Quick answer: A solid apartment cleaning list covers every surface and touchpoint in each room: kitchen, bath, living areas, bedrooms and entry. Include inside appliances and cabinets, fixtures, baseboards, vents, switches, hardware, windows and floors. For move outs, add oven, fridge interior, grout, caulk, blinds and trash removal. Expect 25 to 35 line items for a 1BR.
A reliable apartment cleaning list is room by room and touchpoint driven. For a typical LA 1BR, list 25 to 35 tasks that include fixtures, surfaces, inside appliances and cabinets, glass, floors and final disinfecting touches. If you are moving out or turning a unit, add detail items like grout, caulk, blinds and appliance pull outs. Get instant quote in 30 seconds
What belongs on an apartment cleaning list by room?
Start with the rooms and then drill into touchpoints. Kitchen: degrease the stovetop and control knobs, clean oven interior and racks, wipe range hood filters, clean microwave inside and out, scrub sink and faucet base, empty and wipe cabinets and drawers, clean fridge shelves, bins, gasket and coils if accessible, and finish with counters, backsplash, outlets, switches and floors. Bath: scrub tub, shower walls and glass, descale fixtures, clean grout and refresh caulk if needed, disinfect toilet including hinges, clean vanity, mirror and light bar, empty and wipe vanity drawers, dust fan housing and wash vent cover, and mop floors including behind the toilet. Living, bed and hall: dust from high to low, fan blades, blinds, tops of doors and trim, window tracks, interior glass, switches and plates, door hardware, baseboards, vents and return grilles, closet shelves and rods, then vacuum and mop. Entry: door, threshold, peephole and doormat area, plus any mail slots and intercom faceplates.
What is the 20/10 rule for cleaning and how do I use it?
The 20/10 rule asks you to work 20 minutes, then rest 10 minutes. It prevents burnout and helps you chunk a long list into repeatable sprints. For a 1BR, run four to six 20 minute blocks per half day. Block 1 handles kitchen degrease, Block 2 hits inside appliances, Block 3 tackles bath fixtures, Block 4 covers grout and glass, Block 5 dusts and details living areas, Block 6 mops and finishes floors. Use the breaks to reset tools, empty dirty water and stage the next zone. This cadence pairs well with a move out because drying and dwell times happen during your breaks. If you are under a hard deadline for photos or showings, set a timer and stick to it so priority items finish first.
What is apartment turnover cleaning and what extra items make the difference?
Turnover cleaning is a move out deep clean aimed at rent ready showings. It adds detail tasks most routine lists skip. Expect oven and drip pan degrease, fridge and freezer interiors, cabinet interiors, grout scrub, caulk refresh where sagged or moldy, vent cover washing, light fixture bowls and shades, blind slat wipe down, window track vacuum and wash, closet shelf dust and disinfect, and floor edging under toe kicks. In LA, plan for odor touchups from cooking, smoke or pets, and pair with targeted odor remediation where needed. For odor specifics, see our guides on pet odor removal and smoke smell removal. A good turnover ends with a final walkthrough in daylight, windows open, and photos to document condition.
What should I prioritize if I have one day before photos or showings?
If you are 24 hours from showings, focus on high impact visuals and smells. First, make the kitchen gleam: stovetop, counters, sink, faucet base and visible appliance faces. Second, hit the bath glass, fixtures and toilet. Third, dust and wipe eye level horizontal surfaces, door fronts and handles. Fourth, detail the entry door and threshold. Fifth, mop visible floors in a figure eight pattern to avoid streaks. If you are listing, schedule media only after these are done so you get the best result from the camera. Our TLA Launch Pad listing media is a single package at $399. Across LA, listing photos often run $250 to $600 for a similar scope, then add-ons for floor plans or rush fees. With us it is one flat package, no rush add, and we can pair it with Make Ready within 48 hours. Get instant quote in 30 seconds
How is move out cleaning different from routine cleaning?
Move out cleaning is comprehensive and once-per-tenant. Routine is lighter and recurring. The table below shows the usual differences and where our Make Ready fits.
| Scope item | Routine cleaning | Move out cleaning | TurnOver LA Make Ready |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appliance interiors | Not included or spot only | Full oven and fridge interior | Included in Make Ready |
| Cabinets and drawers | Exterior wipe | Emptied and wiped inside | Included in Make Ready |
| Grout and caulk | Light scrub | Deep scrub, caulk touchup if needed | Deep scrub, caulk evaluated |
| Vent covers and light shades | Dust only | Remove and wash | Washed where accessible |
| Photo documentation | Rare | Sometimes | 12 point photo report included |
If you need paint touch ups, small drywall patches or minor repairs, add maintenance items after cleaning so you are not painting dust into the finish.
Need the unit turned before the next tenant?
We do the move-out clean and send you a photo report you can attach to the deposit itemization.
Get an instant quoteWhat supplies and tools work best in LA apartments without causing damage?
Use neutral or lightly alkaline degreasers on painted cabinets and doors to avoid dulling the sheen. Avoid abrasive powders on 1920s bath tile and older West Adams or Koreatown tubs. On quartz counters common in new Downtown LA and Hollywood buildings, skip bleach and high pH. Use a nylon brush for grout, a plastic scraper for glass cooktops, microfiber cloths for dusting and glass, and a vacuum crevice tool for window tracks. For stainless, wipe with the grain using a dedicated stainless cleaner or diluted dish soap, then buff dry. Always test a small area first. For vents and fans, remove the cover and wash it in warm soapy water, then vacuum the cavity before reattaching. Use cold water on first pass for blood or protein stains on walls or floors, then treat per material guidance.
What should landlords include to stay compliant with California deposit rules?
Your list should document cleaning work and condition at move out. Take time and date stamped photos of inside appliances, inside cabinets, fixtures, floors, and problem areas like grout and caulk. Keep receipts for supplies and any third party services. California requires itemized deductions and timely return of any balance within 21 days. See the statute in California Civil Code §1950.5 and the state’s California DCA Landlord-Tenant Guide. For timelines and templates, see our guide on the 21 day deposit return. If your unit is under the LAHD Rent Stabilization Ordinance, also review the city’s rules for notices and just cause, since cleaning often coincides with regulated turnovers.
What does a professional turnover typically cost in LA and what does TurnOver LA charge?
Across LA, a 1BR move out deep clean with inside appliances often runs $200 to $400. With TurnOver LA, Make Ready is a flat $255 for a 1BR, and it includes a 12 point photo report with a 48 hour turnaround. Studios across LA commonly price at $150 to $300, ours is $225. Two bedrooms are often $300 to $550 across the market, ours is $335. Three bedrooms across LA are often $400 to $700, ours is $425. For add ons, LA market repaint per room is commonly $300 to $600, ours is $395 per room, with ceilings and baseboards at $125 and paint touch up at $200. Handyman half days across LA are usually $250 to $450, ours is $230 for a half day or $425 for a full day, with a $125 safety visit if you just want a quick punch. Junk haul in LA is often $200 to $500 per load. Our unit cleanout is Studio $200, 1 Bedroom $310, 2 Bedroom $420, 3BR or larger $420, with $200 per extra load. Need locks handled the same window? LA market rekeys are often $125 to $200. Our full apartment rekey is $150, or the front plus deadbolt at $110. Smart lock installs across LA often run $150 to $300, ours are $210. Get instant quote in 30 seconds
Can I turn a unit in 48 hours without losing rent?
Yes, if you stage the work in the right order and do not wait on paint to dry before cleaning the rest. Vacancy loss in LA runs roughly $80 to $200 per day depending on submarket and season. A 48 hour plan looks like this: 1) Day 1 morning, remove trash, pull appliances, start degrease and run the first pass on bathrooms. 2) Day 1 mid day, paint touch ups or a per room repaint while the kitchen dries. 3) Day 1 late day, inside appliances and cabinet interiors, then set fans for drying. 4) Day 2 morning, grout scrub, caulk touchups where needed, vent covers and light shades washed. 5) Day 2 mid day, dust high to low, windows and tracks, blinds, then floors and edging. 6) Day 2 late day, hardware polish, thresholds and a final photo pass. This sequence keeps trades out of each other’s way and hits the photo critical items first so you can list even if one room needs a second coat of paint.
What is a turnover checklist and how is it different from a cleaning list?
A turnover checklist is the broader scope that includes cleaning, repairs, painting, locks, safety and documentation. A cleaning list is a subset of that. A typical turnover checklist includes unit access, utilities on, safety trip, cleanout, Make Ready, paint and repairs, lock work, final walk and photos, and listing preparation. For examples, see our apartment turnover checklist and our explainer on what Make Ready includes. If you need help beyond cleaning, see our service pages for Make Ready, painting and drywall, and a punch friendly handyman service.
A simple 10 item apartment cleaning list you can reuse every time
- Collect trash and remove from unit. 2) Start oven degrease and soak racks. 3) Empty and wipe all cabinets and drawers. 4) Clean fridge interior, shelves and bins. 5) Scrub bath fixtures, then grout and caulk lines. 6) Dust high to low, fans to baseboards. 7) Wash vent covers and light shades. 8) Clean glass and mirrors streak free. 9) Detail switches, plates, door handles and thresholds. 10) Vacuum, edge, then mop from the back of the unit to the exit. Save your list and attach time estimates based on unit size so you can budget labor on the next turn.
Where this matters most in LA
Older stock in Mid City and Highland Park often needs more grout and caulk attention, plus vent cover washing. Newer stock in Playa Vista and Downtown LA needs less degrease, but careful stainless and quartz care. Small-footprint apartments in West Hollywood benefit from appliance pull outs since buildup is more visible to the eye. Keep these local differences in mind when building your list so you do not miss what prospective renters notice first.