Move-out cleaning supplies: the kit to keep out of the boxes

Before you pack anything, set aside one caddy of move-out cleaning supplies that stays out until the last day: an all-purpose cleaner, a bathroom cleaner, a toilet bowl cleaner, a degreaser, glass cleaner, dish soap, baking soda and white vinegar, plus microfiber cloths, a non-scratch scrub pad, an old toothbrush, rubber gloves, a vacuum, a flat mop and bucket, a two-step stool and trash bags.

Label the box "last out" and move it in your car, not the truck.

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

Five bottles:

• All-purpose cleaner for counters, cabinet fronts, light switches, doors and appliance exteriors. Check that it's safe for your counters. Granite and marble need a pH-neutral cleaner.
• Bathroom cleaner that cuts soap scum, for the tub, shower walls, sink and toilet exterior.
• Toilet bowl cleaner with an angled neck, for under the rim.
• Degreaser for the stovetop, range hood, and the cabinet fronts and backsplash around the stove.
• Glass cleaner for mirrors, shower doors, the oven door and windows.

Then the pantry staples:

• Dish soap. Warm water and a few drops handles a lot of light cleaning, and it's the first step on grease.
• Baking soda. A gentle scrub on sinks and tubs, and a paste for the inside of the oven.
• White vinegar. Diluted with water for hard water spots on faucets and glass. Keep it off natural stone.

Skip the dozen specialty sprays. More bottles means more to carry and more to throw out on the last day.

What tools do you need?

• Microfiber cloths, at least a dozen. They pick up dust instead of pushing it around, and they don't leave lint on glass. Keep a separate color for bathrooms.
• A non-scratch scrub pad for tubs, sinks and stovetops.
• An old toothbrush for grout, faucet bases, the fridge gasket and window tracks.
• Rubber gloves, a pair per person.
• A vacuum with a crevice tool and a hard-floor setting. The crevice tool does the edges, vents, window tracks and the inside of drawers.
• A flat mop with washable pads and a bucket. Flat mops get into corners and under the edges of cabinets.
• A two-step stool for the tops of cabinets, the top of the fridge and the ceiling fan.
• Trash bags, the heavy kind. Moving produces more trash than you expect.
• Paper towels for grease and the really grim jobs you'd rather throw away.

What extras are worth having?

• A melamine sponge for scuffs on doors, trim and light switches. Test it on painted walls first, since it can dull a flat finish.
• A plastic scraper for baked-on oven spots and stuck-on food on the stove.
• A razor scraper for paint flecks on window glass and a glass cooktop. Hold it nearly flat.
• An extension duster for ceiling fans and high corners, so you're not standing on furniture.
• A bucket for the car. Something to carry the kit in and to fill at the new home.

What should you not pack early?

• The vacuum and the mop, even though they're bulky
• One roll of paper towels and a box of trash bags
• A few old towels for the fridge defrost and spills on moving day
• Toilet paper and hand soap for every bathroom
• A screwdriver for vent covers and the dryer lint trap housing

How do you use the kit without wasting the day?

• Check that the water and power are on at both homes on cleaning day. Cleaning in the dark with no hot water goes badly.
• Start the slow jobs first. Unplug the fridge the night before so the freezer defrosts, and start the oven's self-clean or a baking soda paste first thing.
• Work top to bottom in each room. Ceiling fans and light fixtures, then counters and shelves, then baseboards, then the floor. Dust falls.
• Do one room completely, then close the door or block it off so nobody tracks through it.
• Floors last, working back toward the front door.
• Never mix bleach with ammonia or with vinegar, and keep the windows open when you use anything strong.

Our guide to cleaning appliances when you move out covers the fridge, oven, dishwasher and laundry step by step.

What happens to the kit after the move?

It becomes your move-in kit. Refill anything that ran low, and open it first at the new place. Wipe the inside of the kitchen cabinets and the bathroom vanity before your things go in, and clean the fridge before the groceries arrive.

What does a move-out cleaning service include?

On Move-In / Move-Out Cleaning, CleanStart, every item on its checklist is included every time: throughout the home, the kitchen, the bathrooms and the laundry area.

Standard supplies and equipment are provided for the service selected. Working water, electricity and lighting are required.

If the home needs more time, you get options before extra work is added. Nothing is added without your approval.

Submitting the form sends a booking request. The appointment is confirmed after the details are reviewed and an available cleaning professional is matched, so book as soon as you know your move-out date.

See the full checklist at Move-In and Move-Out Cleaning.

FAQ

What cleaning supplies do I need to move out? An all-purpose cleaner, a bathroom cleaner, a toilet bowl cleaner, a degreaser, glass cleaner, dish soap, baking soda and white vinegar, plus microfiber cloths, a non-scratch scrub pad, an old toothbrush, rubber gloves, a vacuum, a flat mop and bucket, a two-step stool and trash bags.

When should I pack my cleaning supplies when moving? Last. Set the kit aside before you start packing, label it, and move it in your car rather than the truck. It's the first thing you need at the new place too.

Can I clean a whole house with just vinegar and baking soda? You can get a long way, but not everywhere. Vinegar etches natural stone, neither one cuts heavy kitchen grease well, and they cancel each other out when mixed, so keep a degreaser and dish soap in the kit too.

Does a move-out cleaning service bring its own supplies? For Tina's Clean Team, standard supplies and equipment are provided for the service selected. Working water, electricity and lighting are required at the home.

Book a move-out cleaning

Book online at tinascleanteam.com/book-now, or call or text (609) 831-4455, Monday to Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM.