The Move-Out Cleaning Checklist (Deposit Edition)
Move-out cleaning has one audience: the person deciding your deposit. That person checks the same five things every time. Clean to the checklist, photograph the results, and the "cleaning fee" line has nowhere to live.
What actually gets checked
- **The fridge** — emptied, wiped, shelves washed; leave it plugged in and closed (a warm sealed fridge grows a lawsuit)
- **The oven and stovetop** — the #1 cited "cleaning fee" item; oven cleaner + one hour beats a $150 deduction
- **The bathroom** — tub ring, toilet, mirror, and the exhaust vent dust nobody remembers
- **Floors** — swept and mopped after the boxes leave; get corners and under where furniture stood (the dust silhouettes)
- **Walls and doors** — scuff-erase, patch nail holes, wipe light switches and door handles
What "broom clean" means
Most leases require "broom clean" condition: empty of belongings and trash, swept/mopped, surfaces wiped — not a deep clean or shampooed carpets. Anything beyond that standard being deducted is challengeable, which is exactly why your after-photos matter.
DIY vs. hiring it out
The full checklist is 3–4 focused hours in a typical 1BR. Move-out cleaning services run roughly $150–300 in NYC and are worth it when the move-out and move-in are the same exhausting day — schedule them for the morning after the truck leaves, then do the final photo pass and key return yourself.
FAQs
What does broom-clean condition mean?
The standard most leases require at move-out: empty of belongings and trash, floors swept and mopped, surfaces wiped. It does not mean deep-cleaned — deductions beyond that standard are challengeable with photos.
What do landlords check most at move-out?
The fridge, the oven, the bathroom, floors (especially where furniture stood), and wall scuffs/nail holes. Those five produce nearly every cleaning-fee deduction.