Moving Out: A Comprehensive Checklist for Leaving Your Apartment Clean

Are you moving out? Wait, simply packing your bags won’t work—you need to pack away the hassle as well, and that also for good! An immaculate apartment has dual benefits. One, it will leave a lasting impression both on your landlord and the next tenant planning to dwell there. Second, and this one is the most compelling one: a spotless apartment guarantees complete security deposit return.

Imagine the peace of mind you will feel when handing over the keys, knowing you've ticked off every nook and cranny. It doesn’t matter if you’re shifting from a cozy rental or upgrading your accommodation to a bigger one; this well-planned, thorough cleaning checklist will not only keep you organized but also make sure not a single spot is overlooked. From cleaning windows to scrubbing every surface in the kitchen spotless, stick to this apartment cleaning guide to make your move-out hassle-free while saving your precious time, money, and energy for the next exciting phase of your life.

Essential Cleaning Tools You’ll Need

Having the right cleaning tools at your disposal for efficient move-out cleaning is as crucial as taking your next breath. You must hoard the following essential supplies:

Multipurpose cleaners (all-purpose cleaners) for cleaning various surfaces.
A couple of sponges for scrubbing surfaces like countertops.
A vacuum cleaner to eliminate grime from carpets and tiled or marbled floors.
For cleaning hard floors, you will require a mop and a bucket.
A couple of microfiber cloths for shiny glass surfaces.
Glass cleaner is a must for windowpanes and mirrors.
Several trash bags to collect debris for disposal.
Gloves for protecting your delicate skin during this thorough cleaning session.

Why is it so important to amass all these cleaning supplies? Simple: to make your move-out journey absolutely free of all the stress and anxiety! By having these necessary cleaning tools in hand, you’ll clean every surface and room efficiently and in less time, minimizing your stress significantly as you will be confident your apartment looks spotless. It will not only make your move-out a cakewalk but also enable you to get your security deposit back to every last penny.

Move-Out Cleaning Checklist: Room-by-Room Guide

In-depth move-out cleaning demands a room-by-room thorough cleaning approach to ensure you don’t miss any area. If you break down the entire cleaning episode into smaller parts, you can manage each room's particular requirements and challenges without any hassle, ensuring your apartment is as clean as new. From the chaos of the kitchen to the mess of the bathroom, follow this room-by-room cleaning checklist to ensure efficient apartment cleaning and assurance of a stress-free handover.

Kitchen Cleaning Checklist

Start with the toughest of them all: none other than your kitchen! The place attracts grease, stains and general filth like a magnet attracts certain metals. Although it is tough, the reward of getting your complete deposit makes it worth the effort.

Here’s how you can effectively clean your kitchen spotless without driving yourself crazy.

Cleaning Appliances:

Start this challenge with deep cleaning of your appliances. This includes your oven, fridge, microwave, cooking stove, dishwasher and coffee maker.

How to Clean Your Appliances?

Deep cleaning your appliances, like the fridge, doesn’t involve rocket science. You simply need to:

Empty the appliance, be it fridge or oven.
Wash its shelves with mild detergent and lukewarm water.
Clean the insides with your trusted partner, a solution of vinegar and water.
You can layer baking soda’s paste on the insides for a few hours to loosen stubborn stains and kill bad odors before scrubbing the surface with a sponge.
Lastly, don’t forget to wipe the handles and seals as well.
For dishwasher, eliminate stuck debris from the drain before running an empty cycle with vinegar. It will erase all the buildup.

Clean Cabinets & Pantries

Next comes your pantry and kitchen cabinets and drawers. Once again, you have to empty all the cabinets and drawers. Before moving to wiping them, dispose of expired or wasted stuff. Wipe the cabinets and drawers with a dampened cloth.

Santize Countertops

Cleaning countertops is the easier part. An all-purpose cleaner or simply a sanitizing wipe will make cleaning these surfaces a breeze. For stains or discolored cemented surfaces, use baking soda and vinegar. Wipe the tops with a damp cloth, and they will be shining like new.

Floor Cleaning

Be done with your kitchen cleaning checklist by mopping the floors. Oh, and don’t forget to clean the places behind the appliances. You have no idea how much grime they are hiding.

Bathroom Cleaning Checklist

After the kitchen, your bathroom is the next nightmarish part of your end-of-tenancy cleaning, as it’s an important section for any move-out inspection, and a squeaky clean bathroom can play a huge role in helping you get your full deposit back.

So, how to tackle this challenge? It’s time-consuming but not impossible. You simply have to follow these steps.

Start with the toilet. Disinfect its every surface, from seat to bowl and handle. A good toilet cleaner will make the job easy.
Turn your attention to the shower or bathtub, whichever you have. Pour cleaner to eliminate accumulated soap scum and mildew. You can use lemon extract and salt for cleaning taps and showerheads.
Your mirrors and fixtures need to be sparkling clean for a spotless bathroom. Once again, you can resort to the solution of vinegar and water. Then a simple swipe of microfiber cloth will leave the mirrors streak-free and sparkling.
Don’t forget to clean and sanitize your sink and vanity tops when tackling move-out bathroom cleaning.
Clean your shower curtains or screens from inside out.
Oh, your bathroom also contains a vent; remember that exhaust fan? Hop on a ladder and blow away all the dust from the vent with the help of an air can.
Finally, for a squeaky clean finish, mop the tiled floor.

Living Room and Bedroom Cleaning Checklist

When you’re tackling the challenging task of move-out cleaning, your living room and bedroom require more attention because they are high-traffic areas in your home. So where do I start? It’s simple.

Dust off dirt and grime from surfaces in your living area and bedroom, including walls, furniture, blinds, shelves, wall hangings, ceiling fans and light fixtures.
Speaking of lights, don’t forget to replace the lightbulbs that no longer function.
Corners are sneaky, so don’t forget to tackle cobwebs clinging in overlooked corners. A vacuum or tall broom will help you take down nasty cobwebs in a jiffy.
Clean all the windows in both spaces. If you have a glass cleaner and a lint-free cloth, wiping down windows will be a breeze.
Next comes vacuuming of your carpets, rugs and furniture. While you’re at it, make sure you move the furniture around to remove filth accumulated underneath the things.

How to Clean Carpets

Once you’re done vacuuming your carpets and rugs, focus on stains.
An eco-friendly carpet cleaner or a simple mixture of baking soda and vinegar in water will do magic on stubborn blemishes.
Let the solution sit for a while before you scrub the carpet with a soft-bristled brush.
Give a final vacuum round to clear leftover debris.

After this, your baseboards need a good wiping session.

How to Clean Baseboards

Eliminate the dust off the baseboard with a duster; a microfiber cloth will also do.
If there is tough grime clinging to the surface, soapy water and a sponge will help you get rid of it.
Dry the baseboard to shield it from damage.

Walls and Floors: Cleaning and Repairs

You are almost done with your move-out apartment cleaning. The last steps include wiping down your walls and cleaning floors because they are an equally essential section of your move-out cleaning checklist. In addition, it’s also recommended to clean the walls of a new apartment before moving in to ensure hygiene and freshness. Walls have a bad habit of gathering scuffs and marks throughout the course of your stay, especially from furniture or hanging articles. If you find any,

Patch the distorted part with spackle or putty, but make sure you apply it with a putty knife for even layering.
Afterward, touch up the patch with matching paint to restore the wall to its original flawless state.

Now, it’s time to give a final cleaning to the floors to make your house ready for the next person to move in. If you have carpets, thoroughly vacuum them. For hard floors, sweep them first before mopping to clear dust and stains. Giving one last touch to the baseboards will give your space a neat and fresh look, making it ready for your landlord’s inspection to get your deposit.

Additional Areas: Outdoor Space, Laundry Room, and Closets

You should not forget to clean spaces considered secondary or extra when it comes to move-out cleaning. Be it your balcony, patio, laundry room or closets, give them the attention they require to leave your apartment in a mint state. Here’s an easy guide on how to quickly tackle these areas.

Cleaning Balcony

Remove all the furnishing and personal stuff from the balcony before you start cleaning it. Now, use a stiff broom to sweep off dirt and debris from the area. Then, clear stubborn stains or residue with an all-purpose cleaner and give a good wiping to the railings for a spotless and fresh look.

Sliding Door Cleaning

These often seem like a minor detail, but opening and closing a sliding door can become a hassle if there’s a dirty track. I would suggest you don’t allow this small, overlooked detail to ruin your move-out.

Quickly take out leaves and dirt stuck in your sliding door’s track with a vacuum or a broom.
Wipe down the glass of your sliding door with a window cleaner and lint-free fabric to achieve a streak-free, sparkling finish.
If the door gets stucked while sliding, lubricate its track with a silicon-based lubricant. The door will start sliding smoothly.

Laundry Room

You don’t want to leave your laundry mess behind. Clean spills or detergent buildup from your washer and dryer, if you’ve any in your apartment, with a moist microfiber cloth. Make sure you get rid of all the lint from your dryer for safety purposes.

Cleaning Closets

Another overlooked and mostly disliked part of move-out cleaning is the closets. Unfortunately, there’s no escaping it. But we can show you how to quickly tackle it.

Empty all the shelves and racks first.
Clear dust from shelves, rods and every other corner with a damp microfiber garment.
Spot-clean your closet’s floor with vacuum. Give extra attention to corners and edges because they’re gluttons for dirt.
Look for scuff marks and damage and patch the holes caused by nails or hooks to ensure your closet is left in a presentable condition.

How to Clean Your Apartment Without Feeling Overwhelmed

To majority of the people, move-out cleaning seems like an uphill battle. It won’t feel like that if you take the cleaning tasks in a systematic way. You can conquer all your end-of-tenency-related chores efficiently and on time if you do one simple thing: break the tasks down into itsy-bitsy manageable steps.

Design a Cleaning Schedule

Tackle cleaning tasks room- or day-wise. Clean one area at a single time. For instance, if Monday is for the kitchen, then clean your bathroom on Tuesday, your bedroom on Wednesday, and so on. This approach will ensure you don’t feel overwhelmed.

Set Smaller, Manageable Goals

Set tiny goals that are easy to manage and accomplish. For instance, carry out vacuuming of your carpets/floors or dust off your shelves. Finishing these small tasks will bolster your energy and drive you to continue.

Stay Driven

You may feel like putting it all off for the next day, and that’s okay. Just play your favorite music or podcasts in the background to keep a relaxed environment. Reward yourself with, say, a cup of tea/coffee or a short break after accomplishing each task. This will help you remain energetic and focused throughout.

Do I Need Professional Cleaners for Move-Out Cleaning?

Are you torn between whether to hire professional cleaners for move-out or take up the challenge yourself? Well, doing it yourself can certainly save you bucks, but there are certain situations where hiring professionals can save you a lot of hassle.

When Should You Hire Professional Cleaners

Hiring professional cleaners for move-out in some cases is worth the investment.

Stringent Lease Contracts

If you have a strict lease agreement that clearly requires a comprehensive cleaning to ensure deposit refund, then hiring expert cleaners will be your savior. They will tackle everything from floors to window sills to ensure a complete refund of your deposit.

Limited Time

If you're short of time and have to rush everything from packing to moving, it is better to take help from professional cleaning crew. They will get the job done efficiently and on time.

Tough Stains or Damage

Certain areas are uber tough to clean, such as your oven, carpets, or moldy tiles. Expert cleaners are equipped with the expertise and all the essential tools required to tackle every tough stain or damage to these problematic areas, leaving them spotless for you.

When DIY is Sufficient

If you have a smaller apartment or you've got the habit of keeping things tidy and organized, DIY cleaning of the place will be sufficient. It is better to follow a well-curated cleaning checklist and tackle one room at a time to manage the entire process without feeling overwhelmed.

Common Mistakes to Avoid During Move-Out Cleaning

Do you think you've finished your move-out cleaning? You should think and go over the tasks once again; there’s a high chance that you may have forgotten certain crucial areas that could eat a chunk out of your deposit.

Overlooking Hidden Spots

People commonly neglect cleaning areas like underneath appliances, inside closets, or behind the furniture. Too bad for you that landlords often inspect these spots first for dirt and filth.

Forgetting to Clean Baseboards

Baseboards work like magnets for dust and grime. Just a quick mop of baseboards will significantly improve the clean appearance of your place.

Ignoring Window Tracks and Frames

I won’t blame you if you forget to clean your dirt-filled window tracks or dust off blinds; people often ignore these when move-out cleaning. Leaving them dirty is a blunder you shouldn’t commit.

Ignoring Smoke Detectors

Most of the time, residents forget to take a look at smoke detectors and clean them. Remove all the dirt from them and ensure their batteries are running.

By avoiding these common and small move-out cleaning errors, you can handover the key with confidence and assurance of getting your deposit back.

Key takeaways: Wrapping Up the Move-Out Clean

In-depth move-out cleaning of your lodging is crucial if you want to move to the new place without the stress and with the reward of getting back your full deposit. Whether it’s scrubbing floors, wiping down appliances or cleaning and patching the walls, every little detail counts.

While you’re on this thorough cleaning spree, make sure you avoid common mistakes and wash filth from neglected corners to get a spot-clean finish. So, are you ready to make your place spotless? You can download our comprehensive move-out cleaning checklist and make this seemingly uphill battle a breeze.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I clean my apartment before leaving?

You need to focus on essential chores: dust and clean all the surfaces, vacuum or sweep floors, and wipe down every corner of your kitchen and bathroom. Throw away trash, and make sure everything is neat and decluttered.

How much cleaning should you do when moving out?

You should carry out comprehensive cleaning. This includes wiping all the surfaces, sweeping or vacuuming floors, and deep cleaning your kitchen and bathroom. Leave the place tidy and spotless to ensure you get a complete security deposit.

Do you have to clean the oven when you move out?

Absolutely yes! Oven is a part of your residence so you must clean it when moving out because you need to leave the space in mint condition. Additionally, a sparkling clean oven is also essential for the assurance of your security deposit without deductions.

Do you need to clean the house before moving out?

You most certainly do. Performing thorough and systematic cleaning of the house before you move out is crucial for leaving it in good condition for the next tenant to move in. Thorough move-out cleaning also helps you avoid any conflicts with your landlord and enhances the likelihood of a full refund of your security deposit.

Should you clean the walls of a new apartment?

Yes, you couldn’t have a better idea. It’s good both aesthetically and hygienically to clean the walls of a new apartment, as it will eradicate dust, grime, or stains left by previous tenants, giving you fresh and inviting surroundings to move in.

How do I clean my apartment without being overwhelmed?

To avoid feeling overwhelmed during move-out cleaning, you simply need to breakdown the entire cleaning into bite-sized, manageable portions: tackle one room at a time, focusing on must-to-do chores. You can take help from our comprehensive apartment cleaning checklist to stay organized and complete tasks efficiently.

Do people clean their house when they move out?

Yes! People prefer to clean their house before moving out, as it is usually one of the requirements of the landlord or a component of the lease agreement to ensure full refund of security deposit. An in-depth cleaning is also helpful for a stress-free handover to the next renter.

How do I start cleaning to move?

You can initiate your cleaning before moving by tackling high-traffic areas first, such as your bedroom and living room. Afterwards, carry out cleaning room-by-room while dividing chores into tiny and easy-to-manage bits.