Move-out cleaning checklist
What landlords and check-out inspectors actually look at, room by room, with times so you can book enough hours before handing back the keys.
A move-out clean is a deep clean of an empty home, plus the things only a tenant leaving would think of: inside every cupboard, marks on walls, light bulbs, and the oven.
Clean after the furniture is out if you can: it’s far faster and you won’t miss what was behind the sofa. Check your lease or inventory report for anything specific, and photograph each room when you’re done.
KIT Kitchen 165′
BATH Bathroom 88′
LIVE Every room 95′
FLR Floors & finishing 70′
Tips that save real minutes
Start with the oven
Apply oven cleaner first thing so it soaks while you do the rest. It’s the most-checked, slowest job in most move-out inspections.
Compare with the check-in inventory
Your deposit is judged against the condition when you moved in, allowing for fair wear and tear. Match that record, not perfection.
Book time, not a day
Add up the minutes below for your home, then add 25% for the unexpected. A one-bed flat usually takes one person most of a day.
Questions people ask
How long does a move-out clean take?
This checklist adds up to about seven hours of work for an empty one-bedroom, one-bathroom home. Two people roughly halve it; each extra bedroom and bathroom adds one to two hours.
What do landlords check when you move out?
Most often the oven, fridge, inside cupboards, limescale in the bathroom, carpets, walls and marks around switches, windows, and whether rubbish and belongings are gone. Your inventory report is the reference.
Should I hire professional end-of-tenancy cleaners?
Some leases require it; check yours. Otherwise it’s a trade of money against a day of your time. Either way, this list works as a check before you hand the keys back.