Washington Deposit Deductions for Cleaning and Carpet (2026): What Landlords Can Charge After HB 1074

Washington changed its deposit law in 2023. Landlords now have 30 days, not 21, to return a deposit, but they must back every charge with paperwork, cannot charge for wear from ordinary use, and can withhold money for carpet cleaning only when they document wear beyond ordinary use. This guide focuses on the part renters ask about most: what cleaning a Washington landlord can and cannot take from your deposit, and how to leave a rental so cleaning costs you nothing. It is general information, not legal advice; laws change, so check the current statute. For a broader overview, see Washington tenant move-out rights.

The rules at a glance

Washington deposit rules on cleaning (RCW 59.18.260 and 59.18.280, as amended in 2023), checked October 2026

Rule	What it means for cleaning
Move-in checklist	A deposit can only be collected with a written lease and a signed checklist of the home’s condition and cleanliness
Deadline	30 days after the tenancy ends to refund or send a full and specific written statement
Proof	Charges must be supported by estimates, invoices or receipts; for the landlord’s own work, the time spent and hourly rate
Ordinary use	No charges for wear resulting from ordinary use of the home
Undocumented items	No charges for items whose condition was not reasonably documented on the move-in checklist
Carpet	No withholding for carpet cleaning unless wear beyond ordinary use is documented
Partial damage	A charge cannot exceed the cost of repairing or replacing the damaged part

Why the move-in checklist decides most cleaning disputes

The checklist describes the condition and cleanliness of the home and its furnishings when you move in, signed and dated by you and the landlord. At move-out, the landlord compares the home with it. If the checklist says the oven was clean and you leave it greasy, a cleaning charge is likely fair. If the checklist says nothing about the oven, or notes it was already dirty, a charge is much harder to justify. Find your copy before you start cleaning, and clean to the standard it records.

If you never received a checklist, a landlord generally should not have collected a deposit at all. That matters a great deal if a dispute comes up.

Wear from ordinary use

The 2023 change replaced “normal wear and tear” with “wear resulting from ordinary use,” and made clear it includes items that break down or stop working because of age. In practice, these are usually not chargeable:

• Faded or lightly scuffed paint, and small nail holes
• Carpet worn flat in walkways after years of use
• Appliances or fixtures that stopped working because they were old
• Light grime in places the checklist did not mention

Damage from negligence, carelessness, accidents or abuse by you, your household or guests can still be charged.

What cleaning can be charged

• Usually chargeable: a greasy oven or range hood the checklist recorded as clean, a fridge left with food or mold, bathrooms with heavy soap scum or mildew, trash or belongings left behind, pet hair, odors and stains
• Usually not chargeable: a standard “cleaning fee” with no invoice, cleaning of items not on the checklist, and dirt that was already recorded at move-in
• Proof: each charge needs an estimate, invoice or receipt; if the landlord did the work, the bill should show the time spent and the hourly rate

Carpet cleaning

Since 2023, a Washington landlord may not withhold deposit money for carpet cleaning unless they document wear beyond ordinary use. A carpet that is simply used, with traffic lanes and some flattening, should not mean an automatic carpet-cleaning charge. Stains, pet accidents, burns and heavy soiling are different. Vacuum thoroughly before you leave, treat stains early, and photograph every carpeted room once it is clean.

Mildew and condensation

Black spots on window frames and sills are common in western Washington homes, especially with older windows. Light spotting from condensation in a home you aired and heated normally looks like ordinary use. Heavy mildew from windows never opened, a bathroom fan never used or a leak you did not report can be charged. Wipe frames and sills through the winter, run fans, and report leaks to the landlord in writing.

Photos: your own record

The checklist is the legal baseline, but photos make it concrete. On move-in day, take dated photos and a slow video of every room, inside the oven, fridge, cabinets and closets, the bathroom caulk, window frames and every carpet. Email them to yourself or the landlord so the date is fixed. At move-out, repeat them from the same angles once the home is empty and cleaned. If a charge appears later, side-by-side photos usually settle it quickly.

Non-refundable fees

Washington allows non-refundable fees only when the lease says clearly in writing that the fee is non-refundable. A fee described that way is separate from the deposit and usually not returned. Anything not labeled non-refundable is part of the refundable deposit and follows the 30-day rule, including a refundable pet deposit. Check your lease for the exact wording before you move out.

Collections and screening reports

The 2023 law also limits what happens after move-out. Charges for wear from ordinary use, or for damage that was not documented, cannot be reported to credit agencies or tenant screening services or sent to collections. If a landlord threatens collections for a cleaning charge you dispute, ask in writing for the documents that support it.

A move-out cleaning plan

1. Find your signed move-in checklist and any move-in photos
2. Give notice and your forwarding address in writing
3. Book the clean for the day after the movers, before the final inspection
4. Focus on what the checklist names: oven, fridge, bathrooms, window frames, floors and carpets
5. Photograph every room, inside the oven, fridge and cabinets, once the clean is done
6. Hand back every key and keep a record of the date

Timing the clean

Book the clean for the day after the movers leave and before the final inspection, so nothing is carried back through clean rooms. Leave the heat on low until the inspection in winter, so the home stays dry and windows do not fog. If the inspection is a few days after the clean, a quick wipe of entry floors on the day keeps tracked-in mud from undoing the work.

If money is withheld

• Ask in writing for the full and specific statement and copies of each estimate, invoice or receipt
• Compare every charge with the move-in checklist and your photos
• Point out charges for ordinary use, undocumented items or carpet cleaning without documented wear
• If that fails, small claims court handles most deposit disputes; a court can award up to twice the deposit where a landlord intentionally refuses to return it

What to do next

We don’t have a local team based in Washington today, so every request is checked first: send your address and the job, and we confirm whether a vetted, insured team can cover it before anything is booked. Move-out cleaning starts at $190 for a studio and follows what Washington landlords check: get a free quote, read what affects cleaning prices in Washington, or see the move-out cleaning checklist.