Move-out cleaning is different from a regular clean: the space is empty, every mark shows, and there's usually someone — a landlord, a property manager, a new owner — inspecting the result. This checklist covers what actually gets checked, room by room.
Short answer
A thorough move-out clean covers the inside of every cabinet, closet, and appliance, not just visible surfaces — because with the furniture gone, that's exactly what an inspection looks at. Budget more time than a regular clean; most of it goes to detail work empty rooms expose.
Kitchen
- Inside and outside of all cabinets and drawers
- Inside the oven, stovetop, and range hood filter
- Inside and behind the fridge (if it's staying) or the empty fridge space
- Countertops, backsplash, and sink — including faucet and drain
- Floors, including corners and under where appliances sat
Bathrooms
- Inside and behind the toilet, base included
- Tub, shower, and tile — grout scrubbed, not just wiped
- Inside vanity cabinets and medicine cabinets
- Mirrors, fixtures, and exhaust fan cover
- Floors and baseboards
Bedrooms and living areas
- Inside all closets, including shelving
- Baseboards, door frames, and light switches
- Windowsills, tracks, and interior glass
- Full floor clean — vacuumed and washed, wall to wall, nothing in the way
- Walls spot-checked for marks (scuffs, tape residue, nail holes are usually a tenant/landlord discussion, not a cleaning one)
Easy-to-miss spots that inspections actually catch
- Closet shelving and the floor underneath hanging clothes
- Behind and under any furniture or appliances left in place
- Window tracks and the tops of door frames
- Inside the dishwasher and washing machine drum, if included in the unit
- Baseboards at the very bottom, where dust and grime settle unnoticed
Will a move-out clean guarantee I get my deposit back?
A cleaning service can't make promises about a landlord's inspection criteria or the state of the unit beyond cleanliness (wear and tear, damage, and lease terms are separate questions). What it can do is make sure cleanliness specifically isn't the reason anything gets held back — which is the most common, and most avoidable, deduction reason.
This is exactly what our move in/out cleaning service is built around — wall-to-wall detail with nothing in the way. Get a free flat-rate quote before your move-out date so it's one less thing on the list.