General Apartment:

• Remove all belongings and clean thoroughly before your carpet cleaning appointment. Carpets are the last thing to be done before checkout.
• Remove all personal belongings from the apartment.
• Remove all nails, pins, or other objects from the walls.
• Clean all woodwork: trim, baseboards and doors.
• All windows(on the inside) must be cleaned including the frame, track and sills.
• First floor, clean the outside of the windows as much as safely possible.
• Gently clean the screen on both sides with a damp cloth. Blinds must be cleaned carefully, use a feather duster for light dust or a damp cloth to wipe each slat.
• All light fixtures inside and outside must be cleaned and free of dust and bugs.
• Don’t forget to clean your return air vents in the ceiling-they get quite dusty!
• Replace light bulbs as needed in all light fixtures including fridge.
• Make sure all smoke detectors are present and batteries are functional.
• Make sure fire extinguisher is present.
• Clean all heat registers, outlet covers and light switches.
• Clean all ceiling fans (if applicable).
• Remove all items and sweep garage, storage closet and basement (if applicable).

Kitchen:

• Clean counter tops, windows and sills.
• Clean all light fixtures inside and out. Replace bulbs if needed.
• Pull stove and fridge out carefully and clean behind and under.
• Refrigerator: Defrost, wipe out crumbs. Use diluted bleach or a disinfectant spray on all inside surfaces and rinse clean. Clean rubber gaskets around both doors. After washing, shine door and top with Windex. Roll the refrigerator forward carefully, not to damage the vinyl and wash the walls and woodwork and mop floor beneath fridge.
• Dishwasher: Clean inside trays and racks and outside of door, especially edges. Clean seal.
• Stove: Clean oven and racks / trays with oven cleaner. Raise the stove top by removing the coils and bowls and lifting the front of the stove top, prop open with the stands on the sides. Clean area under stove top and clean burners. Clean burner drip pans or purchase replacement pans (Wal-Mart). Clean broiler pan and drawer. Remove broiler drawer and clean vinyl floor under stove. Clean all knobs.
• Range Hood: Clean hood fan and light area with surface cleaner to remove spatters and residue. Clean filter with water and detergent. Replace light bulb if needed.
• Floor and Sink: Sweep all vinyl flooring before you mop with a disinfectant solution. Clean and shine chrome faucets (Windex) and basin.
• Cabinets: Clean and wipe out insides of all cabinets and drawers. Clean and polish outside of cabinets and drawers and double check that everything has been removed.
• Microwave: Clean entire inside, including plate, top, sides and door. Clean outside including vents and wash filter with soapy water. Clean lights and make sure they are in working order.

Bathroom(s):

• Clean light covers and exhaust fan.
• Clean baseboards. Sweep floor and then mop the floors with disinfectant
• Bathtub: Clean residue from doors and metal runs. Clean tub, doors, chrome and walls. Remove all soap residues, mineral deposits and water stains. Do a no residue-test with your hand.
• Medicine Cabinet and Vanity: Clean inside shelves and mirror door track of medicine cabinet. Clean the mirror with glass cleaner. Wash top and inside of cabinet. Clean inside the vanity drawers with damp cloth.
• Stool, Sink, Towel Rack: Clean and shine stool completely (also around bowl). Clean sink, towel racks and toilet paper holders. Polish chrome.

Floors:

• Make sure to vacuum entire carpeted area, especially along baseboards and behind doors. Carpet cleaning companies will charge you extra to vacuum
• Hardwood floors: make sure to sweep and clean. Use Bona Floor Cleaner for best results on new LVT flooring.

The Most Commonly Missed Areas of Cleaning That Are Deducted out of Security Deposits Are:

• Stove/Oven: Not cleaned well enough lift & clean under stove top
• Oven Drawer: People tend to forget
• Pull out appliances and mop/clean underneath: People tend to forget
• Ceiling Fans: People tend to forget
• Bathtubs: Not cleaned well enough, still has soap residue – Mr. Clean Magic Erasers and/or Ajax with strong scrubber/sponge
• Toilets: People forget or don’t clean well enough