Moving is already a special kind of misery. Boxes everywhere, your whole life in a U-Haul, and somewhere in the chaos a landlord waiting to find a reason to keep your deposit.
Here’s the thing most people don’t realize until it’s too late: the cleaning is usually what makes or breaks that deposit. Not the nail holes, not the slightly worn carpet — the grime. The oven nobody touched, the baseboards, the soap scum that’s been quietly compounding since you moved in.
So here’s the checklist that actually moves the needle. Do it yourself, or skip the spreadsheet and let us handle it. Either way, you’ll know exactly what “clean” means to the person holding your money.
First, Read Your Lease (Boring, But It Pays)
Most leases spell out the move-out cleaning expectations somewhere in the fine print — and many require a “professional clean” or specifically call out carpets, appliances, and walls. Knowing what’s actually required keeps you from over-cleaning things nobody checks and under-cleaning the things that cost you.
The Room-by-Room Checklist
Kitchen (the #1 deposit killer)
- Inside and outside of the oven, stovetop, and range hood
- Inside the fridge and freezer (defrost if needed)
- Inside the microwave, dishwasher, and all cabinets and drawers
- Countertops, backsplash, and sink scrubbed and de-gunked
- Floors swept and mopped, baseboards wiped
Bathrooms (the #2 killer)
- Toilet, tub, and shower scrubbed — including grout and any soap scum
- Mirrors, counters, and sink wiped streak-free
- Inside cabinets and drawers emptied and wiped
- Exhaust fan dusted, floors mopped, baseboards wiped
Bedrooms & Living Areas
- Walls spot-cleaned for scuffs and marks
- Closets emptied, shelves and rods wiped
- Light fixtures and ceiling fans dusted
- Windows, sills, and tracks cleaned
- Carpets vacuumed (or steam-cleaned if your lease requires it); hard floors mopped
Everywhere Else
- Wipe down doors, door frames, and switch plates
- Dust vents and return-air grilles
- Remove every nail and patch holes if your lease says so
- Take all trash out — an empty place shows the clean
The Spots People Always Miss
These are the ones landlords love to dock you for, because almost everyone forgets them:
- Inside the oven (the classic)
- Behind and under the fridge and stove
- The dishwasher filter and door gasket
- Window tracks and blinds
- Baseboards and the tops of door frames
- The dryer lint trap and any vent covers
A deep clean catches every one of these by default — it’s literally what the service is built for.
DIY or Hire It Out? An Honest Take
If you’ve got the time, the energy, and a free weekend you don’t mind losing, the checklist above will get you there. No shame in the elbow-grease route.
But here’s the math a lot of people land on: you’re already moving, your deposit is on the line, and a professional move-out clean costs less than the deposit you’re trying to protect. Our Move In / Move Out Clean is built for exactly this — empty house, top to bottom, priced at the Deep Clean rate with the final cost tracking the home’s condition.
It’s especially popular around here with the Duke and RTP crowd, where lease turnovers come fast and the clock is never on your side.
The Bottom Line
Your deposit isn’t lost to “normal wear and tear.” It’s lost to the oven, the grout, and the baseboards. Hit the checklist above and you’ve got a real shot at getting all of it back.
And if you’d rather spend moving week doing literally anything else, we’ve got you. Booking takes about 60 seconds — no quote forms, no phone calls — whether you’re moving in or out of Raleigh, Cary, or Durham.