Apartments In Asheville: 5 Move-Out Cleaning Tips You Should Know

How to Clean Your Apartment When Moving Out

Before moving out of your old apartment to White Oak Grove in Asheville, your old apartment definitely should be cleaned. Follow our ultimate apartment cleaning checklist to ensure you get your full rental deposit back! Most renters don’t pay much attention to the end-of-lease clean-up, but in fact it is often a stipulation on leases, where, if you don’t do a proper cleaning, you risk losing part of your security check, just as if you had broken something. So before saying farewell to your old place, here’s what you need to clean beforehand.

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5 Tips for Deep Cleaning Your Apartment Before Moving Out

The first place to start with deep cleaning your apartment is to follow common sense. Most likely, your lease doesn’t include unreasonable expectations for cleaning. Doing a thorough cleaning of the carpet, washing windows, sweeping up dust, washing the bath, etc. are all likely part of the cleaning expectations. Beyond that, here are some tips to help you get a clearer idea of what to do:

#1: Understand Your Responsibilities

The first place to start with deep cleaning your apartment is often to refer to your lease. It’s not uncommon for apartment complexes to charge tenants for cleaning services after they have left, such as blind and carpet cleaning — or even carpet replacement. Some leases specify exact amounts, while others depend on the cost of the company your old landlord hires for the cleaning.

#2: Talk to Your Landlord

If the lease doesn’t answer your questions, speaking with your landlord can help clarify how thoroughly you are expected to clean the apartment before you leave. In some cases, they may tell you that they hire cleaning services no matter what, and, in those cases you may want to ask them for an estimate of how much that will cost you.

#3: Make a Checklist

When cleaning an apartment, just like any space, working from the top down keeps you from having to clean lower areas more than once. Making a checklist is helpful and sets you up for scheduling in time to do the cleaning step-by-step with greater efficiency. Here’s an example checklist:

Remove cobwebs from the ceiling
Dust blinds
Wash the windows
Pull out nails, patch up walls
Check and replace lights as necessary
Check smoke detectors
Clean walls and baseboards
Vacuum the carpet
Vacuum and/or mop all other floors

Another way to break down the list, is to go through it room by room:

Kitchen

Wipe down above the fridge
Wipe down cabinets, inside and out
Clean out the fridge and the freezer
Degrease the oven
Wash the tile

Bathroom

Wash toilet, inside and out
Deep clean the shower
Remove streaks on the mirror
Clean out under the sink

Bedroom/Living Room

Wash the windows
Vacuum
Clean the closet
Wash baseboards

Other Spaces

Sweep, dust, or scrub the…

Patio
Porch
Etc.

#4: Conduct Necessary Repairs

Broken blinds or holes in the wall can lead to you not receiving your full security deposit. Go around and check for any damages that require repairs and get that taken care of, either yourself or by hiring a service company to take care of it.

#5: Request a Final Walk-Through

Once you have completed your deep cleaning and it is about time to hand over your keys, it’s a good idea to ask for an exit walk-through with your landlord. This gives them a chance to check out the state of the apartment you’re leaving them, so there are no surprises with issues cropping up unexpectedly later on. If this isn’t an option, it’s a good idea to take photos of the state of the apartment when you left, as proof just in case your old landlord doesn’t want to give you your full security deposit back.

Move Out Cleaning Helps More Than Just Yourself

You’re not just helping your landlord out, you’re helping out whoever is moving into your old apartment after you. Just like you wouldn’t want to move into a new place and have it stink and have stains, neither do other people! What you leave behind doesn’t only impact your security deposit, it also is a reflection on you. Being courteous and clean is something we all can get behind!

Once you have finished your move out deep clean at your old apartment, you’re ready to move to your new one! Still looking for a new place to live? If you are moving to West Asheville, or would like to, White Oak Grove Apartments is in a great location, has very competitive prices, and many desirable community amenities.

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