The Ultimate Apartment Move Out Cleaning Checklist
You're all ready to hit the road. Your bags are packed and the moving van loaded – it’s time to move on with your next life adventure but not so fast, apartment move out cleaning still needs doing!
Yes, you read that correctly — it’s cleanup time. It’s the pièce de résistance of apartment living: move-out cleaning!
Let’s be real, a final scrub-down of your place can be like trying to climb Mount Everest without the right gear. It will be tiring but the elbow grease is more than worth it in making sure you get your deposits back and leave with a stellar reference from your landlord.
So, what's it gonna be? If you’re toward the other end of the spectrum and thinking about having professionals come in to do it, Happy Home Helpers is your dream team.
But if you’re up for a challenge, our handy checklist makes sure each aspect of apartment move-out cleaning is covered.
Cleaning Solutions:
- Multipurpose cleaner
- Window cleaner
- Disinfectant
- Toilet cleaner
- Specific floor cleaner
- Oven degreaser
- Stainless steel polish (if needed)
- Baking soda & white vinegar
Cleaning Gear:
- Microfiber cloths, used for dust and spills
- Brushes and sponges for all those hard-to-reach places
- Rubber gloves
- Mop & bucket for floors
- Broom & dustpan
- Vacuum (including attachments for all of those nooks and crannies)
- Squeegee or window tool
- For high-up spaces, an extendable duster
- Trash bags for cleanup
Apartment Move-Out Cleaning Tips
Pro-tip Before You Start:
Start the apartment move out cleaning process only when your apartment is empty. You want the spay to be within easy reach of all the nooks and crannies.
Start from the top down — because gravity is a great prankster and you only want to have to do that floors once.
Dust Bunnies in High Places
You’ve probably been giving your ceiling the cold shoulder on cleaning day. Now is the time to make nice with a broom or an extendable duster to evict those dust bunnies and spider roommates from your ceiling corners.
Do you have a popcorn ceiling in your apartment? Cleaning a popcorn ceiling is a bit tricky.
Take a wet paint roller and roll it off softly. It’s like a spell—except instead of popcorn-flavored rain,
Cleaning the Windows For a Clear View
Arm yourself with a window cleaner and a trusty cloth. Spray those windows down, and wipe in circular motions to prevent streaks.
And don’t forget to clean the windowsills and the window locks. Use a damp cloth to wipe the slide-through tracks: dirt can accumulate there too.
Wall Wipe-Down
You perhaps don’t even notice how much your walls have yellowed until you take down paintings and pictures.
Inspect those walls for any scandalous stains and show ‘em who’s boss with a microfiber cloth dipped in a wall-friendly cleaner.
For the places that are stubborn, recruit a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser to whiten them so your walls will seem like they are an even color.
Carpet Rescue Mission
Staring down carpet stains? If your apartment carpet is too dirty, call in the heavy-duty carpet cleaner pros.
If you don’t want to pay for carpet cleaning service then you can do it yourself with a rental clean machine practitioner or just spot clean formula.
If your carpet appears to be in decent condition and you haven’t suffered any heavy staining then a vacuum will suffice.
Baseboards & Floors
Now to hit the baseboards and floors. Scrub those baseboards and then work your way into a mopping and vacuuming situation.
Do you live with someone who has fur? Store them up and out of harm’s way, away from a wet floor, and ensure housemates (either human or furry) understand it’s off-limits until they’re dry — no paws allowed!
Kitchen Clean-Up
Ah, the kitchen: the theater of muck and remains.
When it comes to move-out apartment cleaning, this hotspot for messes won’t know what hit them.
Fridge Refresh
Empty out the fridge Wipe down inside of the fridge with a vinegar-water mixture (one part vinegar and seven parts water).
Take out any shelves or drawers to wash in the sink or shower.
Oven Overhaul
Whether you let the oven’s self-clean feature do its thing or go hands-on with a baking soda-water paste, make it shine.
If necessary, you can apply the DIY baking soda/water paste or an oven cleaner. Just make sure you don’t get the solution on the coils, allow it all to dry and then wipe it down in vinegar so that debris and dirt lift away.
Dishwasher Detox
Run a regular cycle with your go-to dishwashing sanitizer. For any remaining residue, a brief scrub should suffice, and don’t forget the door: Give it a wipe-down for a spotless end.
Sink & Disposal Sanitization
Clear those drains with a bit of baking soda, follow it up with white vinegar and after 15 minutes, flush with hot water.
Scrub the sink with dish soap and hot water, then dry it off for a sparkling appearance.
Countertops & Cabinets
With an all-purpose cleaner or sanitary wipes, those countertops will shine.
And for stubborn residue, you can’t beat a paste of vinegar and baking soda.
And for the cabinets? Vacuum; wipe; you’re out the door.
Bathroom Scrub Down
Now, onto the bathroom: It’s not as bad as you think! Here, a good scrubbing is vital.
Shower Scrub
Your allies against grime atop kitchen and bathroom countertops, in the bathtub, shower, flooring and more: vinegar and bathroom cleaner. Allow the solution to dwell before wiping.
Bathroom tiles: dry brush scrubbing.
Mineral deposits on the showerhead? Vinegar soaks to the rescue.
Sparkling Sink & Faucet
Scrub the sink and wipe off water spots on the faucet with white vinegar, spraying it down and wiping it off with a microfiber cloth for shine.
Toilet Cleanup
Only on the bowl, and completely free of rings. Then, use a bleach-based cleaner to wipe down every part of the toilet — be sure you’re in a well-ventilated space!
Cleaning the Bathroom’s Cabinets
Simple yet crucial. Dump, dry wipe and admire your handiwork.
And there you have it! And that wraps up your apartment move-out cleaning checklist! And now it’s time to return the keys to the landlord and leave.
Why the Effort in Apartment Move-Out Cleaning?
Considerations of a final clean may feel like the last thing you want to deal with on a moving day, as chaotic as it usually is. But if you’d like to get your deposit back and a glowing recommendation then apartment move out cleaning is a process you can’t skip.
Well-honed past apartment can earn you polished references from former landlords, so your next move is a cinch!
Apartment Move Out Cleaning Services – Happy Home Helpers
If scrubbing and cleaning while you’re attempting to pack up your life sounds like a lot of work, that’s because it is.
So how do you get your apartment sparkling clean without doing anything? Easy: Get a team of cleaning pros to wave their wand and leave your apartment sparkling.
Turnkey apartment move out cleans are our specialty here at Happy Home Helpers – we ensure a hassle-free handover. Our cleaners arrive with all the tools of our trade and in a few hours your place will look like it’s awaiting for its first tenant.
Want to walk away from your apartment stress-free and squeaky clean? Call Happy Home Helpers to get a free quote and let one less thing out of your worry list while you move on to the next adventure.
