immediately when wiping. Use special oven cleaners and let them work for a sufficiently long time.

Calculate too narrowly

A thorough final cleaning of an average 3.5 room apartment takes — if done really carefully — 8 to 16 hours. If you postpone cleaning until the last evening before the handover, you will barely achieve the necessary depth.

When is a professional cleaning service worthwhile?

A professional cleaning service is worthwhile in almost all cases — especially when:

• You have little time for cleaning
• The apartment is larger or particularly dirty
• You want to be sure that the deposit is returned in full
• The landlord has particularly high standards

The decisive advantage of a professional service is Acceptance guarantee: If the landlord requests improvements after cleaning, these will be done free of charge. This guarantee gives you peace of mind and takes the pressure off the handover.

Gerber Transport — professional final cleaning with acceptance guarantee

Gerber Transport offers a complete Building cleaning and final cleaning service on — specifically tailored to the requirements of the Swiss apartment transfer. Our experienced cleaning team knows the standards, works thoroughly and efficiently and guarantees the result with an acceptance guarantee.

Combine your move with our final cleaning and benefit from a genuine all-round carefree package — from the first box package to flawless delivery of the apartment.

Contact us for a non-binding offer and hand over your old apartment relaxed and with a clear conscience.

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