
Whether you’re buying a new house or relocating to a new apartment, the responsibility of move out cleaning is faithfully waiting for you. Even though there’s too much on your mind and it might be something you’d rather not worry about, don’t put it at the bottom of your to-do list. Embarking on this journey by yourself might seem like a Herculean task at the moment, but it will easily save you a lot of money and let you tackle some of the last days at your current home on your own schedule.
With our detailed guide, all you have to do before turning in the key is to put some of your favorite music on and get started. Relax, there’ll be none of the frequently forgotten spots because we’ve got them all covered.
How Tidy is Tidy Enough?
The most common question you’ll hear from people when the time to move their apartment comes is how much do you clean when moving out. And the question is not there for no reason since it is one of the essential steps to move safely. There are well-known customary ways to leave the home behind in an acceptable condition. If not sure whether the place is tidy enough, you can always be guided by one of the wisest relocation hacks out there – leave your place in the same condition it was in once you moved in. Anything far from this will surely be a deal-breaker for getting your deposit money back in full.
What is the Difference Between Deep Cleaning and Move-Out Cleaning?
Whether you are hiring top-rated cleaners or doing it on your own, the main difference between these two is attention to detail. In general, move-out cleaning is somewhere between regular maintenance of the place and occasional deep cleaning, which is far more extensive. It is an in-depth approach to godforsaken spots in the house, which further improves the overall livability of the home.

Move Out Cleaning – General Checklist
How to go about this task, no matter if you’re relocating to a small town or just planning an office move, will be much clearer after going through this simple to-do list. With all the relevant tasks handled, organizing even the most complicated long-distance move will be a piece of cake:
- Clear cobwebs from the ceilings – There are many tricky surfaces and areas in a home, such as an array of nooks and crannies in popcorn walls and ceilings that are perfect for the dust to hide.
- Dusting blinds and all the surfaces – This one is crucial, especially if you didn’t do it regularly while living there In that case, dust may be harder to remove since it might be combined with grease and other particles.
- Sorting out the drawers and cabinets – When busy, this task might be a big bore, but sorting out kitchen cabinets and drawers will help you come up with a packing list a lot easier. Also, it’s an opportunity to tackle challenges like how to pack fragile items or maybe how to pack your silverware along the way.
- Clean the windows – Don’t forget to wipe down all interior windows and wipe the sills.
- Clean the walls and wallpapers – Considering how often you lean against them or touch them daily, it’s important to wipe away all the stains you find and get your walls to look fresh again.
- Remove any nails or screws left – Although it’s time-consuming, leave your walls in perfect shape by taking care of your stuff and removing pins and screws with utmost care.
- Vacuum and mop the floors – You all know this one, the essential tool to keep your place neat, especially if relocating with pets. A bit of patience is what’s needed to freshen up the floors like a pro.
- Check the smoke detectors – Each smoke detector has a button indicating battery life. If there’s a poor signal or a beeping sound, it’s time to replace them.
- Service any damaged items – If some of the landlord’s belongings have been accidentally damaged during your stay, be certain to repair all of them.
If you’ve been wondering what’s included in a move-out clean, consider these the key things to do before you move.

Make Your Own Cleaners or Purchase Basic Supplies for Tidying Up
There’s one box you can’t tape shut yet, even if you pack to move in a hurry, and that’s the one with the cleaning supplies. If what you want is a positive estimate from the landlord once the big day comes, there are a few things you’ll need to purchase to spruce up your place, including an all-purpose cleaner, glass cleaner, scrubbing sponges, dusting cloths, paper towels, baking soda, and vinegar. You can even mix some of the items you find at home, and easily have effective all-purpose cleaners for free. For example, vinegar is great for this.

Follow These Tips for a Successful Cleaning Spree
It might not be possible to eliminate relocation stress entirely, but there are quite a few helpful tips to follow while choosing where to live next:
- Always start with the highest surfaces in the room, like ceiling fans and shelves, before dealing with lower ones. The last thing you want is doubling the work and wafting dirt onto just-cleaned areas.
- No matter how large or small the space is, always work in stages. It might be overwhelming to handle it all at once, so our best advice is to start with the rooms you use the least.
- Keep in mind there will always be some details to take care of right before leaving. Usually, these are the items you need and use the most, like the bathroom.
How to Prevent Carpet Indentations from Furniture?
Moving large items regularly would prevent them from sitting in the same place for a long time, but if it were that simple, we wouldn’t try to solve it now. We’ve all seen what happens to a carpet after leaving furniture in the same spot for far too long. You can’t really hope for no damage after moving a bed or a sofa after a decade or even a shorter period. If you’re moving long-distance sometime soon and wondering what to do with these, the good news is there is a way to minimize the indentation made. Strange as it may sound, simply placing ice cubes onto damaged areas will make it possible to restore the fibers and their original shape. Also, contact close friends – we’re sure they have a ton of hacks that might be helpful.
If you want to know more about how to remove dents and furniture marks, check out the video below.
Tidying up Room by Room Without Stress
Getting a large home cleaned is always a challenge, but making a schedule will surely help, particularly if you do it on your own. Prioritizing the tasks is the best strategy to avoid chaos, and you’ll get there for sure when tackling it room by room. If you find yourself drowning in piles of clutter anyway, it might be a good idea to consider hiring cross-country movers. They have proven to be genuinely beneficial, especially when relocating with kids, providing you with different cross-country moving services you might desperately need. They can even deliver the best packing services for you while you’re taking care of your little ones.
Take a Serious Amount of Time to Clean the Kitchen
The most demanding room when it comes to move-out house cleaning is the kitchen. Wherever you look, it appears to be a magnet for stains and grease. Give it a good scrub, especially the oven, the fridge, and the taps. Disinfect all the countertops and sanitize the sink. Get rid of the food and crumbs left and deep clean the inside of the appliances thoroughly. Don’t forget those hard-to-reach areas, like the ones left after you move the items. If some of the appliances are out of service, take care of them in a timely manner.
One Cleaner Is Not Enough When It Comes to Toilet and Bathroom
If you don’t want to find yourself wondering how to pack makeup and toiletries, boxing up the items you don’t use regularly might come as a helpful tip when dealing with the bathroom. It will be much simpler to go through an empty space than to work around the things scattered around. Disinfect all the surfaces first – toilet bowl, sink, and shower or bath – and scrub them afterward. Polish the mirrors and wipe down other reflective surfaces.
Don’t Forget the Balcony and Other Outdoor Spaces Around Your House
Whether it’s an apartment or a house you live in, you might have access to a balcony or a yard that also has to be put back in order. It’s a simple task, primarily including the removal of stains, dirt, and debris. Yet again, if it’s a garden you have to deal with, be sure you mow the lawn and remove any weeds and rubbish left.

Another Option: Hire the Best Cleaning Service and Let Professional Cleaners Do Their Job
Being well aware of how exhausting all of this might be, we wouldn’t be surprised if at one point you give up the work and decide to hand it over to a company offering professional services. It would save you a tremendous amount of time you can use on things like researching how to change your address when you move or even better, how to make friends in a new state. Having skilled cleaners do the house cleaning after moving out is a good idea for many substantial reasons, but the top 3 are these:
- A professional service can help prevent any damage,
- It will help you keep the focus on the other aspects of the move,
- Professional services will make your landlord pleased with the condition of the place.
Essential Factors That Affect the Price for a Move Out Cleaning
Nothing is free, and hard work has to be paid. Keep this in mind when planning your budget and looking for professional services that are a good fit. Also, you can try to calculate the price for the project you’re planning on HomeAdvisor, or apps similar to that one. There are several deciding factors to consider when it comes to charging for a required service: the overall condition of the place and its size, number of rooms requiring a do-up, type of flooring, number of pets if any, and surfaces that require special attention. Also, you can
Detailed House Move Out Cleaning Services Are Convenient for Both Parties
Whatever your reasons to move are, this is the period when you need money the most. That being said, you don’t want the landlord to claim the deposit as a compensatory amount for an apartment move-out cleaning. Also, impressing new tenants is most welcome, in the shortest possible period, too. In other words, a clean place is both to your and the landlord’s benefit.

A Clean House Means a Clean Start
When you put it that way, tidying up your home makes perfect sense. You’re leaving a bare canvas for someone else while heading to, hopefully, the same thing. This might be one of those things you never thought you’d say, but bare walls and a clean space smell like home. A new one, for sure, but still a home. A vast place full of new possibilities.