Key takeaways
- Landlords focus on the kitchen, bathrooms, floors and baseboards, so start there.
- Pricing depends on size, condition and timing, and a free in-home estimate gets you an exact quote.
- Book the clean for after the movers leave and before your key-return date.
If you rent in Duncan, you probably know the feeling: the truck is loaded, the key return is a day or two away, and the apartment or house still needs to look the way it did when you got it. This checklist is written for Duncan renters who want to handle move out cleaning in Duncan, SC in a sensible order, and who want to know when it makes sense to hand the job to a team.
Duncan sits in Spartanburg County (ZIP 29334), right along the I-85 corridor and just off US-29 and SC-290, about ten minutes from Greer. Many homes here are newer builds in growing subdivisions, which means light-colored carpet, new appliances and plenty of builder-grade grout. Those details matter when a landlord walks through at the end of a lease.
What landlords actually look at
Every landlord is different, but the same few areas decide most deposit conversations. Read your lease first. Look for phrases like "broom clean," "move-out condition" or a list of items such as carpet cleaning. Then plan around the places that get the closest look:
- Kitchen cabinets, the inside of the oven and the refrigerator
- Bathroom grout, tub, shower glass and toilet base
- Floors, especially corners and under where furniture stood
- Baseboards, door frames and light switch plates
- Closets and window tracks, which people forget
Move out cleaning checklist by room
Kitchen
- Empty every cabinet and drawer, then wipe inside and out
- Clean the oven, stovetop and range hood, where grease builds up
- Empty the refrigerator and freezer, remove shelves and wipe them dry
- Wipe the microwave inside, plus the dishwasher door and filter
- Clean the backsplash, counters and sink fixtures
Bathrooms
- Scrub the tub, shower and glass, and treat soap scum on the tile
- Clean the toilet fully, including the base and behind the tank
- Wipe the vanity inside and out and polish the mirror
- Check the exhaust fan cover for dust
Bedrooms, closets and living areas
- Remove nail pops and scuffs where you can, and wipe the walls near switches
- Dust the ceiling fans, vents and window blinds
- Wipe closet shelves and rods
- Vacuum carpets in rows, then mop hard floors from the farthest corner to the door
The order that saves you time
Clean after your belongings are out, not before. Working around boxes means doing everything twice. Go top to bottom: ceiling fans and vents first, then walls and cabinets, then counters and fixtures, and floors last. Leave the trash bags and your own cleaning supplies for the final pass so you do not track dirt back over finished rooms.
| Step | Do it | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dust high areas | Debris falls onto surfaces you clean later |
| 2 | Kitchen and appliances | Longest job, so start while you have energy |
| 3 | Bathrooms | Soaking products need time to work |
| 4 | Floors | Last, so nothing gets walked on after |
How much does move out cleaning cost in Duncan?
There is no honest one-size price, because the work depends on the home. The main factors are the number of bedrooms and bathrooms, the square footage, the condition the last occupant left behind, whether the home is empty or still has furniture, and how tight your deadline is. Heavy oven grease or hard-water buildup adds time. A short closing-day or key-return window can call for a bigger team.
The fastest way to get an exact price is to book a free in-home estimate: text Perfect Services at (864) 666-8520, or fill in the form on the Duncan move-out cleaning page. You get an exact price after a free walkthrough, before you commit to anything.
How long does it take?
An empty apartment is often finished in a few hours by a small team, while a larger family home with a heavy kitchen can take most of a day. A team of two or three cleaners works much faster than a single renter with one bucket, which is why many people book a move-out clean for the day after the movers leave.
When to do it yourself and when to hire help
Doing it yourself saves money if the unit is small and you have a full weekend. Hiring makes sense when you are working, moving with kids, driving from another city, or when the deposit at stake is bigger than the cost of the clean. The move out cleaning service from Perfect Services follows a detail-first Brazilian method: cleaners work room by room, check baseboards, tracks and fixtures up close, and finish with the floors. If the home was neglected for a long time, adding deep cleaning to the visit is often the better call.
If you want a second example of how this works across the county, our guide for Taylors renters covers the same checklist for Greenville County, and neighbors in nearby towns can look at end of lease cleaning in Lyman too.
Common move-out mistakes in Duncan rentals
Most deposit disputes come from a short list of oversights, not from big problems. Knowing them ahead of time helps you spend your effort where it counts.
- Cleaning before the move is done. Boxes and furniture get dragged across clean floors and leave marks.
- Skipping inside the appliances. An oven with baked-on grease or a refrigerator with sticky shelves is the first thing noticed.
- Forgetting the small stuff. Light switch plates, door frames, closet shelves and window tracks collect fingerprints and dust.
- Ignoring the garage and patio. If they were included in your lease, sweep them and remove stains where possible.
- Not taking photos. Take dated pictures of each room when you finish. They are useful if a question comes up later.
Newer Duncan subdivisions often have light carpet and large open kitchens, so floor edges and cabinet fronts show wear quickly. Walk each room at the end with your phone flashlight held low across the floor, which reveals streaks and missed spots that normal lighting hides.
What a professional team adds
A team brings equipment you may not own, such as a strong vacuum with attachments, microfiber systems and degreasers made for ovens and range hoods. It also brings speed: two or three people can finish a three-bedroom home in the time one renter would spend on the kitchen alone. The result is not magic, only a consistent routine that checks every room in the same order, so nothing is left to memory on a stressful moving day.
Booking this week
Key-return dates do not move, so book as early as you can. If your move is within the week, send the photos today and ask for the earliest open slot. Ready to see the number? Request a free estimate on the Duncan move-out cleaning page, or start from the estimate form on our home page.
Get a free estimate in Duncan, SC
Brazilian-style cleaning from a local Greer team. We visit, see the space and give you an exact price, with no commitment.
Frequently asked questions
How much does move out cleaning cost in Duncan, SC?
It depends on size, condition and timing. We give you an exact price after a free in-home estimate, with no commitment.
Do I need to clean the oven and refrigerator before the landlord inspection?
Yes. Landlords usually check both. Empty the refrigerator and freezer, and clean the oven inside, or include them in a professional move-out clean.
When should I schedule the clean?
After your belongings are out and before you return the keys. Booking a few days ahead gives you the best chance of the date you need.
