The move-out cleaning checklist (to get your deposit back)

A move-out clean isn't a normal clean — it's an empty-home detail scoped to a landlord's final walkthrough. The goal is simple: leave the place at the standard your lease and your deposit depend on. Work this checklist after the furniture is out, top to bottom, room by room.

Do this first

• Clean after the home is empty — you can't detail behind furniture that's still there.
• Start high (light fixtures, shelves, cabinet tops) and finish on floors.
• Patch small nail holes if your lease requires it, and pull all hooks and adhesive strips.

Kitchen (landlords scrutinize this most)

• Inside and outside of all cabinets and drawers
• Inside the oven, stovetop, and range hood
• Inside the fridge and freezer (defrost if needed), behind and underneath
• Dishwasher interior and filter
• Sink, faucet, backsplash, and countertops
• Floors, including the toe-kick under cabinets

Bathrooms

• Toilet, tub, and shower scrubbed free of soap scum and hard-water buildup
• Inside the vanity and medicine cabinet
• Mirror, counters, and all fixtures
• Exhaust fan cover; grout treated
• Floors and behind the toilet base

Bedrooms, closets, living areas

• Wipe down inside every closet and shelf
• Dust and wipe baseboards, window sills, and door frames
• Clean interior windows and tracks
• Spot-clean walls, switch plates, and door handles
• Vacuum, then mop or detail the floors last

Easy-to-forget spots that cost deposits

• Blinds and window tracks
• Light fixtures and ceiling-fan blades
• Vents and return grilles
• The inside of the entry/coat closet
• Patio, balcony, or garage if they're on your lease

Standard vs move-out clean

A standard clean maintains a lived-in home; a move-out clean resets an empty one to inspection standard — it's closer to a deep clean, inside appliances and all. If you're short on time before the keys are due, a move-out clean is bookable online with an exact price in under two minutes. We turn over homes across Greater Boston, Orlando, and Miami — and in Boston, the September 1 lease turnover books out early.

Just settling in instead? Start a routine with the room-by-room cleaning checklist.