The Ultimate Move-Out Cleaning Checklist

What’s Included in a Great Move Out Cleaning?

Before we dive into our Ultimate Move Out Checklist, let us first clarify what a move out cleaning is. Typically, a move out clean includes a thorough and deep cleaning of an entire home or space — from the front doorstep to the back patio and everything in between.

The goal of any move out cleaning service is to make sure a home, apartment, or other building space is ready to be shown, sold, or moved into. Your services reduce the stress and hassle of having to get a place prepared for the next tenants. Your clients may be the owner/manager of the space or they may be the future inhabitants.

6 Easy Move Out Cleaning Steps

As a move out cleaning service business owner, you need a well-structured cleaning strategy and operational flow. These processes are paramount for ensuring you deliver top-notch service and achieve high client satisfaction. A systematic approach guarantees that every nook and corner of the space receives meticulous attention, leaving it spotless for the next tenants.

Establishing move-out cleaning-related checklists or task guides helps allocate resources efficiently, optimize time, maintain consistency in cleaning standards, deliver exceptional results, and build a strong reputation in the industry.

We’ve built our Ultimate Move Out Cleaning Checklist for a typical home or residential space. Similar checklists can - and should - be created for every type of unit your move out cleaning business services. The essential steps to conducting a home move out cleaning are as follows:

1. Clean from Top to Bottom

When tackling a move out cleaning, you should first focus on dusting and sanitizing from the very top to the bottom. Start up high on the ceiling and work your way down to other surfaces and then finally the floor.

This process is important because it ensures that you are picking up accumulated dirt and dust that will eventually fall down from the ceiling to the counters or from the counters to the floor. If you clean your floors first then dust and wipe down counters, you will more likely need to reclean the floors because now they are dirty again from fallen particles.

What to clean from top to bottom, in order:

• Ceiling
• Light fixtures
• Ceiling fans
• Vents
• Crown molding
• Door frames
• Window sills
• Walls
• Cabinets and shelves
• Counters
• Floorboards
• Floors

Gravity plays a big role in your move out cleaning process. When you get to the last stage of cleaning, you want to make sure that you are sweeping up all fallen dirt, dust, and debris from the earlier stages.

2. Make a Plan of Action

Cleaning for a move out is different from your everyday cleaning.

Typically, a home has all the residents’ belongings laid out in a manner of their choosing. When your services are hired to clean for a move out, however, the client’s belongings are packed and most likely already in a moving truck. This means that you generally have more open space to deal with. It also means that dirt and stains that had been hidden behind appliances or under furniture are now fully in view and need to be tackled before the new tenants arrive.

Additionally, move out cleaning services tend to be more thorough than standard cleanings, meaning they require more time from you and your crew.

For these reasons, having a plan of action during your move out cleaning tasks will help make the process smoother. It’s the best way to ensure that everything that needs to be done gets done. During the scheduling process it’s important you allocate plenty of time for a move out cleaning and avoid overbooking those days.

3. Tackle One Room at a Time

Cleaning per room is important in making sure that each part of the house gets an appropriate amount of attention and detailed cleaning. The following are checklists to help guide you through ensuring each room of the home is properly addressed during a move out cleaning job.

Living Room and Bedroom Move Out Checklist

• Mirrors are streak-free
• Window sills and window tracks are dust-, dirt-, and mold-free
• Baseboards buildup is vacuumed and wiped
• Door frames are cleaned and doorknobs are sanitized
• Light switches are wiped to remove finger oils and germs
• Walls are smudge-free
• Garbage has been emptied and cans cleaned
• Carpets are deodorized and vacuumed, especially in the corners and along walls
• Hardwood or tile floor areas are swept, mopped, and shined if appropriate
• Closets are cleaned of accumulated dust

Kitchen Move Out Checklist

• Appliances such as stovetop, oven, refrigerator, freezer, microwave, dishwasher, range hood, etc. are thoroughly cleaned, sanitized, and streak-free
• Countertops and shelves are dusted and wiped clean
• Backsplash is clean and smudge-free
• Cabinet interiors and exteriors are wiped and sanitized
• Inside window sills and window tracks are cleaned and free of residues
• Doorknobs, door frames, and doors are wiped and sanitized
• Sink and drain are free of stains, rust, or food splatters
• Light switches are smudge-free and sanitized
• Floor is swept and mopped to remove splashed oils, water marks and food stains

Bathroom Move Out Checklist

• Sink, bathtub, shower walls, and glass doors are spotless and sanitized
• Toilet: base, bowl, seat, hinges, and flush handle are cleaned of any stains or odors and thoroughly santized
• Mirrors are clear and streak-free
• Cabinets, countertops, and shelves are dusted and wiped clean
• Inside window sills and window tracks are cleaned
• Doorknobs, door frames, and doors are wiped and sanitized
• Light switches are smudge-free and sanitized
• Garbage has been emptied and the garbage can is clean
• Floor is vacuumed/swept and mopped

4. Don't Forget the Nooks and Crannies

During a move out cleaning, you want to make sure every surface of the home is addressed.

Commonly missed spots in a move out clean include:

• Interiors of cabinets and drawers
• Behind the refrigerator, washer, dryer, and other appliances
• Floorboards, especially along the edges of walls where furniture had been located
• Lighting fixtures and ceiling fans
• AC vents and fans
• Interiors of closets

Cleaning these commonly missed spots will help ensure that your team delivers excellent service and that each move out clean is completed thoroughly and professionally.

5. Use the Right Tools for the Job

Utilizing the proper move out cleaning tools and solutions will ensure the success of your cleaning jobs. The last thing you want is to have to repeat any steps in your process, costing you time and money. Equip your move out cleaning business with the tools you need to complete the job right, every time.

Move out cleaning tools you should consider:

• Microfiber cloths
• Reusable rubber gloves
• Steel wool scrubbers
• Paper towels
• Trash bags
• Antibacterial cleaning solutions (test each surface before using any potentially harmful chemicals)
• Baking soda, vinegar, glass cleaner, and dish soap

When it comes to vacuums, dusters, mops, and brooms, make sure to have the right tools on-hand for every task. For example, sometimes a string mop over a flat mop is the better choice, depending on the flooring.

6. Take Your Time

Rushing any cleaning project will only cause you more stress. You may miss some spots or end up having to redo the whole process. Remember, during a move out clean every area of the home is exposed and even small missteps will be more easily noticed. Planning the necessary time for each move out cleaning job will guarantee that you and your crew deliver quality-first services.

Because move out cleanings can be time-consuming, it’s recommended to consider all necessary steps and schedule accordingly. You want to make sure that you have plenty of time to clean, take care of hard-to-remove stains, document your work, and report any issues or needed repairs.

Simplify Your Move Out Service Operations with a Move Out Checklist

Having a move out checklist on hand can make cleaning much easier and ensure you’re not missing anything important. A comprehensive checklist will guide you and your crew through each step of the cleaning process and help you transform a dirty, dingy space into a new and inviting home ready for its next inhabitants.

Through Taskbird’s mobile app, you can monitor quality control expectations from anywhere at any time. Automate your move out cleaning services operations with our intuitive software designed to aid in scaling your business. Customize workflows, increase productivity, and delegate efficiently and effectively all from one place.