What Do Apartment Cleaning Services Cost in Los Angeles?

Quick answer: Across Los Angeles, advertised independent apartment cleaning labor commonly runs about $30 to $46 an hour. TurnOver LA's Make Ready package, which includes a deep clean and 12-point photo report, is $225 for a studio, $255 for a one-bedroom, $335 for a two-bedroom, and $425 for a three-bedroom or larger unit, with a flat 48-hour turnaround.

Apartment cleaning services in Los Angeles are not one interchangeable product. A recurring cleaner handles upkeep, while a vacant-unit deep clean has to expose condition, prepare the next showing, and avoid leaving a manager to discover grease, hair, or cabinet debris after the crew leaves. Get instant quote in 30 seconds

How much do apartment cleaning services cost in Los Angeles?

For general market context, LA cleaning providers and independent housekeepers commonly advertise about $30 to $46 per hour. The final market cost depends on the unit's condition, access, parking, pets, kitchen grease, bathroom buildup, and whether the cleaner is doing maintenance cleaning or a turnover-level reset. A 1,200-square-foot apartment that has been regularly maintained may need fewer labor hours than a smaller unit with a neglected oven, shower glass, and full cabinets.

TurnOver LA does not treat that general hourly range as its Make Ready price. Its flat Make Ready rates are $225 for a studio, $255 for a one-bedroom, $335 for a two-bedroom, and $425 for a three-bedroom or larger apartment. The package includes the deep clean and a 12-point photo report. For cleaning without the turnover reporting package, review the deep cleaning service scope and request a job-specific quote.

A vacant day has its own cost. In neighborhoods where vacancy loss runs $80 to $200 per day, waiting for a cleaner, then waiting again to identify missed items, can cost more than a properly sequenced turnover.

What is usually included in a deep apartment cleaning?

A turnover deep clean should address the places a resident uses but a showing prospect notices quickly: cabinet interiors, appliance exteriors and accessible interiors, sink edges, shower walls, toilet bases, floors, baseboards, switches, doors, mirrors, and reachable dust. The purpose is not to make an older apartment look newly built. It is to return it to a clean, rentable condition and make remaining repair or wear items visible.

In practice, the kitchen and bathroom determine whether a unit feels finished. Kitchen work should include degreasing the cooktop area, cleaning drawer and cabinet interiors, and checking beneath the sink for debris or leaks. Bathroom work should focus on grout lines, fixture mineral buildup, hair at drains, vanity interiors, and the toilet exterior. See the detailed move-out cleaning guide for a room-by-room standard.

A true deep clean is different from a quick wipe-down between occupants. It should leave a clear view of paint damage, drywall holes, failed caulk, loose hardware, and worn flooring so the next trade can work without redoing the cleaner's labor.

Who is responsible for move-out cleaning in California?

The tenant is generally responsible for returning the rental as clean as it was when possession began, except for ordinary wear and tear. The landlord can use the deposit for reasonable cleaning needed to restore that condition, but cannot charge a departing tenant simply because the unit is older or because normal use has occurred. The rule is condition-based, not a blanket automatic cleaning fee.

For the legal baseline, review California Civil Code §1950.5 and the California DCA Landlord-Tenant Guide. In a turnover file, keep the move-in condition record, move-out photos, invoices, and a clear explanation of work performed. California also has a deposit accounting timeline, covered in this guide to the 21-day deposit return rule.

For LA rent-stabilized units, cleaning decisions still need the same practical documentation. The LAHD Rent Stabilization Ordinance is relevant to the broader tenancy and local rental framework, but it does not turn ordinary wear into tenant-caused cleaning damage. Separate actual residue, trash, and excessive grime from age-related fading and normal scuffing.

What should be on an apartment cleanup checklist?

A workable apartment cleanup checklist follows the order of the turnover, not the order in which someone happens to walk through the unit. Start with documentation and empty-space work before cleaning. Then clean before paint touch-ups and final access checks, so each step reveals the work that follows.

1. Photograph every room, appliance, cabinet interior, and visible damage before work starts.
2. Remove tenant property and trash, then check closets, storage areas, patios, and under sinks.
3. Test lights, outlets, smoke detectors, faucets, toilets, doors, windows, and locks.
4. Deep clean the kitchen, bathrooms, floors, fixtures, cabinets, and reachable surfaces.
5. Mark paint, drywall, hardware, and safety repairs after the dirt is removed.
6. Complete repairs and paint touch-ups, then recheck the unit for dust or debris.
7. Document the finished condition for the owner, leasing staff, or deposit file.

The apartment turnover checklist expands this sequence. One operational advantage of documenting before cleaning is that it prevents a repair issue from being mislabeled as a cleaning miss after the fact.

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Is a deep clean enough to make a vacant unit rent-ready?

Sometimes, but not always. A clean unit can still have visible wall scuffs, nail holes, a loose cabinet pull, a dripping trap, or a lock that was not rekeyed after possession changes. Cleaning is the right first trade because it exposes what is actually left. It is not a substitute for correcting the items that affect security, safety, or the prospect's first impression.

For a straightforward vacant unit, TurnOver LA's Make Ready service pairs a deep clean with a 12-point photo report. That report gives the manager a usable record of condition after the clean, rather than relying on a verbal update. If the cleaned unit reveals maintenance items, a general maintenance and safety visit is $125, a half-day handyman punch list is $230, and a full-day handyman punch list is $425.

Painting and materials should stay separate from the cleaning decision. Paint touch-up only is $200, while repainting is $395 per room. Labor and the crew's own supplies are covered in the quote. Paint, parts, and fixtures needed for the job are identified at the on-site inspection and added only with owner approval.

How should a manager schedule cleaning around repairs and painting?

Schedule in a sequence that avoids paying twice for the same surfaces. First, remove debris and document the condition. Next, complete the deep clean. Once grease, dust, and tenant belongings are gone, the manager can make an accurate decision on drywall, paint, plumbing, or hardware. Then complete repair work, paint, and a final touch-up clean if the repair scope created dust.

This order matters in older LA buildings, especially units with repeated patching or heavy kitchen use. Cleaning paint-splattered baseboards after a painter leaves, or repainting walls before confirming which marks were dirt, is wasted motion. If the work includes a small drywall patch and texture, the listed price is $150 per patch. A medium drywall repair is $240 per patch. Those are separate repair line items, not cleaning charges.

Every TurnOver LA job has a flat 48-hour turnaround with no rush or same-day upcharge. That lets a manager set a showing schedule around a defined operational window instead of stacking separate vendors with uncertain arrival times.

Does it make sense to tip a cleaner on a $500 bill?

Tipping is optional, not a required part of an apartment turnover invoice. For a private house cleaner, some clients choose 15% to 20% for exceptional work, which would be $75 to $100 on a $500 bill. Others give a flat amount per crew member. Either approach is discretionary, and it should not replace clear scope, documented results, or payment for approved additional work.

For landlord turnovers, the more useful question is whether the invoice identifies what the crew completed and what still needs a decision. A clean apartment with photos, noted exceptions, and a completed checklist is easier to hand to leasing, ownership, or a new resident. If a unit needs a larger trash removal scope, a unit cleanout or junk haul is $500, with an additional junk load at $500 per load.

Do not use a tip to solve a scope problem. If an oven interior, cabinet interiors, patio, or appliance move-out is expected, put it in the work order before the crew arrives.

How do you choose an apartment cleaning service for a turnover?

Choose the provider based on the outcome you need, not just the lowest advertised hourly rate. For a resident-occupied home, continuity and a recurring schedule may matter most. For a vacant apartment, the priority is a defined cleaning scope, access coordination, condition documentation, and a process for handing off repair findings. Ask how the crew handles cabinets, appliances, pet odor, drains, trash, and items that are discovered after cleaning begins.

Also confirm the difference between normal wear and tenant-caused condition before using any invoice in a deposit deduction. This guide on normal wear and tear in California helps keep that distinction practical. The goal is not to bill every turnover cost back to the departing resident. It is to clean the unit, document its condition, make approved repairs, and return it to the market without avoidable vacant days.

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