The NYC Move Out Cleaning Checklist That Protects Your Security Deposit
G
o
o
g
l
e
Reviews
★★★★★
✔ Google Guaranteed
✔ Fully insured
✔ Background-checked
✔ Since 2015
The Kitchen Gets Inspected Hardest
In this city, your security deposit is real money, often a full month of some of the highest rent in the country. Landlords and management companies know it, and many of them inspect a vacated apartment closely, looking for any reason to keep part of it. A standard tidy will not cut it. A real move out clean will.
We do move out cleans across New York City constantly, and we know exactly where landlords look. This checklist walks through every room and the details that get inspected. Follow it and you give them no reason to hold your money. If you would rather hand it off, see our move in move out cleaning.
The Kitchen Gets Inspected Hardest
The kitchen is where landlords look most closely, because it is where grime hides. Clean inside the oven, this is the single most commonly missed spot and the first place an inspector checks. Clean inside and behind the fridge, inside the freezer, and the outside and top of both. Wipe every cabinet interior and the shelves, not just the doors.
Degrease the stovetop, the backsplash, and the range hood. Scrub the sink and the faucet until they shine. Wipe down the counters and any small appliances staying with the unit. A spotless kitchen sets the tone for the whole inspection.
We work around your schedule with morning, afternoon, and weekend appointments, and we show up when we say we will.
The Bathroom Needs a Deep Scrub
Bathrooms show wear fast and inspectors know it. Scrub the grout in the tub and on the floor, this is where buildup and discoloration get flagged. Clean the toilet inside and out, including the base. Descale the showerhead and faucet, scrub the tub and shower walls, and polish the mirror.
Do not forget the exhaust fan cover, which collects dust, and the inside of the vanity and medicine cabinet. A bathroom that smells fresh and looks bright tells the landlord the place was cared for.
Recurring clients pay less per visit than one time bookings, and we walk you through the options when you call.
Cover all of this and your apartment will hold up to the strictest NYC walkthrough:
Kitchen, inside oven, inside and behind fridge, freezer, all cabinet interiors, degreased stovetop and hood
Bathroom, scrubbed grout, toilet inside and out, descaled fixtures, tub, shower walls, exhaust fan
Walls and doors spot cleaned, especially around switches, handles, and where furniture stood
Every baseboard wiped in every room, closet, and hallway
All floors vacuumed and mopped, window glass and tracks cleaned, sills and blinds wiped. Closets emptied and wiped, all personal items and trash removed, final daylight walkthrough done
Walls, Doors, and Baseboards
Spot clean the walls for scuffs, marks, and fingerprints, especially around light switches, doorways, and behind where furniture sat. Wipe down all the doors, door frames, and the area around the handles. These spots collect grime that is invisible until someone looks for it. Clean every baseboard throughout the apartment. Baseboards are a classic inspection point because they show whether the cleaning was thorough or surface level. Wipe them in every room, including closets and hallways.
Floors, Windows, and Tracks
Vacuum and mop every floor in the apartment. If there is carpet, vacuum thoroughly, and consider a steam clean if there are stains. Clean the window glass inside, and clear out the window tracks, which fill with dirt and dead bugs and are another spot inspectors check.
Wipe down the window sills and any blinds. Clean light fixtures and ceiling fan blades. These overhead and edge details are exactly what separates a deposit returning clean from a partial one.
Closets, Entry, and Final Details
Empty and wipe down every closet, including the shelves, rods, and floor. Clean the entry area thoroughly since it is the first thing the inspector sees. Remove every last personal item and all trash, an apartment with leftover belongings reads as not properly vacated. Do a final walkthrough yourself with fresh eyes, ideally in daylight, looking at the apartment the way an inspector would. Check the spots that are easy to forget, behind the toilet, the top of door frames, inside the oven drawer.
Your deposit is worth real money in this city, and a thorough move out clean is what protects it. Hit every room and every detail on this checklist, especially the kitchen, the bathroom, the baseboards, and the window tracks, and you give the landlord no reason to hold your money.
Whether you do it yourself with this list or hand it to a professional team, treat the move out clean as part of getting your deposit back, because that is exactly what it is.
Apartment Cleaning Service Long Island City is based in Long Island City and serves all five boroughs. Our cleaners are background checked, fully insured and bonded, and we back every visit with a satisfaction guarantee.
Whether you want a one time clean or recurring service, we make booking simple and the pricing is upfront with no surprise fees. You can book by phone at (212) 812-9420 or online anytime.
Call (212) 812-9420 or book online for a move out clean that protects your deposit, anywhere in the five boroughs.
Why It Pays to Get This Right
A Cleaner Home, Less Stress
In this city, your security deposit is real money, often a full month of some of the highest rent in the country. Landlords and management companies know it, and many of them inspect a vacated apartment closely, looking for any reason to keep part of it. A standard tidy will not cut it. A real move out clean will.
We do move out cleans across New York City constantly, and we know exactly where landlords look. This checklist walks through every room and the details that get inspected. Follow it and you give them no reason to hold your money. If you would rather hand it off, see our move in move out cleaning.
When to Hire a Move Out Cleaning Service
What We Handle
Moving is exhausting, and a full move out clean on top of packing and logistics is a lot. A professional move out clean is often worth it purely on the deposit math, the cost is usually a fraction of what a landlord might withhold, and it removes a huge task from moving week. We do move out cleans to a standard that holds up to the strictest landlords in the city, and we include every item on this list as standard. See our end of lease cleaning
and deep cleaning
options. For your rights around security deposits in New York, the New York State Attorney General
and the NYS Homes and Community Renewal
are good resources.
Walls, Doors, and Baseboards
Spot clean the walls for scuffs, marks, and fingerprints, especially around light switches, doorways, and behind where furniture sat. Wipe down all the doors, door frames, and the area around the handles. These spots collect grime that is invisible until someone looks for it. Clean every baseboard throughout the apartment. Baseboards are a classic inspection point because they show whether the cleaning was thorough or surface level. Wipe them in every room, including closets and hallways.
Closets, Entry, and Final Details
In Short
Empty and wipe down every closet, including the shelves, rods, and floor. Clean the entry area thoroughly since it is the first thing the inspector sees. Remove every last personal item and all trash, an apartment with leftover belongings reads as not properly vacated. Do a final walkthrough yourself with fresh eyes, ideally in daylight, looking at the apartment the way an inspector would. Check the spots that are easy to forget, behind the toilet, the top of door frames, inside the oven drawer.
A Thorough Clean Protects Your Money
Your deposit is worth real money in this city, and a thorough move out clean is what protects it. Hit every room and every detail on this checklist, especially the kitchen, the bathroom, the baseboards, and the window tracks, and you give the landlord no reason to hold your money.
Whether you do it yourself with this list or hand it to a professional team, treat the move out clean as part of getting your deposit back, because that is exactly what it is.
When to Hire a Move Out Cleaning Service
Moving is exhausting, and a full move out clean on top of packing and logistics is a lot. A professional move out clean is often worth it purely on the deposit math, the cost is usually a fraction of what a landlord might withhold, and it removes a huge task from moving week. We do move out cleans to a standard that holds up to the strictest landlords in the city, and we include every item on this list as standard. See our end of lease cleaning
and deep cleaning
options. For your rights around security deposits in New York, the New York State Attorney General
and the NYS Homes and Community Renewal
are good resources.
Key Takeaways
1
Start Here
Kitchen, inside oven, inside and behind fridge, freezer, all cabinet interiors, degreased stovetop and hood. Bathroom, scrubbed grout, toilet inside and out, descaled fixtures, tub, shower walls, exhaust fan.
2
Do This Next
Walls and doors spot cleaned, especially around switches, handles, and where furniture stood. Every baseboard wiped in every room, closet, and hallway.
3
Keep It Up
All floors vacuumed and mopped, window glass and tracks cleaned, sills and blinds wiped. Closets emptied and wiped, all personal items and trash removed, final daylight walkthrough done.
What New York City Clients Say
The team was thorough, on time, and my apartment has never looked better. The same crew comes each visit and they know exactly how I like things. Highly recommend.
Jessica M.
Astoria, Queens
Booking was easy and the price was exactly what I was quoted, no surprises. They did a genuinely deep job, not a rushed wipe down. I have signed up for recurring service.
David R.
Park Slope, Brooklyn
I trust them completely in my home. Insured, professional, and the quality is consistent every single time. It is the cleaning service I had been looking for in this city.
Amanda L.
Upper East Side, Manhattan
They reset my apartment top to bottom and it felt like a different place. Reliable, careful, and friendly. I recommend them to everyone I know in the neighborhood.
Michael T.
Long Island City, Queens
Great communication, fair pricing, and a spotless result. The team paid attention to the details most services skip. Five stars and a long term customer now.
Sofia K.
Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Our New York City Service Area
We are based in Long Island City and provide cleaning across all five boroughs. From Manhattan to Brooklyn to Queens, our teams bring the same trusted, consistent quality all over the city.
Manhattan
Cleaning across Manhattan with trusted, insured teams and consistent quality on every visit.
(212) 812-9420
5-51 47th Avenue #573
11101
Brooklyn
Cleaning throughout Brooklyn, from brownstones to new construction, with the same high standard.
(212) 812-9420
5-51 47th Avenue #573
11101
Queens
Cleaning across Queens, our home borough, with fast local service and upfront pricing.
(212) 812-9420
5-51 47th Avenue #573
11101
Current Offers and Discounts
New clients and first-time bookings save the most. Here are the deals we are running right now in New York City.
New client special, save on your first clean
Save
10% Off
- 10% off your first cleaning
- Applies to any service
- New customers only
- Background-checked, insured team
- No hidden fees, ever
Best for your first booking
10% Off
New Client Discount
- $30 off any move-out clean
- Helps protect your deposit
- Inside oven, fridge, and cabinets
- Baseboards and window tracks
- Strict-landlord ready
Best for moving out
$30 Off
Move-Out Cleaning Deal
FAQs
Move Out Cleaning Questions
What do landlords check most in a NYC move out?
The kitchen, especially inside the oven and fridge, the bathroom grout and fixtures, the baseboards, and the window tracks. These are the spots a quick clean misses and where deposits most often get docked.
Is a move out cleaning worth the cost?
Usually yes. The cost of a professional move out clean is typically far less than what a landlord can withhold from a deposit for cleaning, and it saves you the work during an already stressful move.
How long does a move out cleaning take?
It depends on the size and condition of the apartment. A small studio might take a couple of hours, a larger multi bedroom with built up grime can take much of a day. An empty apartment is faster to clean thoroughly.
Do you bring your own cleaning supplies?
Yes. Our team arrives with professional supplies and equipment. If you prefer we use specific products, or you have sensitivities, just let us know when you book and we will accommodate it.
Are your cleaners insured and background checked?
Every cleaner we send is background checked, fully insured, and bonded. Trust matters when someone is in your home, so we never cut corners on who we hire.
How do I book a cleaning in New York City?
Call (212) 812-9420 or use our booking page. We will ask about your apartment and what you need, give you a clear upfront quote, and schedule a time that works for you, anywhere in the five boroughs.
Moving Out Soon? Call (212) 812-9420 or book online for a move out clean that protects your deposit, anywhere in the five boroughs.
Whether you do it yourself with this list or hand it to a professional team, treat the move out clean as part of getting your deposit back, because that is exactly what it is.
