End-of-Lease Move-Out Cleaning for Tenants
A move-out clean is a deep clean of an empty rental, done at the end of your lease so the unit can pass the landlord's final inspection. It goes well beyond a regular tidy: the inside of the oven, the back of the fridge, the inside of every cabinet and drawer, window tracks, vents and baseboards are all part of it.
Describe the job and add your city. Free to request, no obligation.
Those are the spots landlords and property managers look at on a walkthrough, because they are the ones tenants forget. A quick sweep and a wipe of the counters rarely satisfies a checklist that includes a greasy oven rack or dust in the closet tracks.
No cleaning company can promise what a landlord will decide about a deposit, and a quote should never pretend otherwise. What a clear scope does give you is a written list to compare with your move-in condition report and the inspection sheet, so you know what was done before the keys go back.
What the work includes
- Inside the oven, including racks, door glass and the hood above
- Inside the fridge and freezer, with shelves and drawers wiped
- Inside all cabinets, drawers and pantry shelves
- Bathrooms scrubbed: tub or shower, toilet, vanity, mirrors and exhaust fan cover
- Baseboards, door frames, doors and light switches wiped
- Window sills and tracks vacuumed and wiped
- Closets, shelves, vents and light fixtures dusted and wiped
- Floors vacuumed and mopped, including behind and under movable items
Signs your rental is not ready for the final inspection
Grease is baked onto the oven floor, the door glass or the range hood filter
Crumbs and shelf stains sit inside cabinets and drawers
Window tracks hold dead insects, grit or mould specks
Soap scum and hard-water marks cover the shower glass and taps
Scuffs, hair and dust line the baseboards and closet floors
The move-in report described the unit as clean and it does not look that way now
How the work goes, step by step
Check your lease and report
Read what the lease says about cleaning and look at your move-in condition report so you know the standard you are held to.
Send the unit details
Include size, bathrooms, move-out date, condition, and photos of the oven, bathrooms and floors.
Review the checklist and quote
You receive the checklist and a written price before anything is booked.
Arrange access
Leave a key or lockbox code for the empty unit, or be there to let the cleaner in. Access notes become part of the scope.
Walk it before the inspection
If you can, walk the unit against the checklist and report any missed item through the form.
What changes the price
- Unit size and bathrooms
- Square footage, bedrooms and especially bathrooms set the base time.
- Oven and fridge condition
- Baked-on grease and neglected fridges are the slowest items on any move-out checklist.
- Years of buildup
- A unit lived in for years without a deep clean takes far longer than one that was cleaned each season.
- Pets and smoking
- Hair, odour and residue add extra passes and sometimes different products.
- Add-ons outside the standard list
- Carpet extraction and spot repairs are quoted separately from the clean.
What a good quote spells out
- A checklist that names the oven, fridge, cabinets, window tracks and baseboards
- A price based on size and condition, with add-ons listed on their own lines
- The date and time window, and what happens if keys are not available
- What the clean does not include, such as repairs, painting or junk removal
- How a missed checklist item is reported and reviewed
Move-Out Deep Clean: questions people ask
What does a landlord check at a move-out inspection?
Most compare the oven, fridge, bathrooms, cabinets, floors and walls with the move-in report, and look for damage beyond normal wear. Requirements differ by lease and by province or state, so read your lease and local tenancy rules.
Can a move-out clean guarantee the deposit comes back?
No. That decision belongs to the landlord, and a company that promises it is overreaching. A written checklist shows what was cleaned, which helps if there is a dispute.
Should the cleaning happen before or after the movers leave?
After. The unit needs to be empty, so book the clean for the gap between the last box leaving and the inspection or key return.
Is it cheaper to do a move-out clean yourself?
It costs less in cash, but most people need a full day or more, with an oven and bathrooms that take heavy scrubbing. Many tenants weigh their own time and the cost of products before deciding.
Other Shiftclair services
Moving Out or Moving In? Get a Written Quote.
Tell us about the unit, the move date and its condition. We review every request, and a specialist who serves your area follows up with next steps.
Request a free quote →