TL;DR:
- In Victoria you must leave the carpet reasonably clean. A lease can only make you pay for professional cleaning in two situations, set out below.
- Traffic marks are fair wear and tear. Pet urine stains are damage, and they are the most common carpet bond claim.
- If the landlord wants to claim bond, they have 14 days from the end of the agreement, and the condition reports are the main evidence.
- Book the clean for an empty house, early enough to dry before the final inspection, and keep the receipt.
End of lease carpet cleaning causes more stress than it should, mostly because people are not sure what they actually owe. The rules in Victoria are clearer than most renters think. This guide covers what the law asks for, what the carpet needs to look like, and how to book the clean so it works for you on moving day.
What is end of lease carpet cleaning?
End of lease carpet cleaning, also called bond or vacate cleaning, is a carpet clean done after you move out and before the final inspection. The aim is to hand the carpet back in the condition you received it, minus normal wear.
Property managers look hard at carpets because they are expensive to replace and they show stains, smells and pet damage more than almost anything else in the home.
Is professional carpet cleaning required for my bond?
Not automatically. The legal standard is "reasonably clean", and a professional cleaning term only counts in two situations.
The Victorian renters guide says a rental provider can't ask you to get professional cleaning, for agreements signed on or after 29 March 2021, unless:
- the property was professionally cleaned before you moved in, and you were told, or
- professional cleaning is needed to return the property to the condition it was in at the start (fair wear and tear excepted).
So check two documents before you book anything: the lease, for a professional cleaning term, and your entry condition report, for what the carpet looked like when you arrived. Consumer Affairs Victoria's renting pages have the full rules.
What does "reasonably clean" mean for carpet?
Consumer Affairs Victoria's guidelines, summarised by Tenants Victoria, describe reasonably clean carpets as free of pet hair, stains and strong odours such as urine. It does not mean spotless, and you cannot be expected to leave the property cleaner than when you moved in.
The same guidelines draw a line between wear and damage:
| Fair wear and tear | Damage |
|---|---|
| Traffic marks on carpet | Stains from burns, overwatered plants or pets |
| Worn or faded carpet from pet traffic | Stains caused by pet urine |
That table is the practical answer to "will I lose bond over the carpet?" Grey walkways from years of use are not your cost. Wine, burns and pet urine can be.
How does a bond claim over carpet work?
If the rental provider thinks the carpet was not left reasonably clean, they can claim part of the bond, and they must start that claim with the RTBA within 14 days of the agreement ending. If you do not agree, either side can apply to VCAT or Rental Dispute Resolution Victoria to decide.
The evidence is mostly the two condition reports, one from moving in and one from moving out. Tenants Victoria notes you can go along to the final inspection to check it is filled in accurately. Photos you took at the start help too, and so does a dated receipt for the clean.
We cannot promise anyone their bond back. Nobody honest can, because the inspection covers the whole property and not only the carpet. What a proper clean does is remove the easiest reasons to claim.
What about pet stains and odours?
Pet urine is the part of the carpet most likely to cost you, because the guidelines class urine stains as damage rather than wear.
A standard clean freshens the surface and takes out general soil. It does not treat urine that has soaked down into the fibres, and the Carpet and Rug Institute warns that heat can set the stain and the smell, so steam alone is the wrong first step. For that we use a separate enzyme-based pet treatment, quoted per affected room, and I use a UV light to find patches you cannot see in daylight. It treats the carpet fibres only. If urine has reached the underlay or the subfloor, that is outside what any carpet clean can fix, and it is better to know before the inspection than during it.
How long does an end of lease carpet clean take?
For us, 3 bedrooms take about 40 to 60 minutes, and 3 bedrooms with a lounge and a staircase take about 1 to 1.5 hours. An empty property is the quickest job because nothing is in the way. There is more detail in our guide on visit times.
Drying is the number that matters for your timeline. Steam-cleaned carpet normally dries in 4 to 6 hours, and dry carpet cleaning in 1 to 2 hours. CHOICE notes that extraction-cleaned carpet taking over 24 hours to dry means too much water was left in, so a damp carpet at inspection is a warning sign, not a normal result. The US EPA's advice is to dry wet areas within 24 to 48 hours to stop mould starting.
What an end of lease clean includes
Here is exactly what an end of lease carpet clean with us covers:
- A quote based on the rooms you describe, confirmed before we start
- Inspection, pre-vacuum, pre-treatment of traffic lanes and stains, then hot-water extraction or dry cleaning to suit the carpet (the Carpet Institute of Australia lists extraction as the most common method for a deep clean)
- Common food and drink stains at no extra charge
- General deodorising
- A receipt for the property manager
- A free re-clean if you report a carpet cleaning concern within 7 days
What it does not include: general house cleaning (kitchens, bathrooms, windows), moving furniture or boxes, or urine treatment unless you add it. We also need power and water on at the property, so leave the utilities connected until the clean is done.
For what it costs, our full price list sets out every room type, including the minimum visit charge. It is the same price as a standard carpet clean. Being end of lease does not change the price.
How to plan the clean around your move
Get the order right and the carpet is the easiest part of moving out.
- Read the lease for a professional cleaning term, and find your entry condition report.
- Move everything out first. Boxes and furniture left in a room mean that carpet does not get cleaned.
- Book for the last day or two before the inspection, so there is time to dry.
- Tell us if pets lived there, so urine treatment is quoted up front and not found on the day.
- Keep the receipt with your condition report and photos.
One of our end of lease customers, Christine, put it simply in her review: "Jin gave me a quote over the phone and emailed it straight away, arrived on time and checked the care labels before cleaning the rugs." That is the whole brief for this kind of job. A clear price, turning up when agreed, and not damaging anything.
I once took a move-out job at short notice because the renter's first cleaner cancelled right before their final inspection. If you are in that spot, ask anyway. You can book online and see every open time for your address.
Frequently asked questions
Is professional carpet cleaning required to get my bond back?
Not automatically. In Victoria you must leave the property reasonably clean. For agreements signed on or after 29 March 2021, a professional cleaning term only applies if the property was professionally cleaned before you moved in and you were told, or if professional cleaning is needed to get it back to its move-in condition (fair wear and tear excepted). Check your lease and your entry condition report.
Why does a professional receipt matter?
If your lease has a valid professional cleaning term, the receipt is your proof that you met it. If there is a dispute over the bond, it is also evidence of what was done and when. We give you one for the property manager.
When should the carpets be cleaned during a move?
After the furniture is out, on a day that leaves time to dry before the final inspection. Steam-cleaned carpet normally dries in 4 to 6 hours and dry carpet cleaning in 1 to 2 hours, so a morning clean before an afternoon inspection is tight but workable for dry cleaning, and a day earlier is safer for steam.
What if pets lived in the home?
Consumer Affairs Victoria treats carpet stains from pet urine as damage, not fair wear and tear, so urine is the part most likely to cost you. A standard clean freshens the surface. Urine needs a separate enzyme treatment, which is quoted per affected room, and it treats the carpet fibres, not the underlay or subfloor.
How long do the carpets take to dry?
Steam-cleaned carpet (hot-water extraction) normally dries in 4 to 6 hours. Dry carpet cleaning normally dries in 1 to 2 hours. Open windows and run the heating or air conditioning to help.
