Kitchen
- Inside all cabinets and drawers, vacuum crumbs first
- Oven inside and out, stovetop, range hood filter
- Fridge and freezer inside, pull out shelves
- Microwave and dishwasher interior
- Countertops, backsplash, sink and faucet descaled
- Floors vacuumed and mopped, edges by baseboards
Bathrooms
- Tub, shower walls and glass, grout scrubbed
- Toilet inside, outside, base and behind
- Vanity cabinets and drawers
- Mirror and fixtures descaled
- Exhaust fan cover dusted
Bedrooms and living areas
- Closets: shelves, rods, floor, doors
- Baseboards, door frames, switch plates
- Window sills and tracks
- Walls spot-cleaned, scuffs removed
- Floors vacuumed (carpet slow-vacuumed in passes) or mopped
Whole home
- Light fixtures and ceiling fans
- Vents and return covers
- AC filter replaced
- Light bulbs all working
- Smoke detector batteries
- Trash and recycling out
Before the walk-through
Photograph and video every room after cleaning, keep the receipt if you hired a cleaner, and leave all keys, remotes and garage openers on the counter. Many states require the deposit back within 14-30 days - check your state's rule.
Want to know what a professional move-out clean costs first? Use the move-out cost calculator, or hand this checklist to a cleaner and get it quoted with the quote generator.
Frequently asked questions
Is this move-out cleaning checklist free to print?
Yes - use the Print button and choose Save as PDF, or print on paper. No sign-up.
What do landlords check most at move-out?
Oven, fridge, cabinets, bathrooms and floors - the areas tenants most often leave dirty. This checklist covers all of them.
Should I clean before or after the movers leave?
After. An empty home is much faster to clean, and the movers' footprints are the last thing on the floors.