Before you start

• •Job scoped correctly: square footage, number of appliances, carpet or hard floor, known condition issues
• •Extra time blocked — move-out cleans average 1.5× to 2× the time of a standard recurring clean
• •Heavy-duty degreaser for oven and range, grout cleaner if tile present
• •Wall cleaning supplies — Magic Eraser, dilute all-purpose spray

The procedure

Step-by-step, in order. Each step has the action and the reason it matters.

1. 1

   Photo document the starting condition

   Before touching anything, photograph every room, appliance interior, and notable condition issue. These protect your company against damage claims after the clean.

   Why: A before-photo defeats every 'the cleaners caused that' dispute.

2. 2

   Work empty — remove all remaining items before starting

   Confirm with the customer that the unit is emptied. If anything is left behind, photograph it and contact the customer before moving or disposing of it. Do not start cleaning around occupied furniture.

   Why: Cleaning around items results in missed areas that fail inspection. Items left behind are a liability without documentation.

3. 3

   Inside all cabinets and drawers

   Every cabinet and drawer: wipe inside with all-purpose cleaner. Check for pests, sticky residue, or food debris. Leave all doors open until dry.

   Why: Cabinets are checked first by every landlord. One sticky shelf fails an otherwise perfect clean.

4. 4

   Appliances — inside and out

   Oven: apply heavy-duty degreaser, let dwell 15 minutes, scrub racks separately. Refrigerator: shelves, drawers, door seals, coils if accessible. Microwave: dwell with vinegar spray, wipe. Dishwasher: run empty with cleaner tablet, wipe door seal. Dryer lint trap and drum.

   Why: Appliance interiors are the most commonly failed items at move-out inspection.

5. 5

   Walls and baseboards

   Magic Eraser scuffs and marks on walls — test in an inconspicuous spot first on painted surfaces. Wipe baseboards top and inside edge with damp cloth. Remove cobwebs from corners. Dust door frames and top of door edges.

   Why: Walls and baseboards are visually prominent and almost never done in recurring cleans — inspectors notice.

6. 6

   Bathrooms to landlord standard

   Grout: apply grout cleaner, scrub, rinse. Caulk: wipe clean — do not replace unless instructed. Behind toilet: scrub floor and wall. Under sink: wipe cabinet interior and pipes. Exhaust fan cover: remove, wash, replace.

   Why: Grout and exhaust fans are the two areas most commonly called out in move-out inspection reports.

7. 7

   Windows — inside

   Clean all interior window surfaces with glass cleaner and a streak-free cloth. Wipe window tracks and sills. Note any cracked or broken glass on the condition report.

   Why: Window tracks are skipped in every standard clean and are always visually obvious at inspection.

8. 8

   Final inspection walkthrough — simulate the landlord's view

   Walk every room from the door. Look at: light fixtures (dust?), window sills (clean?), baseboards (wiped?), appliance interiors (clean?), cabinet interiors (wiped?). Photograph the finished condition of each room.

   Why: Your walkthrough photo is the evidence if any dispute arises after the tenant moves out.

Verify when done

• ☐Before and after photos taken
• ☐All cabinet interiors wiped
• ☐All appliances cleaned inside and out
• ☐Walls and baseboards wiped
• ☐Grout scrubbed
• ☐Windows cleaned and tracks wiped

Common mistakes

• ✕Skipping before photos
• ✕Not cleaning cabinet interiors
• ✕Missing grout and exhaust fans
• ✕Forgetting window tracks

Trainer notes

Move-out cleans should always be estimated with a site visit or photos — never flat-rate over the phone. The oven alone can add an hour on a neglected unit.

Common questions