The Ultimate Move-In / Move-Out Cleaning Checklist (So Nothing Gets Missed)
Key Points:
- Move-in and move-out cleaning goes deeper than routine maintenance
- A room-by-room checklist ensures nothing gets overlooked
- Knowing what landlords and property managers look for can protect your deposit
Let’s be real — moving takes a lot out of you. Between coordinating logistics, packing everything you own, and keeping your daily life running in the middle of it all, cleaning is usually the last thing on your mind until it suddenly becomes urgent.
If you’re moving out, a thorough clean is the difference between getting your deposit back and losing a chunk of it to charges you could have avoided. If you’re moving in, it’s the difference between starting fresh in a space that truly feels like yours and spending your first weeks wondering what the previous occupants left behind.
Either way, the problem is usually the same: people clean what they can see and forget everything else. This checklist covers everything we would tackle in a professional move-in / move-out clean, so nothing gets missed.
We’ve done hundreds of move-in and move-out cleans across the Twin Cities, and the areas that trip people up are almost always the same. Use this guide to work through your space room by room and you’ll be in good shape.
Move-In vs. Move-Out Cleaning: Why It’s Different
Most routine cleaning is just about staying ahead of the everyday mess. Move-in and move-out cleaning, on the other hand, is a full reset of your home from top to bottom, especially the areas that rarely get touched during normal day-to-day life.
When you’re moving out, you’re responsible for returning the space to the condition it was in when you arrived, which can be a tall order. It means cleaning inside cabinets, behind appliances, along baseboards, and all the other places that don’t get cleaned regularly. Landlords and property managers look in all the nooks and crannies, sometimes searching for a reason to ding you.
When you’re moving in, even a space that looks clean on the surface might not have actually been cleaned well or thoroughly before you got there. Many of us have found places that were missed or poorly cleaned after a few days of settling in. Taking the time to clean before you unpack guarantees you’re starting your new home on a genuinely fresh slate.
Both situations call for a similar level of detail. Our guide covers both, focusing on the specific things to look out for when moving out vs moving in.
What Landlords and Property Managers Actually Look For
After years of doing professional move-out cleans in the Twin Cities, we have a pretty good sense of where landlords focus their attention. Knowing this ahead of time can make the difference between a full deposit return and an itemized list of deductions.
The kitchen and bathrooms almost always get the closest inspection. Grease buildup inside the oven, soap scum in the shower, and stains around the toilet base are the most common reasons for cleaning charges.
Beyond the obvious surfaces, here is what tends to get flagged:
- Inside cabinets and drawers, especially in the kitchen
- Baseboards and corners throughout the home
- Window tracks and sills
- Appliance interiors, particularly the oven and refrigerator
- Scuff marks on walls near doors and light switches
- The area behind and under appliances
As a general rule, if it can be seen by someone who is specifically looking for it, it will be. A thorough, room-by-room approach is the best way to make sure you don’t miss anything.
The Move-Out Cleaning Checklist
Your goal when moving should be to leave the space in the best condition possible. We recommend working room by room so you don’t lose track. Remember to save the floors for last in each room so you’re not cleaning over new footprints.
Kitchen
The kitchen takes the most time and deserves the most attention. Landlords and property managers almost always start here.
- Clean inside and outside of all cabinets and drawers
- Wipe down all countertops and backsplash
- Clean the stovetop, including burners and drip pans
- Clean inside the oven, including the oven door glass
- Clean inside and outside of the microwave
- Wipe down the refrigerator inside and out, including the rubber door seals
- Clean the dishwasher interior, filter, and door edges
- Scrub the sink and faucet
- Wipe down light switches and outlet covers
- Clean window sills and tracks
- Sweep and mop the floor
EASY TO MISS: the tops of cabinets, the area under the refrigerator, and the range hood filter.
Bathrooms
Bathrooms are the second place landlords look closely. Hard water stains, soap scum, and grout are the most common issues.
- Scrub the toilet inside and out, including the base and behind the tank
- Clean the tub and/or shower, including grout and caulking
- Remove soap scum from shower doors or curtain rod
- Scrub the sink and faucet
- Wipe down the vanity and all surfaces
- Clean the mirror
- Wipe down cabinet interiors and exteriors
- Clean light fixtures and exhaust fan cover
- Wipe down light switches and outlet covers
- Sweep and mop the floor
EASY TO MISS: the area behind the toilet, the inside of the medicine cabinet, and the bottom track of the shower door.
Bedrooms
Bedrooms are more straightforward but still have their share of overlooked spots.
- Wipe down all surfaces including windowsills and ledges
- Clean inside closets, including shelves and the closet floor
- Wipe down closet rods and any built-in organizers
- Clean ceiling fan blades if present
- Wipe down light switches and outlet covers
- Clean window glass and tracks
- Vacuum carpet or sweep and mop hard floors
EASY TO MISS: scuff marks on walls near light switches, the tops of door frames, and inside closet corners.
Living Rooms
- Dust and wipe down all surfaces
- Clean ceiling fan blades if present
- Wipe down baseboards
- Clean window glass and tracks
- Wipe down light switches and outlet covers
- Clean any built-in shelving inside and out
- Vacuum carpet or sweep and mop hard floors
EASY TO FORGET: the area behind and under furniture you’re leaving, scuffs on baseboards, and window blinds.
Entryway
In Minnesota, entryways take a beating. Salt, mud, and moisture collect here all winter and can leave stains and residue that are easy to overlook.
- Sweep and mop the floor thoroughly, including corners
- Wipe down any built-in storage, hooks, or shelving
- Clean the interior of the front door, including the door frame
- Wipe down light switches
Whole Home Tasks
These are the tasks that cut across every room and are most commonly missed.
- Wipe down all baseboards throughout the home
- Clean all light switch plates and outlet covers
- Remove any nails or hooks from walls and patch holes if required by your lease
- Clean all window sills and tracks
- Wipe down all doors and door frames
- Clean vents and return air covers
- Replace any burned-out light bulbs
- Remove all trash and personal belongings
The Move-In Cleaning Checklist
Moving into a new space is exciting, and it can be tempting to just start unpacking. But taking a few hours to clean before your furniture and boxes go in is one of the best things you can do for yourself. Once the rooms are full, getting into corners and cabinets becomes much harder.
Prioritize the kitchen and bathrooms first — these are the spaces you’ll use immediately and the ones where a previous occupant’s cleaning habits matter most. Then work through the rest of the home before you start settling in.
Kitchen
- Clean inside all cabinets and drawers before putting anything away
- Wipe down all countertops and backsplash
- Clean the stovetop and oven interior
- Wipe down the refrigerator inside and out, including shelves and door seals
- Run an empty dishwasher cycle with a cleaning tablet
- Scrub the sink and faucet
- Clean window sills and tracks
- Sweep and mop the floor
Bedrooms
- Wipe down all surfaces and window sills
- Clean inside closets before hanging clothes or storing items
- Vacuum carpet or sweep and mop hard floors
- Clean ceiling fan blades if present
Bathrooms
- Scrub the toilet thoroughly inside and out
- Clean the tub and/or shower, including grout and caulk lines
- Scrub the sink, faucet, and vanity
- Wipe down all cabinet interiors before putting anything away
- Clean the mirror
- Sweep and mop the floor
Living Rooms
- Dust and wipe down all surfaces
- Clean window glass and sills
- Wipe down baseboards
- Vacuum carpet or sweep and mop hard floors
Entryway
- Sweep and mop thoroughly
- Wipe down any built-in storage or hooks
- Set up your own system for boots, coats, and bags before the rest of the house fills up
Whole Home Tasks
- Wipe down all baseboards
- Clean all light switch plates and outlet covers
- Clean window sills and tracks throughout
- Wipe down doors and door frames
- Clean vents and return air covers
- Change the HVAC filter — this is one of the most important and most overlooked move-in tasks
- Change the locks or request new keys from your landlord if not already done
Is it Worth it to Hire Professional Move-In / Move-Out Cleaners?
For some moves, working through this checklist yourself is completely manageable. For others, it genuinely isn’t realistic to do it on your own.
Here are some situations where professional cleaning tends to be worth it:
A large home takes significantly longer to clean thoroughly than most people expect. It can easily turn into a full day or more, especially if it’s a home you’ve lived in for a long time.
If you’ve got a lot of other things going on — work, family, or other responsibilities — the time you’d spend cleaning may simply be time you don’t have.
Some spaces need more than a standard clean. Heavy buildup in the oven, stained grout, or a home that hasn’t had a deep clean in years calls for professional-grade equipment and products that make a real difference.
And sometimes, after the physical and emotional work of a move, you just need one less thing on your list. That’s a perfectly valid reason too.
If you’re moving in or out of a home in the Twin Cities and want the peace of mind that comes with a genuinely thorough clean, reach out to us here at Keepsake. We’ve done this hundreds of times and we know exactly what to look for.
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