We’ve all heard the Tonny K. Brown quote: “Leave what you find in better condition than the way you found it.”
This old wisdom applies to your apartment too. When you move out, you’ll want to clean up for the next tenant and your security deposit.
Keep reading to learn how to clean an apartment before moving out.
What You Have to Do
Before beginning, check your lease.
Some landlords will write down what they will inspect to give back the security deposit.
So if you’re not planning to clean the apartment thoroughly, at least make sure you take care of anything that’s mentioned in your lease.
If your landlord did not give you a list, you’ll have to clean your place thoroughly.
Here’s what you have to do.
- Repair any damages
- Clean ceiling fixtures
- Wipe the walls
- Clean the glass
- Deep clean the kitchen and its appliances
- Clean the bedrooms, common areas, and closets
- Sanitize the bathroom and its fixtures
- Vacuum and mop the floors and baseboards
- Add the finishing touches
1. Repair Any Damages
One of the easiest ways to lose your deposit is by creating visible damage. When cleaning your apartment for the last time, make sure you repair any damages.
Check the place for cracks, holes, scratches, and dents. Look around the walls, floors, baseboards, and doors for any impurities.
Also, go ahead and replace any broken blinds or small appliances. You may need to contact your landlord about a malfunctioning oven or an overflowing toilet.
Pull out nails from your wall and patch any holes with putty. Then, top the spots with a fresh coat of paint. Aim to get the same color, but you might get away with a close match.
2. Clean Ceiling Fixtures
The inescapable force of gravity will drag dust down onto your lower appliances. By cleaning the ceiling first, you can save yourself time cleaning the floors.
Take a long-armed feather duster, broom, or vacuum hose. Point them to the ceiling to get rid of cobwebs, dust, and other nuisances.
If your ceiling is in rough condition, you may want to use a sponge or mop to get rid of more dirt. You could even use a wet paint roller, especially if you have a popcorn ceiling.
When using water, aim for something warm. Only add soap if you have stains to wipe.
Next, clean up the fans. Take a damp cloth and wipe off all the dust you’ve been blowing around your room. Ensure you get the blades and the base.
3. Wipe the Walls
Your walls have probably gotten a bunch of stains during your stay. Most people don’t sponge their walls during their weekly cleanings, but now’s the time.
Take a sponge and dip it in warm, soapy water. Scrub any stains until you can see the original color. While you’re at it, get the light switches and outlets.
Wipe off any soap using a clean, damp towel.
4. Clean the Windows
You’ll want to clean the windows and mirrors in your apartment.
First, use a vacuum hose to suck any dirt out of your windowsill and clean it off with a wet sponge.
You can dust your blinds with a damp cloth or wash your curtains.
Then, take Windex or another streak-free window cleaner, spray it on the surface, and wipe with a lint-free cloth.
You may need to go over the surface a few times to eliminate all of the streaks.
5. Deep Clean the Kitchen and Its Appliances
Your kitchen gathers some of the most dirt in your apartment.
You don’t want your landlord finding crackers that expired five years ago or remnants from last week’s curry.
To begin, go through your cabinets and shelves. Get rid of any expired food or unused cooking tools.
Also, use a damp cloth or sponge to wipe off any dust or food particles.
You might want to toss your ratty shelf liners and vacuum any large pieces out.
The fridge requires a similar process. Throw out any old food from the fridge and freezer. Then, use a sponge to wipe any grime from the drawers and shelves.
Make a disinfectant with distilled ⅓ cup white vinegar, 1 cup water, and a few drops of your favorite essential oil. Spritz your fridge and wipe the stains using a sponge.
You’ll need to wipe the outside and the top of the fridge as well.
Next up, clean your sink. Wipe any visible grime off the side and bleach the stains. Ensure you clean the faucet as well.
Clear out drain blockages by pouring a pint of hot or boiling water down. Then, stuff one cup of baking soda in the drain.
Pour two cups of vinegar to create a reaction, and cover the hole with a lid. Let it sit for about 30 minutes before pouring more hot or boiling water down.
Pull out your microwave dish and clean it with soap and water. Then, wipe the interior and exterior of the microwave to eliminate stains. Replace the dish when you’re done.
For the oven, dip a wet sponge in baking soda and scrub the door and walls. Wipe off the baking soda with distilled white vinegar.
Pull out the grates to clean in the sink with soap and water. Finish the oven by wiping the exterior, including the doors, knobs, buttons, and stove.
Use a disinfectant wipe to clean the door of the dishwasher. You can use a sponge to wipe any grime off the baskets.
Finish with the countertop. You can spritz the same vinegar spray from before. Wipe it off with a sponge. If you’d lie, you can use a disinfectant wipe to remove any stains.
6. Clean the Bedrooms, Common Areas, and Closets
For your bedrooms, pull off your sheets and pillows. If you brought the mattress, take it out as well. Otherwise, vacuum the mattress and padding.
Use a duster to clean the dresser, nightstands, headboard, and footboards. Pull your belongings out of the drawers and dust the insides thoroughly.
Once you remove your items from your closets, dust or vacuum the shelves or corners. Line them with removable vinyl to conceal anything mysterious and keep it cleaner in the future.
For the living room, dust the entertainment system and its drawers. You can clean the couches with a vacuum or dusting cloth.
If you have any coffee or dining tables, dust these thoroughly. Also, dust your chairs. Even if they have intricate designs, make sure you reach every nook and cranny.
7. Sanitize the Bathroom and Its Fixtures
Start by packing away your toiletries, makeup, and towels.
Go to your vanity and dust it. Then, spray an all-purpose cleaner and wipe it with a damp cloth. Pull any items out of the drawers and clean those as well.
Bleach your sink and unclog the drain like you did in the kitchen. Use bleach or a sudsy cleaner on your toilet to eliminate any germs or stains on the exterior.
For the interior, pour a cleaning product down the bowl and brush off any rings.
You can use bleach or a sudsy cleaner on your shower as well. Spray the walls, floor, and tub to remove grime and soap scum. You might want to squeegee your shower walls.
If you have an exhaust fan, use a can of air to dust it. Then, pull off the cover and wipe the interior with a sponge.
8. Vacuum and Mop the Floor
Before getting to the floor, wipe off the baseboards using a sponge or dusting cloth.
For each room that you vacuum, put any movable furniture in another room. Vacuum the ground of any debris, using the hose on the corners and wall cracks.
Then, use a mop or Swiffer Wet Jet to get rid of any stains. Use a cleaning product compatible with your flooring type. You may need to go into stubborn ones with a sponge or wipe.
On carpets or rugs, use a carpet cleaner to get rid of any stains. Depending on the lease, you might need to call a professional cleaning service.
You could invest in a steam mop to clean your floors quickly. These work on most woods, tiles, and laminates.
Also read: What Time is Okay to Vacuum in an Apartment?
9. Add the Finishing Touches
You’ve done all the big tasks, but there are a few things you can do to make your apartment sparkle.
Take a disinfectant wipe and clean all of the thermostat, doorknobs, dials, clocks, locks, buttons, and handles.
Make sure you dusted the tops of cabinets and appliances. If you have a backyard or common area between floors, you can fix those up too.
Conclusion
Apartments can acquire a lot of dirt and grime during our stay.
Approximately 10% of renters do not get their security deposits back. Of these people, 39% cited cleaning costs as the reason.
You can get back your security deposit and save your landlord some frustration by giving it a deep clean.
Now that you know how to clean an apartment before moving out, get to it!
You can make your apartment sparkle with just a few hours of hard work.
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