The Move-In Cleaning Checklist

Why Clean Before You Unpack

An empty home is the only time every surface is reachable — inside cabinets, behind where appliances sit, the backs of closets. It's also your one chance to clean away whatever the previous occupants left behind before it's under your furniture. If the home is a new build or was recently remodeled, it likely also has fine construction dust that a standard clean won't fully handle. Move-in cleaning is simply a deep clean timed for that empty window.

Kitchen

Inside and outside every cabinet and drawer, inside the oven and refrigerator, countertops and backsplash, sink and faucet, and the floor — including where the previous appliances stood.

Bathrooms

Detailed tile and grout, shower and tub descaled, toilet inside and out and at the base, vanity and drawers, mirror, exhaust fan, and the floor. Disinfect high-touch surfaces — this is a home someone else lived in.

Every Room

• Closets emptied of dust, shelves and rods wiped
• Baseboards, door frames, doors, and switch plates
• Windows, tracks, and sills; blinds dusted
• Light fixtures, ceiling fans, and vents
• Walls spot-cleaned; floors cleaned to their material

Timing It Right

Schedule the clean for after you get keys but before the movers arrive — even a single day with the home empty makes all the difference. If you're also cleaning your old place, the same standard applies there; see the move-out checklist.

Have It Done

A move is hectic enough. Handing off the move-in clean means walking into a truly fresh home on day one. For what a comprehensive clean covers, see what a deep clean includes, and for budgeting, move cleaning costs.