Why the oven matters more than anything else

Of all the items on an exit report, the oven appears most often. It is visible, it is easy for an agent to open and photograph, and the difference between a cleaned oven and a wiped one is obvious at a glance. It is also the job people most often run out of time for, because it cannot be rushed.

What you need

• A caustic-free oven cleaner or a bicarbonate and vinegar paste if you prefer
• Rubber gloves and ventilation, whatever product you use
• A non-scratch scourer and a plastic scraper
• Microfibre cloths
• A bag or tub big enough to soak the racks
• A flat-blade tool or thin cloth for the door glass gap

Step by step

1. Remove the racks, trays and side rails and put them in to soak. Hot water with detergent, or a rack bag with cleaner, for at least a couple of hours.
2. Scrape out the loose carbon from the base with a plastic scraper before applying anything wet.
3. Apply cleaner to the cavity, including the roof and the back. Leave it for the full time on the label. This is the part people cut short, and it is the part that does the work.
4. Do the door separately. Most oven doors come apart or have a gap at the bottom edge. Grease sits between the panes and agents look for it.
5. Lift the residue with a scraper and cloth rather than scrubbing. If it is not lifting, reapply and wait longer instead of scrubbing harder.
6. Clean the griller, its tray and rack, which are often forgotten entirely.
7. Degrease the rangehood filters. Soak them in hot water with degreaser or dishwasher powder. Wipe out the housing and the fan blades you can reach.
8. Rinse everything thoroughly and dry. Chemical residue and smears look worse than the grease did.
9. Refit the racks and rails once dry.

The parts people miss

How long it takes

A lightly used oven is about 45 minutes of actual work plus soaking time. A neglected one is two to three hours, most of which is waiting for product to work rather than scrubbing. Start it first so it can soak while you do other rooms.

What not to do

• Do not use a metal scourer on the cavity, glass or the seal. Scratches are damage, and damage is worse than grease.
• Do not use oven cleaner on a self-cleaning or pyrolytic oven without checking the manual, as it can wreck the coating.
• Do not run a pyrolytic cycle on a very dirty oven without removing loose carbon first.
• Do not leave chemical residue. It smells, and the next person will notice.
• Do not scrub the door seal. Wipe it gently.

When to stop and get it done

If the carbon has baked on over years, or the oven is pyrolytic and you are unsure about products, it is worth having it done rather than risking damage to the coating or the seal. With us the oven, griller and rangehood are part of the bond clean at no extra cost, so there is no separate oven fee to weigh up.

What it costs, with nothing hidden

Our bond cleans are priced by bedroom count, GST included:

Every bathroom, ensuite and powder room is included at any property size, and there is no charge for extra storeys. The oven, rangehood and inside windows are part of the clean, not add-ons. Carpet steam cleaning is the main optional extra at $110 per room.

Only four things can change that price, and all four are shown before you confirm: extras you choose, a furnished property (+20%), same-day urgency (+25%), and after hours, Sunday or public holiday work (+30%). There is no call-out fee, no booking fee, no travel charge within Sydney metro, no per-bathroom fee and no equipment charge. Build your exact figure on the pricing page.

How we do it

1. You build the price yourself on the pricing page, set your property, tick any extras and see the total with GST included.
2. You pick a date and time and the booking is confirmed in writing, with the price and the scope set before the day.
3. We arrive with everything, products and equipment included. You do not need to be there as long as we have access.
4. We work the exit checklist room by room, in the order agents inspect.
5. You get the invoice and any receipts, including the carpet steam receipt if you booked one, which is what agents ask to see.
6. If your agent flags a cleaning item, tell us within 48 hours and we return within 5 business days to fix it at no cost.

Common questions

Related reading: the full bond cleaning checklist, removing mould before inspection, what a bond clean costs and how to get your bond back.