Your Move-Out Cleaning Checklist for Getting Your Deposit Back

Moving is stressful enough without losing part of your deposit over a dusty oven or a grimy bathroom. The good news: landlords and property managers tend to inspect the same things every time. Here’s the room-by-room checklist we use on every move-out clean in Los Angeles.

Kitchen

The kitchen is where deposits are won or lost.

• Inside and outside of all cabinets and drawers
• Inside the refrigerator and freezer
• Inside and outside of the oven and stovetop
• Counters, backsplash, and sink descaled
• Floors swept and mopped, including under appliances

Bathrooms

• Tile, grout, and shower glass scrubbed
• Tub, toilet, and fixtures descaled
• Inside cabinets, drawers, and medicine niches
• Mirrors, counters, and floors finished

Bedrooms and closets

• Inside closets, shelving, and cubbies wiped
• Baseboards, door frames, and switch plates
• Window sills and interior glass polished
• Floors vacuumed and mopped, edges included

Whole-home details

• Cobweb removal in corners and ceilings
• Interior doors and trim wiped down
• Reachable light fixtures and vents dusted
• A final walk-through against this checklist

A few timing tips

• Clean after the furniture is out. An empty home lets you reach every surface — that’s why move-out cleans are most effective once movers have finished.
• Take dated photos once everything is spotless, so you have a record at hand-off.
• Don’t forget the move in. Starting fresh in a new place? A move-in clean gives you a sanitized baseline before you unpack a single box.

If the checklist feels like a lot on top of an actual move, that’s exactly what our move-out service is for — a turnover-ready deep clean at one flat rate based on your home’s size, with inside cabinets, fridge, and oven included by default. Book a move-out clean and hand back the keys spotless.