Do-It-Yourself Move-Out Cleaning Guide
When moving out, residents are required to return the property to a rentable condition. Some choose to pay our cleaners or a personally hired cleaning business to do the work. Others choose a “Self Clean”. With this option residents will clean the entire home and backyard. Here’s some great videos to aid you along that process.
Kitchen and Dining Room
Sinks and Countertops: Clean and free of all rust, dirt, grease, soap, residue, watermarks, mineral deposits and removable stains. Tip: Wipe all chrome faucets, fittings, and trim ensuring removal of mineral deposits and water marks.
Dishwasher: Inside of dishwasher to include racks clean and free of dirt, grease, lint, soap residue, mineral deposits, water, melted plastic, and rust. Front exterior of unit wiped clean of grease, mineral deposit, soap residue, and streak free.
Stove/Range: All interior and exterior surfaces of oven, backsplash behind oven, stove top, underneath/inside of stove top, stove burners, over racks, backsplash behind oven, and broker rack cleaned free of all grease, food debris/particles, and smudges. Burned on grease must be removed from range and parts. Area behind and around stove should be cleaned free of grease, linty, dust, and food particles. Note: Only pull stove forward as far as the gas line will allow. Do not force or disconnect the gas line.
Range exhaust hoods: Range hood fixture to include exterior, hood well, and filter should be clean and free of grease, streaks, lint, and smudges.
Refrigerators: Inside and outside of the refrigerator, to include drawers, shelves, and racks inside of refrigerator and freezer should be wiped clean and free of dirt, dust, grease, food, particles, and bottle marks. Door gaskets and the area around door gaskets must be cleaned. Back of refrigerator including coils and water hookups on wall behind fridge wiped clean of dust, dirt, or grease.
All cabinets and drawers: All interior surfaces of the kitchen cabinets and shelves wiped clean and free of grease, smudges, and food particles. All contact paper and sticky backing must be removed. Exterior surfaces, including knobs and handles will be cleaned and free of grease, smudges, and food particles. Tip: Don’t forget the corner areas where dirt and food particles collect.
Garbage disposal: Interior of the unit should be free and clean of any foreign materials. Housing of unit should be free of dirt, dust, and grease.
Microwave: Interior and exterior must be streak clean and free of grease and food particles.
Light Fixtures: All light fixtures and covers, including incandescent bulbs cleaned, free of dust, dirt, lint, film and streak free. Glass elements should be washed and free of all dirt, dust, film and watermarks. Ceilings fan blades, fixtures, and covers dusted.
Bathrooms
Mirrors: Wiped free from stains, splatter marks, and steak free.
Medicine cabinets and shelves: Medicine cabinet surfaces, and shelves. Should be clean with warm water and any liquid detergent. Wiped free from stains, splatter marks, and streak free.
Tubs, showers, sinks, and facets: Should be cleaned with warm water and any liquid detergent. All dirt, smudges, soap residue, mildew, streaks, and removable stains must be cleaned. For stubborn stains use non – abrasive powder or liquid cleansers. Tip: Wipe all chrome faucets, fittings, and trim ensuring removal of mineral deposits and water marks.
Toilet: Bowl interior scrubbed/brushed getting under the rim down to the trap. Exterior wiped streak free with sanitizer ensuring no stains or residue remains. Base of toilet connectors, seat and lid connectors cleaned with sanitizing agent and free of any residue or buildup. Tip: Use a pumice stone inside toilet to remove rust/hardwater stains.
Counter tops and backsplashes: Should be washed clean and free of all soap residue, dirt, grease, food particles, hair, makeup, lotions, and removable stains.
Living Areas
All Walls and Ceilings: Wiped and clean of all marks, smudges, streaks, stains, grease, food particles and dirt.
Baseboards: All baseboards throughout the home wiped clean and free of dirt, smudges, dust, tape and lint.
All doors: Wiped and free of tape, smudges, scuffmarks, food particles and grease. Guide rails for sliding doors should be free of dirt and lint.
Closet shelves and closet poles: Should be cleaned and free of dirt, dust, lint, smudges, and removable marks.
Stairwell railings: Wiped and fee of all dirt, grease and dust to include accumulations on the underside of the handrail.
Flooring
All Hard Surface Flooring: (Vinyl, Laminate, Metro, Tile) swept and mopped. Floor must be free of dirt, grease, soap, rust, streaks, and removable stains. Tip: Don’t forget the dirt and lint in corners near baseboards.
Carpets: Must be clean and must pass a visual and physical inspection.
Windows, Screens, and Blinds
Windows/screens: All window interiors and those readily accessible from the ground or which can be cleaned in a safe manner should be free of dirt, film, streaks and water marks. All interior window frames and window sills will be free of dirt, dust, lint and window cleaner accumulations. Clean inside and outside surfaces, all windows and window frames so that they are free of spots, streaks and films. Screens must be removed on the lower level of home and cleaned free of dirt and put back on the window.
Blinds: All binds, blind wands, blind knobs, and blind track covers wiped free of dust, dirt, and smudges.
Air Registers/Vents
Air Registers/Vents: All vents including return air intakes cleaned free of dust, dirt, sediments, and stains.
Yard
Back Yard: Back yard needs to be mowed and edged, free of weeds, feces and debris.
Laundry Rooms
Laundry Room: All dust and lint needs to be removed from the walls, vents, shelves and floors. Hose/drainage housing needs to be wiped free of dust/dirt.
Water Heater and Closet
Water Heater and Closet if applicable: Sweep and wipe top of water heater for dust.
Garage and Storage Areas
Garage: Support posts will be free of mud and marks of all types. Spider webs in the corners, ceilings and on the walls need to be removed. Painted garage doors should be cleaned. Shelves should be cleaned. Light covers should be cleaned. All free of dirt, dust, lint, bugs, streaks and smudges.
Garage floors/Concrete: Broom swept and free of all dirt, lint, oil, and rust. Pressure washer must be used if there is oil or paint. The balcony must also be cleaned, and use pressure washer if needed.
Garbage Cans
Refuse containers: Should be clean with soap and water. All crusted-on material should be removed. Garbage cans should be serviceable. After cleaning they should be placed in the garage right side up for inspections. No bulk left at curb at the time of the move out inspection.
*There may be additional cleaning requirements which will be explained by the move-out inspector.