Move-In Cleaning: A Fresh Start Before the Boxes
Move-in cleaning is a deep clean of a vacant home or rental unit before the new occupant brings in furniture. Once boxes and couches are in place, cabinet interiors, closet floors and the back of the stove become hard to reach, so the empty days between the last occupant leaving and your first night are the best time to clean.
Describe the job and add your city. Free to request, no obligation.
Previous tenants and owners vary a lot. Some leave a spotless unit, some leave a quick wipe and a full set of grease. A move-in clean does not judge that. It brings every unit up to the same written checklist, so you start with a known baseline, and you can photograph anything you notice along the way for your own records.
Landlords and property managers also book move-in cleans to hand a unit over fresh. Whether you are moving in or handing over keys, the request looks the same: unit size, the date it is empty and how the cleaner gets in.
What the work includes
- Inside of kitchen cabinets, drawers and pantry shelves wiped
- Oven, stovetop, range hood and microwave cleaned inside and out
- Fridge and freezer wiped inside and out
- Bathrooms scrubbed, including inside the vanity and the exhaust fan cover
- Closet shelves, rods and floors wiped
- Window sills, tracks and interior glass cleaned
- Baseboards, door frames, switch plates and vents wiped
- Floors vacuumed and mopped throughout
Reasons to clean before the furniture goes in
Drawers and cabinets still hold crumbs, old shelf liner or sticky rings
The oven and range hood carry grease from the last household
Tubs, grout and taps look dull with soap scum or limescale
Closets and window tracks are dusty or hold debris
Small children or pets will be on the floors from day one
How the work goes, step by step
Pin down the empty window
Find out the key date and the day your belongings arrive, then request a clean that fits between them.
Describe the unit
Add size, appliances to be cleaned inside and anything you noticed on the viewing.
Read the written scope
The quote lists the rooms and surfaces covered and which items are optional.
Clean while it is empty
The unit is cleaned room by room with every surface reachable.
Check before unpacking
Walk through with the checklist, and report anything that needs another look.
What changes the price
- Size and layout
- Bedrooms, bathrooms and the number of floors set the base hours.
- What the last occupant left
- A tidy unit takes less time than one with grease, mould or neglected bathrooms.
- Appliances cleaned inside
- The oven, fridge and dishwasher each add time when they are done inside.
- Windows and walls
- Tracks, interior glass and spot wall wiping are optional and shift the quote.
- Timing around keys
- The window between the last occupant leaving and your move can be a day or less, which affects scheduling.
What a good quote spells out
- A room-by-room scope that names cabinets, appliances and closets
- Which appliances are cleaned inside and which are not
- Whether windows, blinds and walls are included or optional
- How keys are handled and who needs to be present
- What happens if the unit is not yet empty on the clean date
Move-In Fresh Start: questions people ask
Is it better to clean before or after moving in?
Before. With nothing in the way, every cabinet, closet and floor can be cleaned in one pass, and you avoid unpacking into dust.
Is a move-in clean the same as a move-out clean?
They use similar checklists but differ in purpose. A move-out clean is about passing the final inspection, while a move-in clean is about starting somewhere known and fresh. The quote reflects the timing and the access you have.
Who pays for a move-in clean, the tenant or the landlord?
Either can. Some landlords arrange one between tenants, and some new occupants book their own. Settle who orders and pays before the date, and have the quote in writing.
Does the unit need to be empty?
It works best when it is, since furniture hides surfaces. If anything is still inside, say so in the request because it changes the scope.
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