Are you moving on to bigger and better things?
In the excitement of moving, don’t neglect to clean your apartment one last time.
After all, doing so may be a requirement for getting your deposit back.
Read on to find a move out cleaning checklist!
Scour Your Bathroom
The last thing you want is to see mold when you enter a bathroom.
If an apartment manager sees mold when they enter your apartment’s bathroom, they might not refund your deposit.
It’s in your best interest to maintain a clean bathroom so it’s sparkling clean when you leave.
You’ll want to scour the shower and tub to remove soap scum and hard water stains.
A combination of baking soda and vinegar can be effective in doing this.
Or a store-bought cleaner with bleach can work well to brighten white sinks and tubs.
If you have a filmy shower door, add a little liquid soap to the vinegar and baking soda mix.
Then spray the door and let it sit for a half hour.
When you return to clean the door, you’ll notice that the soap scum wipes away much more easily.
Mop your floors, clean the toilet, and wipe down the sink.
Clean any dirty tiles, too, to ensure your bathroom looks its best.
Wipe Doors and Handles
When cleaning an apartment, you’ll want to have doors on your checklist.
It’s easy to assume doors don’t require cleaning, but it’s important to give them your attention, too.
Use a cleaner to attack the handles, which see the most use.
Handles are a magnet for germs and residue from your hands.
Clean the area on the door around the handle, as well, to remove fingerprints.
Look for scuff marks near the bottom of the door.
Feet bumping into doors can lead to marks that you’ll want to remove to create a more polished appearance.
If your door has any details on it, like recessed panels, dust these areas.
And if you have a door frame with bevelling or detailing, dust it, too.
Do this for every door between rooms as well as the front door to the apartment.
Clean Ceiling Fans and Blinds
Small details matter when you want your deposit back.
And that includes ceiling fans.
Since ceiling fans aren’t something you necessarily look at each day, they can be neglected when it comes to cleaning.
You don’t want your landlord to look up and see fan blades caked in dust.
You’ll need to grab a chair and dust cloth to wipe off each blade.
Be sure to do this task before you sweep the floor beneath it.
Do you have window treatments that are staying behind?
If your windows have blinds or shades, grab a dust cloth or feather duster.
Blinds can look faded when too much dust mounts on their surfaces.
If you haven’t paid any attention to them, the chances are high they look grimy at close range.
Dust them first and then wipe them gently with a dampened cloth.
Address the Trim and Light Switches
In the same way that it’s easy to overlook ceiling fans, it’s easy to overlook trim work.
Most apartments will have baseboards running along the edges of floors.
Unless you have baseboards in your normal cleaning rotation, they’re probably pretty dusty.
Grab a paper towel or rag to dust the tops of them.
The flat surface of the baseboard may be dirty, as well, and require some extra wiping.
Light switches need attention, too.
Like doorknobs, they are used frequently and, as a result, can get dirty.
Use a dampened cloth or more aggressive cleaning agents to remove grease and fingerprints.
Tackle Stovetops and Counters
In your kitchen, use an abrasive sponge and cleaner to handle countertops and dirty stovetops.
Run the cleaning function on your oven.
And degrease exhaust fans and cabinets.
Sometimes stubborn stains can seem impossible to remove on kitchen countertops.
The same is true of bathtubs or bathroom sinks.
If you’re staring down a grungy apartment, you may want to enlist professional cleaning services since they will have more abrasive cleaners.
Disinfect the Fridge
Before you put your move out plans into action, you’ll need to clean your fridge.
Inevitably, crumbs and sticky residue have found their way onto shelves and into crevices.
You’ll need to make your fridge-and freezer -spotless to make a good impression.
Start by wiping down the fridge with a dampened towel.
Sometimes this can be enough to clean it out.
In other situations, you may need to use a glass cleaner for shelves.
Remove the drawers, too, so you can clean the areas beneath them where crumbs may have landed.
Wipe down the drawers and give them plenty of time to dry.
Then reassemble everything into a much cleaner fridge.
Vacuum or Sweep Floors
Finally, don’t forget about the floors.
If you have hardwoods, vinyl planks, or another smooth surface, sweeping should suffice.
For obvious stains or dirt, use a wet mop.
In doing so, you’ll make dull floors look more vibrant again.
To go the extra mile, consider applying a scented polish to the floor for an even better shine.
For carpeted floors, use a vacuum.
Depending on the state of the floors, you may need to rent a floor cleaner that can do a more thorough job.
Or you’ll need to spot-clean stains with a more intense cleaning agent.
When you’re all done with your apartment cleaning, snap some photos of your efforts.
You want to have documented evidence of your work.
That way, you’ll be prepared if there is an issue with getting your deposit back.
Use a Move Out Cleaning Checklist
A move-out cleaning checklist can help you stay on track amid the bustle of moving tasks.
Tackle grimy areas like kitchens and bathrooms.
But also commit time to cleaning trim, fans, and floors.
At Magnolia Cleaning Services, we have the expertise and experience to ensure your Ventura County home looks its best.
We offer affordable prices and an easy booking process.
Reach out today to learn more!
Looking for a Ventura cleaning company? At Magnolia Cleaning Services, we offer professional cleaning services from standard cleaning to deep cleaning, in addition, we have move-in/move-out cleaning services as well. Schedule an appointment or call us at (805) 330-2210 today!
