Move-Out Cleaning Checklist (Room by Room)

What landlords and managers usually check

Inspectors usually zero in on oven and appliance interiors, bathroom soap scum and mildew, floors and carpets, inside cabinets and closets, baseboards, window tracks/blinds, and leftover trash or belongings. Date-stamped photos of the empty, cleaned unit help document condition.

A tidy living room with a greasy oven or mildewed shower rarely passes a careful walkthrough. Work the list below room by room, or hire Clarity Clean move-out cleaning when time or energy runs out.

• Oven and appliance interiors
• Bathroom soap scum and mildew
• Floors and carpets
• Inside cabinets and closets
• Baseboards
• Window tracks and blinds
• Leftover trash or belongings (clear these out yourself before the walkthrough)

Room-by-room checklist (DIY)

Work top to bottom and leave floors for last in each room. Empty first whenever you can—cabinet interiors and closet shelves only get clean when they’re cleared. If your lease spells out appliance interiors, treat those as non-negotiable even when the rest of the unit looks fine.

Kitchen

• Clear all food and perishables
• Wipe counters and backsplash
• Clean the sink and faucet
• Clean the stovetop
• Clean inside oven and fridge if your lease requires it (or hire us)
• Wipe the microwave inside and out
• Clean cabinet interiors once emptied
• Floors last—sweep/mop wall to wall

Baths

• Toilet (bowl, base, and behind)
• Tub/shower soap scum and mildew
• Vanity, counters, and faucet
• Mirrors
• Exhaust/fan cover if reachable
• Floors

Bedrooms / living

• Dust fixtures and reachable surfaces
• Wipe switches and handles
• Empty closets and wipe shelves
• Spot-clean walls only (no painting)
• Floors last

Whole home

• Baseboards
• Window sills and tracks
• Haul out all trash and belongings before cleaning day (we don’t do junk removal)
• Replace burnt bulbs if your lease requires it
• Take date-stamped photos of the empty, cleaned unit

Before you hand over keys

A few logistics steps make move-out week smoother alongside the cleaning checklist:

• Compare the unit to your move-in condition report
• Take date-stamped photos or video when the home is empty and clean
• Ask for a walkthrough if one is offered
• Return all keys and fobs
• Leave your forwarding address in writing

When to hire Clarity Clean

DIY checklists work when you have days, supplies, and the stamina to scrub appliances. Hire help when the clock is louder than the mop.

Consider booking us when:

• Your timeline is tight before keys are due
• The home is large or has heavy kitchen grease
• You won’t empty-and-scrub appliances yourself

The home should be empty or nearly empty, with belongings and trash already out before we arrive. Full scope lives on our move-out cleaning page. Still furnished with heavy buildup? Ask about deep cleaning. After a reno with construction dust, see post-construction cleaning.

What’s included when you book us

When you book Clarity Clean for move-out (or move-in), we scope an empty-home detail visit—not a light tidy. Exact extras like inside fridge/oven are confirmed in your quote so nothing is assumed mid-clean.

• Inside cabinets and drawers when emptied
• Fridge and oven when included in your quote
• Closets wiped; shelves cleared
• Intensive baths and kitchens
• Floors wall-to-wall
• Baseboards
• Switches, handles, and visible mark spot-clean (not painting)

We empty small trash bins (kitchen/bath); trash hauling and junk removal aren’t included.

Move-in cleaning uses the same empty-home detail. Ready to book? Get a free estimate or call (626) 699-7820—or request an estimate online.

Serving Whittier and nearby cities

Based in Whittier, we also clean move-outs in Whittier, Diamond Bar, Glendora, Covina, West Covina, and our full service-area list.