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Move-out cleaning checklist: before you hand back the keys

July 22, 2024•6 min read

A move-out cleaning checklist works best done once, after the last box leaves and before the final walkthrough. Empty and clean the inside of the fridge, oven and cabinets first, then work each room top to bottom: dust, wipe, glass, sills, baseboards, then floors. Finish with a slow walkthrough of your own, with your lease in hand.

When should you clean when you're moving out?

Clean when the rooms are empty. If you clean around furniture and boxes, the movers track dirt across the floors, and the dust lines and scuffs behind the furniture only show up once they're gone.

If you can, plan the day like this:

Movers leave.
Kitchen and bathrooms first.
Bedrooms and living areas.
Floors last, working from the back of the home toward the front door.
Your own walkthrough, then photos of every room with the date on your phone.

What supplies do you need for a move-out clean?

Pack a cleaning box separately and put it in your car, not the moving truck.

An all-purpose cleaner and a degreaser for the kitchen
A bathroom cleaner and a glass cleaner
Baking soda for paste scrubbing
Microfiber cloths, more than you think, and a non-scratch scrub pad
A vacuum with a crevice tool, a mop and a bucket
Rubber gloves and trash bags
A step stool, two steps at most

Skip anything with steel wool or abrasive powder on stainless steel, glass stovetops or tub finishes. Scratches are what get noticed at a walkthrough.

Kitchen move-out cleaning checklist

Start in the kitchen.

Refrigerator: unplug it if your lease allows, take out the shelves and drawers, wash them in the sink, wipe the inside and the door gaskets, and dry it. Leave the door propped open so it doesn't sour.
Oven: if it has a self-clean cycle, run it the day before and wipe out the ash. Otherwise use a baking soda paste overnight and scrub in the morning.
Stovetop and hood: degrease the stovetop, knobs and the outside of the hood. Soak the hood filter in hot water with dish soap if it comes out.
Microwave: steam a bowl of water for three minutes, then wipe the inside and the turntable.
Cabinets and drawers: vacuum the crumbs out, then wipe inside, outside and the tops of the doors.
Counters, backsplash, sink and faucet: scrub, rinse and dry the faucet so it doesn't spot.
Dishwasher: pull the filter, rinse it, and wipe the door edges and the seal.
Floor: vacuum the edges and the gap where the fridge stood, then mop.

For the oven in detail, see how to clean your oven.

Bathroom move-out cleaning checklist

Tub, shower and tile: spray, let it sit for five to ten minutes, scrub, rinse and dry.
Shower door glass and tracks: the tracks hold grime and get looked at.
Toilet: inside the bowl, the seat hinges, the outside and the base. The base is where hair and dust collect.
Sink, counter and faucet, then the vanity fronts and the inside of the vanity once it's empty.
Mirrors and the medicine cabinet, inside and out.
Floor, including behind the toilet.

For tile and grout, our guide on how to clean bathroom tiles walks through it step by step.

Bedrooms and living areas

Work top to bottom so dust falls onto surfaces you haven't cleaned yet.

Ceiling fans and light fixtures you can reach from a step stool
Cobwebs in corners and above windows
Closets: shelves, rods and the closet floor
Window sills and tracks: vacuum the tracks first, then wipe
Blinds: dust them with a dry cloth, slat by slat
Light switches, door knobs and doors: fingerprints show on light paint
Baseboards: a damp cloth along the top edge, room by room
Floors: vacuum slowly, especially where furniture stood

Check what your lease says before you patch or paint anything.

Laundry room and the rest

Wipe the outside of the washer and dryer, including the top and around the door. Pull the dryer lint screen and clean it. Wipe the utility sink and shelves, and mop the floor.

Then walk the whole home with your lease. Some leases spell out items like the garage, the outdoor areas or the carpets, and that list matters more than this one.

What gets missed on a move-out clean?

The top of the fridge and the floor underneath where it stood
The drip pans and the drawer under the oven
The tops of door frames and kitchen cabinets
Light switch plates
The inside of the dishwasher door edge
The track of every sliding door and window

Move-In / Move-Out Cleaning, CleanStart

Tina's has served South Jersey since 1998 and books cleanings across South Jersey and Central Jersey. Moving cleans are their own service: Move-In / Move-Out Cleaning, CleanStart.

Every item on the checklist is included every time. That covers floors vacuumed and mopped, reachable surfaces and furniture dusted, mirrors and glass, baseboards, doors and door frames, light switches and handles, reachable ceiling fans and light fixture exteriors, window sills and ledges, cobwebs, and under and behind furniture that moves easily. In the kitchen it covers the counters and backsplash, sink and faucet, stovetop, range and hood exteriors, the outside of every appliance present, the inside of the microwave and all cabinet and drawer fronts. In the bathrooms it covers the toilet, tub, shower and tiled walls, shower door glass and tracks, fixtures and drains, the sink, counter, vanity fronts, mirrors and floors. In the laundry area it covers the washer and dryer exteriors, the utility sink, counters, shelves and floor.

The inside of the refrigerator (emptied and defrosted, freezer not included), the inside of the oven (self-clean cycle run first) and the inside of cabinets and drawers (emptied) are add-ons you choose when you book.

Items not offered on Move-In / Move-Out Cleaning include paint stains, mold and other biohazards, exterior windows, the exterior of the home, and moving furniture over 50 lbs.

Submitting the form sends a booking request. The appointment is confirmed after the details are reviewed and an available cleaning professional is matched.

See the full list at Move-In / Move-Out Cleaning. Moving into a new place too? Our move-in cleaning checklist covers the other end.

FAQ

When should you do the move-out clean? After the movers leave and before the final walkthrough, once every room is empty. Cleaning around boxes means doing the floors twice, and the marks behind furniture only show once it's gone.

What do landlords check on a move-out inspection? Check your lease first, because it sets the standard. The inside of the fridge and oven, cabinet shelves, the tub and toilet, window sills, and the floors where furniture stood are the places that get looked at closely, so do those carefully.

How long does a move-out clean take? For one person working alone, plan on a full day for an empty three-bedroom home, longer if the oven and fridge need real work.

What does a move-out cleaning service include? On Move-In / Move-Out Cleaning, every item on its checklist is included every time, from baseboards and light switches to the inside of the microwave. The inside of the fridge (emptied and defrosted, freezer not included), the oven (self-clean run first) and the cabinets and drawers (emptied) are add-ons.