Move-In Cleaning Checklist: What to Clean Before the Boxes Arrive

The best time to clean a new home is after the previous occupant and any contractors have left and before the moving truck arrives. For a few hours every cabinet, closet shelf, wall edge and patch of floor is fully exposed. Once furniture and boxes are in, most of that access is gone for years.

This checklist uses the empty-home window in the right order: get ready, clean storage first, work from high to low, reset the kitchen and bathrooms, and finish the floors on your way out.

Before you start: make sure the home is ready

• Repairs and painting are finished. Sanding, patching and painting create dust. Cleaning before they are done means cleaning twice.
• Utilities are on. You need hot water, power for a vacuum and light in every room.
• Debris is gone. Contractor waste and anything the last occupant left should be removed first.
• Existing damage is recorded. Photograph stains, holes, chips and water marks before you clean. If you rent, this is your move-in evidence.
• Hazards are handled by specialists. Active mold, sewage, pests or sharps need the right professional, not a cleaning crew.

If the home has just been renovated, book post-construction cleaning rather than a standard move-in clean. Fine construction dust needs a different approach.

Step 1: clean inside every storage space

Storage interiors come first because they need time to dry before you fill them, and because you will never have this access again.

• Kitchen cabinets and drawers, including drawer runners and shelf supports.
• Pantry shelves and corners.
• Bathroom vanities and medicine cabinets.
• Bedroom and hall closets: shelves, rails and floor.
• Linen cupboards and laundry shelving.

Vacuum crumbs and dust first, then wipe with a damp cloth and a mild cleaner. Leave doors open so everything dries before dishes, food and clothes go in.

Step 2: work from high surfaces down

Dust falls. Clean the highest surfaces before counters and floors so nothing lands on finished work.

1. Ceiling fans and light fixtures.
2. Air vent covers and return grilles.
3. Tops of door frames, window frames and high ledges.
4. Tops of kitchen cabinets and the fridge.
5. Light switches, door handles, railings and interior doors.
6. Baseboards, last.

Use a microfiber cloth that is barely damp for most of this. It traps dust instead of pushing it around, and it will not leave water marks on painted trim. Change cloths often; a dusty cloth only moves dirt from one surface to the next.

Step 3: reset the kitchen

Clean counters, backsplash, sink and faucet. If appliances stay with the home, empty and clean the fridge shelves and drawers, clean inside the oven when it needs it, and clean the dishwasher filter according to the manufacturer's instructions. Pull out appliances you can move safely and clean the floor and wall behind them. Let the fridge return to temperature before loading food. If the oven or fridge is heavily soiled, appliance cleaning can be added on its own.

Step 4: reset the bathrooms

Clean the toilet inside and out, including the base and bolts. Scrub the tub or shower, glass, tile and grout, then the sink, faucet, mirror and storage interiors. Remove mineral film from fixtures and rinse off any residue. Use a suitable disinfectant on high-touch surfaces and leave it wet for the contact time stated on the label, then wipe or rinse as directed. Run the exhaust fan and wipe its cover. Replace the shower curtain liner and toilet seat if they came with the home and you would rather start fresh.

Step 5: windows, walls and floors

• Vacuum window tracks, then wipe tracks and sills.
• Clean reachable interior glass and mirrors.
• Spot-clean walls only with a method suited to the paint. Test in a hidden spot first.
• Record any stains or marks that remain, so they are not confused with moving damage.
• Vacuum carpet edges, closets and stairs.
• Clean hard floors with the right product for the surface, working toward the exit.
• Let floors dry fully, then put a clean mat at the entrance.

For what to unpack and clean once you are in, see our guide to first-night move-in cleaning priorities.

What a professional move-in clean costs

Doing all of this yourself takes most of a day for an average home, on top of moving. A professional crew handles it while you deal with keys, utilities and the truck. Our published move-in prices:

The medians come from 616 move-in and move-out cleans in our own job records and include add-ons such as inside appliances and carpets. Supplies are included. To see how this compares with the clean at the other end of a move, read move-in vs. move-out cleaning.

Booking it around your move

Whoever does the clean, keep a small box aside that does not go on the truck: paper towels, a microfiber cloth, dish soap, a multi-surface spray, toilet paper, trash bags and a doormat. It covers the first evening before the rest is unpacked.

Book the clean for the day you get the keys, or the day before the truck arrives if you have a gap. Tell us whether appliances need cleaning inside, and whether any repairs are still under way. A move-in clean is priced and confirmed before booking, with 10% off online and free rescheduling with 24 hours' notice if your moving date shifts.