You must take good care of your apartment to ensure its coziness and to avoid unnecessary wear and tear. Cleaning is also important for the health of the residents as impurities can contribute to diseases.
If a tenant does not take care of their apartment, they may be liable to reimburse the lessor for damages to the apartment or costs arising from cleaning the apartment at the end of their tenancy.
You should also know what constitutes normal wear and tear in the apartment and what does not. Tenants are liable to reimburse the lessor of damages caused to the apartment or its furnishings by them or their guests on purpose or through negligence.
Cleaning
Daily or almost daily
- Air out the apartment
- Take the trash out
- Wash the dishes and clean the kitchen
Once a week:
- Vacuum the apartment
- Dust off surfaces and remove stains.
- Wash the toilet bowl and bathroom sink
- Throw away spoiled foods
Once or twice a month:
- Change the sheets and air out the bed linens
- Clean the floors with a damp cloth (Note! Make sure that the cloth is not too wet as using a wet cloth can damage the floors.)
- Clean the refrigerator
- Beat the carpets
- Clean the bathroom using a cleansing agent and a sponge/brush and make sure that the sink or floor drain is not covered by hair
- Wipe the floor trim
Occasionally:
- Defrost the freezer
- Clean the cabinets
- Air out household textiles
- Wash the windows
- Wipe dust off of the radiators and vents
- Clean the cooker hood and oven
- Tidy up the balcony
Cleaning the drain trap and floor drain of the shower
Make sure that the sink and the visible part of the floor drain is kept clean. Avoid letting hair, sand or other such items from going down the sink or floor drain as they may cause blockages!
Contact the maintenance company in case of a clogged sink or floor drain.
Cleaning the cooker hood and filter
The tenants must clean the filter of the cooker hood or extractor fan regularly to ensure proper ventilation.
Open the hood cover and remove the filter. The dirt that has been collected by the filter can be removed by using a dish washing liquid that removes grease and dirt effectively.
Good indoor air
The apartments are equipped with a ventilation system that maintains the quality of the indoor air. The ventilation channels remove stuffy air and replace it with fresh air.
The ventilation channels are connected to the apartment through ventilators. Do not block, close or change the position of these ventilators! This will interfere with the ventilation. The air in the apartment may become unhealthy to breathe and lead to the creation of mold.
Wipe the dust off of the exhaust and input vents regularly.
When using the shower or cooking food, turn the extractor fan on at full speed.
Humidity decreases the quality of the indoor air and thus it is best to avoid taking long showers as they can increase the humidity in small apartments. Dry out the bathroom carefully after use and avoid drying large amounts of laundry in the apartment at once.
Pest control
Pests can include food pests (such as pharaoh ants and grain beetles), fabric pests (such as clothes moths and carpet beetles), and rodents (for example rats and mice).
Careful and regular cleaning, timely removal of garbage, and maintenance of general hygiene keep pests away. In particular, pay attention to the cleanliness of shelves, floor trim, and cabinets. If you notice pests in your apartment, take photographs of them and contact the property manager immediately!