Cleaning Before Going on Holiday

Go through the fridge and use up, freeze or throw away anything that will go off while you're away – milk, salad, soft fruit, leftovers. Wipe the shelves. Empty the kitchen bin and the food waste caddy, rinse them and leave them to dry with the lid off. Run the dishwasher and leave the door ajar afterwards so it doesn't smell, and leave the washing machine door and drawer open too.

Fruit bowls are a magnet for fruit flies within days. Take bananas and soft fruit with you or freeze them for smoothies.

Give the toilet a quick clean and flush, and wipe round the basin and bath. Pull hair out of plugholes, which otherwise smell after a week of standing water. Hang towels to dry fully or put them in the wash before you go – damp towels left in a closed bathroom go musty.

If you're away for several weeks, ask a neighbour to run the taps and flush the toilet occasionally, or do it as soon as you get back – water evaporating from drain traps lets smells through. See how to get rid of drain smells.

Change the beds before you leave so you come back to fresh sheets. Wash and dry everything in the laundry basket, or at least make sure nothing damp is left in the machine or basket. A load of clean laundry is much nicer to come home to than a pile of dirty washing on top of the holiday clothes.

Put out all rubbish and recycling, even if collection day is after you've left – ask a neighbour to put the bins out and bring them back in. An overflowing bin left in summer heat attracts flies and maggots; see how to clean a wheelie bin.

Print or screenshot this list for the morning you leave:

Many households book their regular cleaner for the day before they come back, so they return to a clean home. It's also a good time for a deep clean, carpet cleaning or oven cleaning, because the house is empty and carpets can dry without being walked on. Arrange key access in advance – see giving a cleaner keys safely.

If your regular cleaner normally comes while you're away, check whether you'll still pay for the visit; our guide to cleaner holidays and cancellations covers the usual arrangements.

A tidy house also looks lived-in. Ask a neighbour to collect post and parcels, use timer switches on a couple of lamps, and avoid posting holiday plans publicly. If a cleaner or house-sitter will have access while you're away, agree what they'll do, how they'll get in and who to contact in an emergency.

Turn off the water to the washing machine and dishwasher if you're going for a long time, and consider leaving the heating on a low setting in winter to protect pipes and reduce condensation. Coming home to a dry, aired house makes the first evening back far more pleasant.