Move-out cleaning checklist

Move-out cleans are different from regular visits. The home is usually empty, the client is often a tenant hoping to get a deposit back or a seller getting ready for new owners, and the deadline is fixed. A clear move-out checklist protects you and your client because it shows exactly what was cleaned before the keys change hands.

Before you quote

• Confirm the home will be empty of furniture and belongings. Cleaning around boxes takes longer and is less thorough.
• Ask whether utilities (water, power) will still be on.
• Ask about the condition: when it was last cleaned, pets, smoking, and the condition of the oven and fridge.
• Agree on what is not included. Wall repairs, carpet shampooing and trash haul-away are common exclusions unless you offer them.

Move-out checklist by area

Kitchen

• Inside and outside of all cabinets and drawers
• Inside oven, racks and stovetop; under burner grates
• Inside refrigerator and freezer, including shelves and drawers
• Inside microwave and dishwasher door edges
• Sink, faucet, backsplash and counters
• Floor, including edges and under the appliances if they can be moved safely

Bathrooms

• Toilet inside, outside and base
• Tub, shower, tile and grout surfaces; glass doors
• Inside vanity cabinets and drawers; medicine cabinet
• Mirror, sink, fixtures and exhaust fan cover
• Floor and baseboards

Every room

• Inside closets, shelves and rods
• Baseboards, door frames and doors
• Light switches, outlet covers and fixtures
• Window sills and tracks (interior)
• Vents and returns (wipe covers)
• Vacuum and mop all floors as the final step

The final walkthrough

Do a room-by-room walkthrough with the checklist when you finish. Take dated photos of each room, the inside of the oven and fridge, and the bathrooms. If a landlord or buyer questions the clean later, the photos and signed checklist show the condition you left it in. If the client can be there, walk through together and have them initial the sheet.

Worked example

A tenant books a move-out clean for a two-bedroom apartment the day before the final inspection. During your quote call you find out the oven hasn't been cleaned in two years. You price the oven as a heavy-soil add-on and tell the client in writing. Then you work through the checklist, photograph each finished area, and leave a copy of the completed checklist for the tenant to show the landlord. Expectations were set in advance, so there's no argument about the extra charge.

Move-in cleans

A move-in clean uses almost the same list. The difference is timing: you're cleaning for the new occupant before their belongings arrive. Many cleaners use one combined "move-in / move-out" checklist and tick which service it is at the top.

Pricing tips

Move-out cleans usually take much longer than a standard visit of the same size because of the inside-cabinet and appliance work. Price them separately from your recurring rates. If you quote by square footage or rooms, add line items for oven, fridge and heavy soil. Our guide to pricing house cleaning covers how to build those numbers from your own costs.

The Cleaning Checklists Pack includes an editable move-in / move-out checklist along with room-by-room, deep clean and recurring visit checklists.

Get the Cleaning Checklists Pack - $9

FAQ

Is a move-out clean the same as a deep clean?

They overlap, but a move-out clean focuses on an empty home and adds inside cabinets, closets and appliances. A deep clean is usually done in an occupied home.

Should I take photos after a move-out clean?

Yes. Dated photos of each room, plus a completed checklist, give you a record of the condition you left the home in.

Does the checklist guarantee a deposit is returned?

No. Deposits are decided by the landlord. The checklist only documents the cleaning work you did.