I do a lot of move-out cleans, especially in late summer when leases turn over all across Austin. Property managers are not looking at whether the house feels clean. They walk through with a list, and they check the same spots every time. If you are doing the clean yourself, work from their list, not yours.
Kitchen
- Inside the oven. The number one deduction. Run the self-clean cycle the day before, then wipe out the ash. Do the racks in the tub with dish soap.
- Inside the fridge and freezer. Empty, wipe every shelf and drawer, pull it out and sweep behind it if you can. Leave the doors propped open if it is being turned off.
- Inside every cabinet and drawer. Crumbs in the silverware drawer get noticed.
- Range hood and filter. Grease builds up here and it is easy to forget.
- Dishwasher filter and the rubber seal.
Bathrooms
- Grout and caulk. Any pink or black mildew needs to be gone. This is the second most common deduction after the oven.
- Hard water on the shower glass and faucets. See my post on hard water spots for how.
- Exhaust fan cover. Pop it off and wash it. It is always dusty.
- Behind and around the toilet base.
Every room
- Baseboards. Damp cloth, whole house. Managers run a finger along them.
- Ceiling fans and light fixtures. Look up. They do.
- Window tracks and blinds. Vacuum the tracks, then wipe them. Wipe each blind slat.
- Light switches, door handles, and door frames. Fingerprints show on white paint.
- Closet shelves and the tops of door frames.
- Floors last. Vacuum, then mop, then do not walk on them.
Outside and extras
Sweep the garage and the patio, clean out the dryer vent, and take every last thing with you, including the stuff under the sink. An empty house should be empty.
What cleaning will not fix
Nail holes, scuffed paint, carpet stains that have set, and burned-out bulbs are repairs, not cleaning. Patch the holes with spackle, replace the bulbs, and be honest with yourself about carpet. If it has a stain you cannot lift, a professional carpet cleaner is usually cheaper than the deduction.
Take photos of every room when you are done. Time-stamped photos have settled more than one deposit argument. And if you would rather hand the whole thing off, a move-out clean is one of the services I do most.