The best time to clean a new home is before your things are in it. The rooms are empty, every cabinet and closet is reachable, and you only clean once. After the furniture goes in, half of these spots become hard to reach.
Here is a move-in checklist in the order that saves the most time. It works for a rental, a condo, or a house you just bought, whether the previous owners left it spotless or not. If you are the one moving out, our move-out cleaning checklist covers the other side.
What this post covers:
- Before you clean: walk through and take photos
- Start high: dust, vents, and fixtures
- Kitchen: inside everything
- Bathrooms
- Bedrooms, closets, and floors
- What to do before the first night
Before You Clean: Walk Through and Take Photos
Walk the home with your phone before you clean anything. Photograph stains, damaged walls, broken blinds, or anything that was not noted in your lease or inspection report. Send the list to the landlord or seller in writing, so you are not blamed later.
- Check that the water, power, and AC all work.
- Look in cabinets, closets, and the garage for items the last occupant left.
- Check for signs of pests: droppings, chewed boxes, or dead insects in corners.
- Smell the air. A musty smell may mean a moisture issue, which cleaning will not fix.
Also bring supplies: a bucket, all-purpose cleaner, glass cleaner, sponges, microfiber cloths, trash bags, a vacuum, a mop, and rubber gloves.
Start High: Dust, Vents, and Fixtures
Work from the top of the room down, and the farthest room toward the door. Dust falls, so the floor goes last.
- Wipe the tops of door frames, ceiling fans, and light fixtures.
- Wipe the air vent covers and, if you can, vacuum inside the vent opening.
- Wipe window sills, tracks, and blinds. Blinds collect more dust than you expect.
- Wipe light switches, outlet covers, and door handles. These are touched by every owner and often forgotten.
- Wipe walls near doorways and switches, where hands leave marks.
Replace the HVAC filter on day one, and write the date on it. In Florida, a fresh filter is one of the best things you can do for the air in a new home.
Kitchen: Inside Everything
The kitchen is where you want to be most sure about cleanliness. You do not know what was stored in those cabinets or how the fridge was kept.
- Cabinets and drawers: empty, so wipe the inside, the shelves, and the corners. Let them dry before you put anything in. Shelf liner helps.
- Refrigerator: pull the shelves and drawers, wash them with warm soapy water, and wipe the seals. If it smells, a bowl of baking soda helps.
- Oven and stove: clean the inside and the burners. Our oven cleaning guide walks through it.
- Dishwasher: clean the filter and wipe the door seal, then run a hot cycle with nothing in it.
- Microwave and range hood: wipe inside and out, and wash the hood filter.
- Sink and counters: scrub the sink, polish the faucet, and wipe the counters and backsplash.
If the previous tenants left grease on the cabinet doors, a little dish soap in warm water cuts it. Avoid soaking wood.
Want the new place clean before the truck arrives? Sunshine Clean & Care offers move-in cleaning across Tampa Bay and Pasco County. Tell us your key date and the size of the home.
Bathrooms
Bathrooms need disinfecting and a close look at grout, caulk, and the fan. In Florida, they are also where hidden moisture shows up first.
- Scrub the toilet inside and out, including the base, the hinges, and the floor behind it.
- Scrub the tub or shower, the tile, the grout lines, the door track, and the drain.
- Wipe the vanity inside and out, and check under the sink for dampness or a drip.
- Wash the fan cover, and check that it pulls air.
- Look at the caulk. Black or peeling caulk is a sign of moisture and may need replacing.
- Clean mirrors and the medicine cabinet.
If you see mold bigger than a small patch, or soft walls, tell the landlord or seller before you move in. EPA's mold guide says moisture is the key to mold control, and the source of water needs to be fixed. See the guide at EPA's page on mold, moisture, and your home.
Bedrooms, Closets, and Floors
Empty closets are easy to clean and hard to clean later.
- Wipe closet shelves and rods, and vacuum the floor and corners.
- Wipe baseboards in every room. See our baseboard cleaning guide for a quick method.
- Clean window glass on the inside, and wipe the tracks.
- Vacuum carpet slowly in two directions. If the carpet looks or smells bad, consider a professional carpet cleaner before furniture goes in.
- Mop hard floors last, from the back of the house to the front door.
- Take out all the trash and wipe the inside of the bins.
Do the garage and any storage closet last, since they often take the most time and the least attention.
What to Do Before the First Night
You do not need everything done to sleep in the new place. You need a few things clean and ready.
- Clean the bathroom you will use first, and put out fresh towels and a shower curtain.
- Wipe the mattress area and make the bed before anything else is unpacked.
- Clean the coffee station and a few dishes so the first morning is easy.
- Keep a box of cleaning supplies open near the door for touch-ups.
If you would rather have the whole home cleaned while it is still empty, our move-in and move-out cleaning is built for that. Our cleaners do not move heavy furniture or appliances, so schedule the clean before the big pieces arrive.
Moving soon and short on time? Call us or send a note with your move date. We will tell you what a move-in clean covers and when we can fit it in before you unpack.
