Move-out cleaning is the single most under-planned part of a rental turnover. Most tenants pack, book a truck, forget the deep-clean until the day of handover, and then either rush through it and lose part of their deposit — or scramble at 8 p.m. trying to find a cleaner willing to come tomorrow.
This guide is what you need to avoid both. It covers what Alberta landlords actually check on inspection, a room-by-room checklist you can print, how long a real move-out clean takes, and when it makes sense to hire it out.
Why move-out cleaning is different from regular cleaning
A regular clean is designed to maintain a home that's already lived-in. It hits visible surfaces, keeps the kitchen and bathrooms fresh, and intentionally skips areas that don't need attention every week.
A move-out clean is the opposite. The home is empty, the tenancy is ending, and someone else — a landlord, a property manager, or a real estate agent — is going to inspect what you leave behind. They're looking specifically at the areas a regular clean skips: inside the oven, cabinet interiors, baseboards, grout, window sills, and every corner that was hidden by furniture the whole time you lived there.
The scope is closer to a deep clean, with three added focuses unique to move-outs:
- Empty spaces get cleaned — cabinet interiors, empty appliances, closet shelves and tracks
- Documentation matters — a landlord walks through with a written form, comparing your handover to the move-in condition
- Time pressure is real — handover day is often locked in
What Alberta landlords actually check
Under Alberta's Residential Tenancies Act, a landlord has to complete a written inspection report to legally withhold any part of a security deposit. That report is very specific.
Most Edmonton property managers work through a standardized checklist that covers these areas in roughly this order:
- Kitchen appliances — inside and outside the oven, fridge, freezer, microwave, dishwasher, and range hood
- Kitchen surfaces — cabinets (inside and out), countertops, sink, faucet, backsplash
- Bathrooms — toilet, tub, shower walls, grout, glass, mirror, sink, cabinet interior, floor
- Floors — throughout: vacuumed, mopped, no marks left from furniture
- Walls — no scuffs, no dust on baseboards, no fingerprints on switch plates
- Windows — interior glass, plus tracks and sills
- Doors — both sides, handles, hinges
- Vents, fans, light fixtures — dust removed, exhaust fan covers wiped
- Closets — shelves, rods, floors, tracks
Damages are graded separately from cleanliness on the report. But a properly done move-out clean addresses everything a reasonable inspection lands on.
The complete move-out checklist
Here's the practical, printable version. Work through it in the order below — each area is designed to be finished and mentally checked off before you move on. Times are for a solo person cleaning a home in reasonable condition.
Kitchen (typically 90–120 min)
- Inside the oven — remove racks, degrease walls and door, wipe dry
- Inside the microwave — top, sides, and glass plate
- Inside and outside the fridge and freezer (defrost if needed — allow 6+ hrs)
- Dishwasher — inside, filter, door seal, exterior
- Range hood exterior and filter (soak filter in hot soapy water)
- Cabinet interiors — empty and wipe every one
- Cabinet exteriors and hardware
- Countertops, sink, faucet, backsplash
- Any small appliances that stay (kettle scale, coffee-maker mineral buildup)
- Floor — vacuum, mop, spot-treat any stains
Bathrooms (60–90 min per bathroom)
- Toilet — bowl, seat, base, back, tank exterior
- Tub and shower — walls, faucet, grout, drain, glass or curtain rod
- Sink, faucet, and countertop
- Mirror and vanity light
- Cabinet — interior shelves, exterior, handles
- Exhaust fan — remove cover, wash, replace
- Floor — corners, behind toilet, tile edges
Bedrooms and living areas (30–45 min each)
- Closet — shelves, rod, floor, tracks
- Walls — spot-clean scuffs (Magic Eraser works well)
- Baseboards — dust, then wipe with a damp cloth
- Window — interior glass, sill, track (a toothbrush helps for tracks)
- Blinds — dust each slat individually
- Door — both sides, handle, hinges
- Floors — vacuum carpet or mop hard surface
Whole-home items (60–90 min)
- Ceiling fans and light fixtures — dust and wipe
- Switch plates and outlet covers
- Vents (both return and supply) — dust or wash
- Front entry closet
- Laundry area — inside and outside washer, inside dryer, lint trap
- Balcony or patio if included — sweep, wipe rail
- Storage locker if it's part of your lease
Final walk-through
- Every light bulb works
- All keys accounted for (unit, mailbox, storage, common areas)
- Garbage and recycling out
- Take photos of every room, empty and cleaned
That last step is the single most important self-protection move. If a dispute happens later, photos with timestamps are what wins them.
How long a professional move-out clean takes
Using our pricing formula as a reference, a full move-out clean runs about 1.75x the time of a regular clean of the same home. That's because every surface a regular clean skips is on the checklist.
Rough time estimates for Edmonton homes:
| Home size | Regular clean | Full move-out clean |
|---|---|---|
| 1 bed · 1 bath | 2–3 hrs | 3.5–5 hrs |
| 2 bed · 1 bath | 3–4 hrs | 5–7 hrs |
| 3 bed · 2 bath | 4–5 hrs | 7–9 hrs |
| 4 bed · 2 bath | 5–6 hrs | 9–11 hrs |
A team of two can typically finish a 3-bed 2-bath in about half that — 4 to 5 hours instead of 8+.
What a professional move-out clean costs
Our move-out cleaning uses the same $60/hr flat-rate formula that drives every service. There's no move-out surcharge and no rush fee. A 2-bed 1-bath in Edmonton runs about $356 – $455. A 3-bed 2-bath is $470 – $604. See full pricing or build your quote with your exact home details.
Because the pricing is transparent up front, there's no risk of surprises at handover — you know the cost before we start, not after.
DIY or hire it out — how to decide
Do it yourself if all of these are true:
- You have 8–12 focused hours in the two days before handover
- Your home is small (studio or 1-bed) and was well-maintained throughout the tenancy
- You have the stamina to scrub baseboards, grout, and inside appliances back-to-back
- You have the supplies on hand (or budget to buy them — usually $40–80)
Hire a professional if:
- Your damage deposit is more than the cost of the service (usually true above a 1-bed)
- The tenancy was longer than 2 years — the deep-clean areas that build up matter more
- You're pressed for time or physically can't do it
- Your landlord has a reputation for a detailed inspection
The blunt math: if you're renting a $1,500/mo apartment, your deposit is typically $1,500. A missed inspection can easily cost you $200–500 of that. A professional move-out clean at ~$400 that eliminates that risk is a straightforward trade.
Common questions
How far in advance should I book a move-out clean? For weekday cleans, 3–5 days is usually enough. For end-of-month or peak-move-day cleans (the last Friday of the month, first Saturday), aim for 1–2 weeks. Same-day cleaning is available for last-minute cases, subject to availability.
Should I clean before or after my movers leave? After. Even if you clean the day before, movers scuff floors and kick up dust dragging furniture through. A move-out clean has to happen last, on empty rooms.
Can you clean a move-out in a partially-furnished home? Yes, but the price and time both go up, and the areas hidden by remaining furniture will still need attention after you move. If possible, schedule the clean for after everything's out.
What if the place needs repairs, not just cleaning? Repairs and cleaning are separate. Landlords deduct for damages from your deposit regardless of how clean the place is — clean-only doesn't offset damage. We only handle the cleaning side.
Do you provide anything for the landlord walk-through? Yes — we can email you a service invoice showing the date, scope, and address. If the landlord ever disputes cleanliness, that invoice is part of your evidence.
We're moving into a place next — do you also do move-in cleans? Yes, move-in cleaning is one of our core services. Some clients book us for both the move-out at the old place and a move-in at the new one, back-to-back.
The move-out day plan
If you can control the schedule, the smoothest order looks like this:
- Day before handover: movers finish, you clear the last items, take photos of each room empty
- Same day or next morning: professional cleaners arrive (if hiring) — plan 4–8 hours
- After cleaning: you (or the landlord) walk through with the inspection form
- Same day: hand over keys, take a final photo of the empty, cleaned home
If you're hiring us, we handle steps 2 and can time it with your walk-through. You focus on getting the truck to your new place.
Ready to book?
Book your move-out clean online with a transparent, no-surprise price in under 30 seconds using our estimate calculator. Or call (587) 778-4567 — same-day cleans are available subject to schedule, and if your handover is tomorrow, tell us that on the call.
We serve Edmonton, St. Albert, Sherwood Park, Fort Saskatchewan, Spruce Grove, and Leduc. Same rate everywhere — small travel fee based on your city.
— Svitlana
