What should be included in a move-out cleaning checklist?

Quick answer: A proper move-out cleaning includes kitchen and bath sanitizing, inside of appliances and cabinets, interior windows and tracks, baseboards, light fixtures, outlet plates, and all floors. Across LA a 1BR move-out clean often runs $180 to $350. TurnOver LA’s Make Ready is $255 for a 1BR, studio $225, 2BR $335, 3BR+ $425, with a 48-hour turnaround.

A move-out cleaning should leave the unit rent-ready without construction dust, food residue, soap scum, or visible debris. That means kitchens and baths sanitized, appliances cleaned inside, cabinets and closets wiped, interior windows and tracks cleared, baseboards and light fixtures dusted, and floors detailed. For fast scheduling and exact pricing by unit size, Get instant quote in 30 seconds.

What should be included in a move-out cleaning?

A complete scope covers the areas that trigger most deposit disputes and rework. Expect these inclusions:

• Kitchen: inside oven, stovetop and drip pans, hood filter, refrigerator interior and gasket, microwave interior, sink and faucet, counters, backsplash, cabinet faces and interiors, pulls, and toe-kicks.
• Bathroom: toilet, tub and shower walls, grout and caulk assessment, vanity, mirrors, fan cover, fixtures, and tile edges.
• Living spaces: interior windows and tracks, sills, blinds dusting, baseboards, doors and frames, light fixtures, switches and outlet plates, closet shelves and rods.
• Floors: vacuum, mop, and edge detail including under appliances if accessible and safe.
• Trash removal: bagged household trash and small debris at the curb or bin.

TurnOver LA’s Make Ready includes a 12-point photo report, which helps when reconciling deposits under California Civil Code §1950.5. If you want the precise line-up for our base clean, see what is a make-ready and our guide to move-out cleaning in Los Angeles.

What does a landlord-friendly LA scope look like?

Owners and managers in LA care about speed to market and deposit defensibility. The cleaning must stand up to photo documentation and a reasonable standard from the California DCA Landlord-Tenant Guide. We prioritize the areas that drive complaints in Westlake, Koreatown, and North Hollywood: greasy hoods, oven racks, fridge gaskets, soap scum at tub aprons, hair in drains, and dirty window tracks. We also detail switches, outlet plates, and baseboards so fresh paint does not look cheap next to dust lines. If blinds are damaged, cleaning will not fix them, but we note it in the photo report. If we see water-damaged cabinet bases or failed caulk, we flag it for repair. The goal is simple, a unit that photographs well on day two, with no odors and no sticky surfaces. To get this on the calendar now, Get instant quote in 30 seconds.

What do cleaners handle in the kitchen?

Kitchens require the most minutes per square foot. A proper move-out clean includes degreasing the stovetop and drip pans, cleaning the oven interior and racks, wiping the hood filter and under-cabinet grease line, emptying and sanitizing the refrigerator interior, rail, bins, and gasket, and running a deodorizing wipe of the dishwasher seal and filter. Cabinet fronts and interiors get wiped, including top edges and pulls, plus counters, backsplash, sink, faucet base, and the toe-kick line where crumbs collect. Window glass, tracks, and sills are cleaned, and baseboards are dusted and wiped as needed. Floors are vacuumed, then mopped with attention to the oven and fridge footprints. We do not pull gas appliances unless shut-off and anti-tip are verified by maintenance, which is why pairing cleaning with a half-day handyman punch list at $230 is smart.

What bathroom tasks are non-negotiable?

Bathrooms sell the showing, so we target all residue. That means descaling shower walls, doors, and fixtures, scrubbing the tub or shower base, disinfecting the toilet including hinges, polishing the vanity, faucet, and mirror, wiping cabinet interiors, dusting the fan cover, and cleaning the light fixture. Grout lines are scrubbed where feasible, and we will note any failed or moldy caulk that needs replacement, since caulking is a repair, not cleaning. Floors get a perimeter edge pass. Hair and residue in drains are removed if reachable without disassembly. If you need caulk or patch work, schedule painting and drywall or add a general maintenance visit at $125 for quick fixes like loose toilet seats and wobbly P-trap escutcheons.

Should walls, paint, and patches be part of cleaning?

Cleaning removes soil. It does not repaint. In LA, you will often need paint touch-up after a clean because dust and shine imbalance become obvious. Typical market rates to repaint a bedroom are $350 to $650 per room, often more in Santa Monica and West Hollywood. TurnOver LA pricing is simple: paint touch-up only $200, repainting per room $395 per room, ceilings and baseboard or trim $125, and small drywall patch plus texture $150 per patch, medium drywall repair $240 per patch. If you need cabinet refresh in the kitchen, sand and repaint cabinets or shelving is $135. Doing both cleaning and painting within a 48-hour window is how you protect against vacancy loss, which can run $80 to $200 per day depending on submarket. Book both scopes on one ticket to cut days off market.

What is not included in move-out cleaning?

A good scope avoids scope creep into repairs or specialty remediation. These items are typically excluded or add-on services:

• Repainting, drywall repairs, and caulking, which are repairs not cleaning.
• Odor remediation beyond standard cleaning, such as pet urine extraction or heavy smoke. See our guides for pet odor removal and how to remove smoke smell.
• Window exteriors on upper floors without safe access, and screen repairs.
• Appliance moving when shut-offs are not confirmed.
• Junk left by tenants beyond bagged trash. Use a unit cleanout at $500 if needed.

If locks need changing between tenants, book a full apartment rekey at $150, or first lock rekey at $100 with $50 for each additional lock.

How long does a proper move-out clean take in LA?

Time varies by condition. A typical LA 1BR in fair condition runs 3 to 5 labor hours for a professional crew. Add time for excessive grease, ovens with baked-on carbon, or heavy hard-water scale in older Eastside buildings. The goal is not just time spent, it is sequence, so that dusting, high work, kitchen degrease, bath descale, and floors all land in the right order without rework. With TurnOver LA you get a flat 48-hour turnaround on every job, no rush upcharge. That means you can photograph and list by day two if you also schedule painting. For pure cleaning scopes, our Make Ready line is studio $225, 1 bedroom $255, 2 bedroom $335, 3BR or larger $425.

Are move-out cleaning services worth it in LA?

Yes if you value speed and deposit defensibility. Across LA, hiring professionals for a 1BR usually costs $180 to $350, sometimes higher in high-rise concierge buildings. You recover that through faster leasing in Koreatown, DTLA, or Glendale, where vacancy loss is $80 to $200 per day. Our Make Ready bundles deep cleaning with a 12-point photo report that supports itemized deductions and reduces back-and-forth under the 21-day rule covered in our guide to California 21 day deposit return. If you want set pricing and day-two readiness, Get instant quote in 30 seconds.

How much should I charge or pay for move-out cleaning in LA?

For context, market prices in LA commonly look like this: studios $150 to $250, 1BR $180 to $350, 2BR $250 to $450, 3BR $300 to $600, with extras for inside ovens and fridges. TurnOver LA pricing is fixed and includes the interiors: studio $225, 1 bedroom $255, 2 bedroom $335, 3BR or larger $425. If you compare against hourly quotes, $50 per hour can be fine if the scope is defined, but flat rates with specific inclusions reduce haggling and risk. When repairs are needed, add a half-day handyman punch list for $230 or a full-day for $425 to close issues in one visit.

How do you document cleaning for deposit deductions?

California requires itemized, reasonable deductions and timely accounting under California Civil Code §1950.5. Use before and after photos of the oven interior, fridge shelves and gasket, tub and grout, window tracks, and baseboards. Keep date-stamped images and the paid invoice. Our Make Ready includes a 12-point photo report that maps to common dispute areas and pairs well with a checklist. See our apartment turnover checklist and the California Tenants Guide for expectations on cleanliness versus normal wear and tear. AB 12 now caps most residential deposits, which makes clean documentation even more important. You can review the current statute at AB 12 (2023) security deposit cap.

Step-by-step move-out cleaning sequence landlords use

Use this order to avoid rework and missed edges:

1. Walk the unit, empty trash, and stage tools. Note obvious repairs for a general maintenance visit at $125.
2. High dust from top to bottom, including vents and light fixtures. Remove fan covers for cleaning.
3. Kitchen degrease and appliance interiors. Let chemicals dwell while you detail cabinets and backsplash.
4. Bathroom descale and disinfect, then polish fixtures and mirrors.
5. Interior windows and tracks, sills, blinds dust, doors, frames, switches, and plates.
6. Closets and baseboards, then edge vacuum.
7. Mop from back rooms to exit. Reinstall clean vent covers, then final photo set for records.

For owners under the LAHD Rent Stabilization Ordinance, cleaning expectations do not replace maintenance obligations. You can review the ordinance framework at the LAHD Rent Stabilization Ordinance. When you are ready to move, book cleaning, painting, and repairs in one shot, then add the TLA Launch Pad Media Package at $399 to list fast. Get instant quote in 30 seconds.

What about post-clean add-ons that speed leasing?

A clean unit leases faster when paired with small fixes and fresh media. If junk is left behind, our unit cleanout or junk haul is $500 per load. If paint scuffs are visible, paint touch-up is $200, or repainting per room is $395 per room. Reset locks between tenants with a full apartment rekey at $150, or lock rekey front plus deadbolt at $110. Finish with the TLA Launch Pad Media Package at $399 to get listing photos in the same 48-hour window. All of these pair directly with the Make Ready deep clean under one work order so you lose fewer days on market.

What is a good turnover rate for apartments and how does cleaning help?

In LA, a healthy turnover rate depends on asset class and tenant profile, but many small buildings in Koreatown, Mid City, and Glendale stabilize near 35 to 55 percent annual turnover. Cleaning does not change the math, yet it shortens vacancy and supports deposit compliance. Fast, consistent turn standards reduce staff time spent on re-cleans and disputes, which matters more as deposits are limited under AB 12. If you need a broader budgeting view, see our guides to apartment turnover cost in Los Angeles and property managers vacancy loss in Los Angeles.