Move-out cleaning checklist for Greer renters

Moving is stressful enough without losing part of your security deposit to cleaning fees. Most landlords and property managers in Greer, Taylors and Greenville walk through the home with a move-out inspection checklist and compare it to the move-in photos. If you clean the same items they inspect, you have a much better chance of getting your full deposit back.

This is the same move-out cleaning checklist the Perfect Services team uses on move-in and move-out cleaning jobs in the Upstate. Print it, follow it room by room, or hand it to us and walk away.

Before you start: three rules

1. Empty first, clean second. Cleaning around boxes means cleaning twice.
2. Top to bottom. Ceiling fans and shelves first, floors last, so dust falls onto surfaces you have not cleaned yet.
3. Take photos when you finish. Date-stamped photos of every room protect you if there is a dispute.

Kitchen move-out checklist

The kitchen is where most cleaning deductions happen, because grease and crumbs hide in places tenants forget.

• Inside and outside of the refrigerator and freezer, including shelves, drawers and door seals. Leave it unplugged and propped open only if your lease says so.
• Inside the oven, racks, the drawer under it and the stovetop, including drip pans or glass surface.
• Range hood and filter, a classic deduction item.
• Inside the microwave and dishwasher, including the filter.
• Inside every cabinet and drawer, plus cabinet fronts and handles.
• Sink, faucet, backsplash and countertops.
• Floor, including along the toe kicks and under appliances you can safely move.

Bathroom move-out checklist

• Toilet inside and out, including the base, bolts caps and the floor behind it.
• Shower, tub, glass doors and grout lines; remove soap scum and hard water spots.
• Mirror, vanity top, sink and the inside of the vanity cabinet.
• Exhaust fan cover, light fixtures and towel bars.
• Baseboards and the floor, corners included.

Bedrooms, living areas and hallways

• Closets: shelves, rods and closet floors.
• Window sills, tracks and blinds. Tracks collect dirt and dead bugs and are easy to overlook.
• Ceiling fans and light fixtures.
• Baseboards, doors, door frames and light switches.
• Carpet vacuumed edge to edge; hardwood and LVP floors mopped. See our floor care tips for Upstate homes.
• Small nail holes and wall marks: check your lease before patching or touching up paint.

Often forgotten: laundry room, garage and outdoor areas

• Laundry room: behind and around the washer and dryer, the lint trap and the floor.
• Garage: sweep and remove oil spots if required by your lease.
• Porch and patio: sweep and remove cobwebs.

Most common cleaning deductions

When to book professional move-out cleaning

Schedule your move-out cleaning in Greer after the last box leaves and before the final walkthrough. An empty home is faster to clean and nothing hides behind furniture. If you are short on time, a professional move-out cleaning usually costs less than the cleaning fee a landlord would deduct, and you get the photos and peace of mind.

Moving into a new place? A move-in cleaning before your furniture arrives is the easiest time to clean inside cabinets and closets. Landlords and real estate agents in Greer also book us for turnover cleaning between tenants.