Moving day in San Francisco usually ends with an empty unit, a parked truck, and one last job standing between you and your security deposit. A good move out cleaning checklist breaks that job into clear tasks, room by room. Nothing slips past you while you are tired and juggling keys.
We built this list from the one our team uses on every move-in and move-out cleaning. Tenants, homeowners about to sell, and landlords readying a unit for the next resident can all work from it.
What California Law Says About Move-Out Cleaning
State law sets the standard for what a landlord can charge. Under California Civil Code Section 1950.5, a landlord can use the deposit for cleaning. The charge covers only what it takes to bring the unit back to how clean it was when your tenancy began. Ordinary wear and tear is not something you pay to repair.
You can also ask your landlord for an initial inspection, held no earlier than two weeks before your lease ends, so you have time to clean anything they point out. After you move out, the landlord has 21 calendar days to return your deposit or send an itemized statement. The California Courts self-help guide to security deposits adds that deductions over $125 need copies of the invoices or receipts attached.
Before You Start Cleaning
Clear the space first, because cleaners cannot reach what is still packed in a drawer. Take out your personal belongings and empty the cabinets and drawers you want cleaned inside. Then work from the top of each room down, so dust from fans and shelves lands on floors you have not mopped yet.
The Room-by-Room Move Out Cleaning Checklist
Kitchen
Kitchens take the most scrubbing of any room, so start here first.
- Empty, wipe, and dry the cabinet and drawer interiors, then clean the fronts.
- Wipe the countertops and the backsplash.
- Scrub the sink, faucet, and drain.
- Clean the refrigerator and freezer inside and out, including the shelves.
- Degrease the oven inside and out, along with the oven racks.
- Wash the stove burners and grates.
- Wipe the microwave and dishwasher inside and out.
- Remove grease from the range hood and exhaust fan.
Bathrooms
- Clean and disinfect the bathtub, the shower, and the tile.
- Scrub the toilet, including the base and the floor around it.
- Wash the sink, faucet, drain, countertop, and vanity.
- Polish the mirrors and any glass shower doors.
- Wipe the cabinet and drawer interiors, plus the medicine cabinet.
- Sweep and mop the floor, including the corners behind the toilet.
Bedrooms and Living Areas
- Dust bed frames, nightstands, shelves, and any furniture staying behind.
- Vacuum the mattress and the floor under the bed.
- Clean the closet shelves, rods, and floor.
- Wipe lamps, mirrors, tables, and built-in storage.
- Vacuum and mop the floors, reaching under furniture wherever you can.
Every Room
Several tasks repeat in every room, and they are easy to miss when you are moving fast.
- Dust light fixtures, ceiling fans, and vent covers.
- Wipe the baseboards, door frames, and window sills.
- Clean light switches, outlet covers, and door handles.
- Knock down reachable cobwebs in the corners.
- Empty and wipe out every trash can.
Apartment Move Out Cleaning Tips
An apartment move out cleaning checklist is the same list, only tighter. In a studio or one-bedroom, the kitchen and bathroom carry most of the work, so give them most of your time. Shared hallways, laundry rooms, and lobbies are the building’s job, so focus on your unit and any storage space assigned to you.
A Tenant Move Out Cleaning Checklist for the Final Walk-Through
Before you hand over the keys, walk the unit once more with your lease in hand. Open every cabinet, the oven, and the refrigerator, and check the floor under the sink. Take dated photos of each room for your records, and leave the refrigerator door cracked open so it does not trap moisture.
When to Hire a Move Out Cleaning Service
Cleaning a whole unit after a week of packing is a lot to ask of yourself. Our move-in and move-out cleaning covers every task on this list, including one refrigerator, one freezer, and one oven inside and out. Extra appliances and special requests need approval first and may cost more. If the home has gone a long time between cleanings, a deep cleaning before the move can make the final clean easier.
Your move in move out cleaning checklist is one list used twice, since the same tasks apply to the home you are moving into. Cleaning a new place before the boxes arrive also lets you spot problems, like a leak under the sink, while you can still report them.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Do I Make Sure I Get My Security Deposit Back?
Bring every room back to the condition it was in on move-in day, and give the kitchen and bathrooms the most time. Before you hand over the keys, compare the unit against any notes or photos you took when your lease began.
How Long Does a Move Out Cleaning Take?
The time depends on the size of the home and how much buildup is there. Kitchens with heavy grease and bathrooms with soap scum add the most time, and a professional team can finish faster because several people split the work.
Handing back a clean unit makes the last day of a lease feel a lot lighter. If you would rather spend that day on the move itself, request a quote for move-out cleaning or call us at (415) 820-7230.