by Lisa Mazurek

Created on: May 20, 2010   Last Updated: March 11, 2011

It can be very exciting moving into a new place but it can also be very stressful.  One way to make things less stessful is to plan, prioritize and make a list. Always take care of your priorities first. Give your notice to the management and inquire about the rules of moving out. Sometimes the information is in your lease but it is a good idea to ask anyway.

Many apartment complexes or landlords expect the apartment to look just like it did when you moved in. They realize the walls will need to be painted and the carpet cleaned but you shouldn't need to clean the walls or shampoo the carpet unless it is really bad. To be safe always check with the management.

As an employee and a tenant of many apartments I can fill you in on what should be cleaned. Here is a list that most apartment managers follow.

Appliances should be cleaned inside and outside. The refrigerator should be defrosted and cleaned, oven sprayed with oven cleaner as well as the broiler pan and racks and remember to wash it off. Clean stove, range and filters if there are any. If you have tile in your kitchen, be sure to wipe it down and remove any grease.

Dishwashers, microwaves, washers and dryers should all be cleaned. Now, depending on how picky the management is you may need to remove some appliances and clean behind them.

All cabinets should be emptied and wiped out. Outside of cabinets should be free from grease and food. Counter tops should be scrubbed with a non abrasive cleaner. Floors should be swept and washed.  Baseboards wiped cleaned and sinks scrubbed.   Be sure to remove all garbage too.

The bathrooms need the inside and outside of the medicine cabinet cleaned,  shelves wiped cleaned, closets and any mirrors or tile should all be cleaned. Toilets, tubs, showers and sinks should be scrubbed with a non abrasive cleaner so it won't scratch the surface.

For all other rooms it is a matter of sweeping or vacuuming, wiping baseboards, dusting shelves and windowsills.  It isn't  necessary to clean blindsor fixtures  unless written in  your lease. Ceiling fans should be dusted and patio doors or windows should be cleaned. The most important thing is to have your apartment looking like it did when you moved in. Don't forget your smoke detector. If you removed the battery or the unit you need to replace it.

Anything that you damaged you should be fixed. Otherwise you will get charged for it and it will come out of your deposit. So check doors, holes in the walls, broken knobs or ice cube trays. It would be cheaper for you to fix or replace than for them to do it.

 The management will have a checklist that they will  go over before you move out. The checklist includes broken appliances, scratches on the linoleum or broken windows. They look at the overall condition of your apartment.

One way to protect yourself is to make a checklist before you move in. Be sure to write down what wasn't cleaned and what things were missing. For example, if a broiler pan or smoke detector is missing let the management know. Check for broken windows or cracks in the doors. Recheck everything because they will.

After your checklist is complete you should send a copy to the apartment manager. Now you will have proof of the condition of your apartment before you move in. This will save you headaches and money. Another suggesstion is to take pictures of any damage or dirt left behind from the previous tenant.

Now you know how to clean your apartment before you move out.

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