With annual rent increases approaching 7% in some places, you want to do everything to save money.
And if you’re about to move out of a rental, that can mean doing what’s necessary to get your deposit back.
But how much does move out cleaning cost?
You’ve come to the right place to find out.
Read on to learn what you’ll need to spend to make your rental space look as good as it did when you moved in!
Consider the Size of the Space
One of the biggest factors in determining your cleaning costs is the size of the space.
A deep house cleaning, for instance, will cost more than a deep cleaning for a modest studio apartment.
In general, you can expect to pay between $100 and $700 for a professional cleaning.
Nationally, the average cost hovers around $360.
You might be tempted to do the cleaning yourself.
However, some property managers require professional services when cleaning a rental.
Vacant home cleaning prices can escalate quickly, depending on the square footage.
Homes that exceed 3,000 square feet can hit upwards of $500.
Homes with ornate features or high ceilings can cost more, too, because they’re more challenging to clean.
If your home or apartment is closer to 1,000 square feet, you may only need to pay around $100.
Simple layouts with minimal embellishments will make cleaning a faster process.
You can set yourself up for a lower price by doing some of the initial heavy lifting yourself.
Remove bulky furniture that makes it difficult to move around your rental.
Declutter before the cleaning crew arrives, as well.
And try to do a preliminary cleaning yourself to reduce the professional service’s workload.
That way, regardless of your rental unit’s size, professional cleaners can focus on high-traffic areas.
Factor In the Property’s Condition
While cleaning your space regularly is a good goal, it’s not one that every tenant achieves.
If you’ve let things go, you may pay the price when you need your space cleaned.
By contrast, if you’ve been dutiful about cleaning, a standard cleaning may be sufficient.
Typically, a standard cleaning includes services like mopping floors, cleaning baseboards, and wiping cabinet faces.
Cleaners also will dust, wipe counters, and clean windows.
Houses and apartments that have been neglected will require more elbow grease to reach a satisfactory state.
Professional cleaners may need to use more abrasive chemicals to tackle mold and soap scum in neglected bathrooms, for instance.
Further, cleaners may have their hands full with sticky countertops and accumulated dust.
Discolored grout, dirty ovens, and dirty tiles can be visual eyesores.
And the effort to cut through this grime takes more time and attention, meaning you might have a bigger bill.
You may need to get a deep cleaning.
With this approach, cleaners will address appliances like refrigerators and stoves to ensure they are spotless.
While a deep cleaning may cost $100 or so more than a standard cleaning, it’s essential if your property looks rough.
Do You Need Extra Services?
When you need move-out cleaning services, it’s important to ask what’s included.
While dusting, wiping, and mopping the essential surfaces is helpful, it might not be enough.
You could need extra services, including spot-cleaning light fixtures or cleaning microwaves.
Or, if you need floors cleaned and waxed, you can anticipate paying more for these special touches.
Similarly, carpeted rooms may need extra attention.
If vacuuming isn’t enough to remove stains and discoloration, you’ll need to have carpets steamed and shampooed.
This add-on alone could increase your price by at least $100.
Not every cleaning service provides window cleaning as a standard offering, either.
For a rental home with lots of windows, you may spend a few hundred dollars more to get them cleaned.
Does your rental have a garage or porch?
Cleaning these areas generally is not included in standard cleaning packages.
You’ll need to pay extra to have these spaces swept or mopped.
Be clear on what your property manager expects.
You don’t want to spend money on non-essential services.
But you also don’t want to overlook parts of your property and miss out on getting your deposit back.
Don’t Overlook Labor and Location
Finally, your geographic location and associated labor costs can swing your price higher or lower.
In some parts of the country, especially in larger metropolitan areas, labor costs will be higher.
This is to help keep up with the cost of living in more expensive urban areas.
On the other hand, rural areas and smaller cities may offer lower labor rates.
With a lower cost of living, usually, the rates for labor will follow suit.
It may be more difficult to find professional cleaning services in these areas, however.
If you need to hire a service from a distant city, you’ll pay more to cover the added mileage.
And you might not have much room to try to negotiate prices.
Labor costs also may consider how many people are working on a given job.
Some companies will assign a certain number of people depending on the scope of the job or square footage.
If your apartment cleaning requires two professionals, for instance, you should expect to pay more for the extra labor.
At the same time, the job itself may not take as long, meaning you could end up paying less.
Be clear on the fee structure for your cleaning package and ask for an itemized list of what will be done.
And when in doubt, comparison shop.
Get quotes from different cleaning services to compare rates and packages.
You might be able to use one offer to score a better one from a competitor service.
How Much Does Move Out Cleaning Cost?
Are you still wondering, “How much does move-out cleaning cost?”
The answer may hinge on the size of your space and the extent of cleaning necessary.
You’ll also want to consider your location and labor costs as you try to estimate what you’ll be spending.
If you need move-out cleaning services, contact Magnolia Cleaning Services today!
Looking for a Ventura house cleaning service provider? At Magnolia Cleaning Company, we offer tailored solutions to fit your needs. From standard cleaning to deep cleaning and move-in/move-out cleaning, we have you covered. Schedule an appointment on our online booking page for a custom quote or call us at (805) 330-2210
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