Move Out Cleaning: How to Get Your Deposit Back

Well, the big day is finally here. You’re about to move into your new place.

You’ve emptied out the garage, packed and labeled your boxes, hired movers, and signed the new paperwork.

But there’s one last thing to take care of. You still need to clean everything.

…and we mean everything.

We won’t lie, getting your old place back to showroom condition is not going to be fun. It’s probably not even going to be quick. But it will get your security deposit back.

And you don’t just want most of it back. You want all of it.

Today, we’re going to give you the rundown of everything you need to clean. As well as expert tips on tackling some of the areas that many people get wrong.

Kitchen and cooktop

The kitchen is the showcase of many homes. It’s also the area with the most recesses, gaps, and hidden places that are easy to miss. To get your kitchen looking brand new, you need to pay close attention to the small details and be thorough.

To get your kitchen looking brand new, you need to pay close attention to the small details and be thorough.

When cleaning your kitchen, a good multi-surface cleaner is your new best friend.
Clean the refrigerator inside and out. Pull any crisper boxes out and wipe them down. If you need to, pull the shelves out as well and clean them separately.
Dust and clean the exhaust fan. Vacuum the cover if you need to.
Scrub down your cooktop and bring it back to polish.
If you’ve got a gas cooktop, soak the metal grates in warm soapy water and then scrub them with a plastic brush.
Clean the inside of the dishwasher – including pulling out (and scrubbing) the filter. Wipe down the inside leaving it free of any food scraps.
Clean the inside and outside of the oven Scrub off baked-on fat and grease. Wipe down and clean all grills and baking trays.
Pay special attention to the inside of the oven door. It’s often the dirtiest part – and the first place many inspection agents will look!
Clean the inside of all drawers and cabinets, removing all scuff marks or stains
Disinfect and wipe down all countertops
Remove any remaining appliances and clean behind/under them
Clean (and polish) all sinks and faucets

Bedrooms and living room

Bedrooms and living areas can look like the easiest rooms to clean – but you still need to pay close attention.

Dust and wipe down all window frames and sills.
Using an all-purpose cleaner, wipe down ceiling fans, light fittings, light switches, and wall sockets.
Wipe down all doors and doorknobs
Remove all nails and screws from the walls and fill with putty (paint if you’re required to)
Wipe down and remove marks from any built-in wardrobes or drawers
Vacuum all floors, and mop any hard floors
Inspect all walls for scuffs, marks, and stains. Clean with multi-purpose cleaner and a dry cloth – or try magic cleaning sponges.

Bathroom and shower

The bathroom is the area that really needs your cleaning A-game.

After all, it’s probably seen years of baths, showers, shaving, and clipping. As a result, many bathrooms are splattered with hard water stains, rogue hairs, mineral deposits, and unsightly mold.

Clean out all bathroom drawers and vanity units
Remove all soap scum off of tiles, as well as in the bath or shower
Thoroughly clean any and all bathroom mirrors
Scrub all mold from sinkholes or taps.
Remove any remaining hair from sinkholes and plugs
Dust and clean the exhaust fan – vacuum the cover if necessary
Scrub and wipe down the toilet. Replace the toilet seat if it’s damaged.
Wipe down the sink and countertop.
Shower screens and doors are common places people go wrong. It’s not that they don’t clean them – they just don’t clean them well. For this job, try our TriNova shower door cleaner.
Last step – vacuum and mop the bathroom floor. Don’t leave a single hair behind!

Glass and windows

When windows and glass aren’t cleaned properly, it’s really obvious. After all, they are meant to be completely see-through.

Be sure to go through the entire house and clean all windows and glass – on both sides.

Be sure to use a high-quality window cleaner that won’t leave streaks or residue.
For quick and effective results, spray the cleaner generously over the glass surface. Then using a clean dry towel, gently wipe the glass from top to bottom. For even better results, use a microfiber cloth instead of a towel.
Work from the top down using a horizontal cleaning motion. This will collect all the cleaning fluid and avoid streaking.

Floors and baseboards

Cleaning the floors should be one of the very last (if not the last) things you do. Whether you have carpets, tiles, or wooden floorboards – you need everything looking fresh and clean in order to get that deposit back.

Bedrooms and living areas can look like the easiest rooms to clean - but you still need to pay close attention.

Thoroughly vacuum all carpets, tiles and floor surfaces.
If you need to (or if it’s in your contract) have the carpets steam cleaned
Vacuum along your baseboards using a brush attachment. If your vacuum doesn’t have one, use the vacuum hose and then brush along with a dry brush.
For any marks or scuffs, use a damp cloth and multi-surface cleaner until the boards are completely clean. Warning – you might need to use a little elbow grease!
For any hard floor areas, finish with a full mop.

If you follow our checklist carefully, you’ll be sure to get that security deposit back in no time. And you’ll definitely know that you’ve earned it!

We are Gold Eagle, and our mission is to make the world a cleaner place.

We don’t just make cleaning products for people moving out of apartments. We also have a range of products for automotive, marine, and even outdoor power equipment.

Whether you’re maintaining a couch or a car, we have the perfect cleaning solution for your prized possession.