Move-In / Move-Out Cleaning Checklist for Philadelphia Renters

Moving is already a lot. The last thing you want, mid-chaos, is to lose part of your deposit over a kitchen that “wasn’t clean enough.”

So here’s the checklist we actually use on move-out jobs across Philadelphia — room by room, plus the spots renters always forget.

Print it, work through it, or hand the whole thing to us. Your call.

Why Move-Out Cleaning Matters (Your Deposit Is on the Line)

Landlords and property managers inspect harder than most renters expect. They’re looking at the oven, inside cabinets, behind the toilet, and the corners of the closet.

A clean that “looks fine” to you can still cost you a few hundred dollars at inspection.

A thorough move-out clean isn’t about perfection. It’s about getting your full deposit back — and that money is worth an afternoon of real effort.

Kitchen Checklist

The kitchen is where deposits get won or lost. Don’t skip:

• Inside the oven (the big one — start here)
• Inside and outside of the microwave
• Inside the fridge and freezer, fully defrosted
• Inside every cabinet and drawer
• Countertops and backsplash
• Sink and faucet, including buildup around the base
• Floors, including the corners and under where the fridge sat

Bathroom Checklist

Bathrooms get judged hard at inspection too:

• Toilet, inside and out, including the base
• Tub and shower, including grout and any soap scum
• Sink, faucet, and mirror
• Inside the medicine cabinet and vanity
• Exhaust fan cover
• Floors and behind the toilet

Short on time before the move? We do move-out cleans on tight timelines. Get a quote at /quote/ and tell us your move date.

Bedrooms, Closets & Living Areas

Easy to rush, easy to lose points:

• Dust all surfaces, shelves, and ledges
• Wipe down closet shelves and rods
• Clean inside closets (yes, they check)
• Wipe baseboards and door frames
• Clean windowsills and any reachable glass
• Vacuum, then mop or vacuum every floor

The Spots Renters Always Forget

These are the ones that quietly cost people their deposit:

• Light switches and outlet covers
• The inside of the oven door glass
• Ceiling fan blades and light fixtures
• Behind and under appliances
• Blinds and window tracks
• Walls with scuffs or handprints
• The dryer lint trap and around the washer

Go through this list before you hand over the keys. It’s the difference between “looks clean” and “passes inspection.”

Move-In Cleaning: Start Fresh in a New Place

Moving into a place someone else just left? You don’t really know how it was cleaned — or if it was.

A move-in clean gets your new home to a baseline you can trust before your stuff arrives:

• Wipe down all cabinets and drawers, inside and out
• Sanitize the kitchen and bathrooms top to bottom
• Clean floors throughout before furniture goes in
• Knock out the dust on baseboards, vents, and fixtures

It’s a lot easier to do this on an empty home than after the boxes land.

When to Hand It to a Pro

If your move date is tight, the place is bigger than you want to scrub, or you’d just rather spend your energy on the actual move — this is a great job to hand off.

We know exactly what Philadelphia landlords look for, because we clean for inspections all the time. We hit the checklist so you don’t have to.

Moving soon? Book a move-in or move-out clean at /quote/, or call (267) 668-0814 — we’ll handle the checklist for you and help protect your deposit.