How to Have a Successful Apartment Move-Out Cleaning Adventure in NYC

Written by: Michael Vaughan

With all the preparations you have to do before the actual relocation, organizing a move-out cleaning session is likely the last thing on your mind. However, leaving the unit spotless is necessary for anyone who wants to get their security deposit back. Considering most people living in NYC are renters, learning how to tidy up the place might not be such a bad idea after all. Thankfully, this guide will show you how to have a successful cleansing adventure.

Do you know what's included in a move-out clean?

With everything that goes into a typical cleansing session, you might want to consider hiring professional cleaners to assist you in sprucing up the place. While this will undoubtedly help you tidy up a lot of things, you’ll still have all the other relocation preparations to cover. Thankfully, booking one of the top New York moving companies is an excellent way to take care of all these tasks.

Apartment Move-Out Cleaning Should be a Standard Practice for Anyone Moving in New York

With two-thirds of NYC households renting their homes, doing some house cleaning after moving out is already standard practice for most people living in the city. While this might be a nuisance, it’s the only thing that will get you the entire security deposit back. Depending on the lease, tenants are usually required to leave two or three months’ worth of rent when moving in. While the deposit is generally returned once the unit is vacated, landlords have the right to deduct funds from it if the place isn’t left in its original condition. Considering the deposit represents a large part of your relocation expenses, try to do everything you can to have it completely reimbursed.

Start Your Apartment, or House Move-Out Cleaning After You Finish Most of the Other Tasks

While you might be tempted to start sprucing up the place right away, it’s better to postpone it until you finish most of the other tasks on the relocation to-do list. It’s often impossible to have a clear picture of just how much work there’s to do before you’re done packing furniture. Considering how some of the most commonly forgotten things can easily get displaced, who knows what you’ll find once all the large items are moved. Last but not least, do all the necessary repairs first, as there’s no point in starting a deep cleanse if you’re going to make a huge mess right away.

Finish most of the packing before you start tidying up the place

Get All the Necessary Supplies Before You Start Sprucing up the Place

Just like how you can’t pack electronics without the appropriate packing materials, you can’t clean anything before getting some cleaning supplies. While you probably already have some basic agents, many more are going to be needed if you’re to leave the whole place squeaky clean. Besides all the cleaners and chemicals, be sure you have all the necessary equipment. To avoid forgetting anything, add the following items to your supply checklist:

  • Rubber gloves,
  • Scrubbing brush,
  • Dusting brush,
  • Microfiber cloths and sponges,
  • Floor, oven, metal, glass, and all-purpose cleaners,
  • Drain and toilet cleaners,
  • Furniture polish and disinfectants,
  • Vacuum cleaner,
  • Broom and a dustpan,
  • Mop and a bucket.

Where Can I Get These Supplies in NYC?

While much of the supplies you need can be found at almost any local store, only the best suppliers will have high-end industrial reagents. Fortunately, NYC is a huge place, meaning you should be able to find stores with good cleaners and janitorial supplies no matter where you live. There is certainly at least one in every borough, so try checking out the following suppliers:

  • Manhattan – The Laundress Store, Howard Supply, NY Paint & Hardware, Clinton Supply, Advantage Wholesale Supply (AWS),
  • Brooklyn – Ace Janitorial Supply, Brooke’s Appliances, National Janitorial Supplies, AWS,
  • Queens – Grainger Industrial Supply, ChutePlus, I Janvey & Sons,
  • Staten Island – Lowe’s Home Improvement, Gotham Wholesale Cleaning Supplies, Crazy Clean,
  • Bronx – Statewide Supply, The Home Depot, Advantage Wholesale Supply.
You can't use most of the commercial cleaners without the proper equipment

How to Plan a Good Move-Out House Cleaning Session?

Having a solid plan will make the whole cleansing session much easier. Just like with the rest of your relocation preparations, creating a checklist of all the essential tasks is the perfect way to start. Listing out all the chores right away will allow you to easily keep track of your progress, ensuring nothing is accidentally missed or overlooked. Before we go into specifics, let’s go over a few more relocation tips that will allow you to clean and move efficiently.

General Rule Is to Always Go from Top to Bottom

When it comes to sprucing up your entire home, the general rule of thumb is to clean everything from top to bottom. While your checklist will undoubtedly have different tasks depending on the room, doing some of the more common chores in a specific order will keep you from having to redo most of the steps later. To get a clearer picture of how the entire process would go, check out the order in this formula:

  • Remove all the cobweb from the ceiling, lighting, and the walls,
  • Wipe the windows and doors,
  • Take nails out of the walls,
  • Dust and wipe all exposed surfaces,
  • Deep clean all the carpets and furniture,
  • Sweep, vacuum, and mop the floors.

It’s Often Best to Clean Everything in Stages

Considering that cleaning even a single room can take you half a day to complete, working in stages will make the job a lot easier. If a particular task gives you a lot of trouble, taking a break or doing something else will help you keep the relocation stress levels to a minimum. It would help if you also relaxed for a bit after finishing a room or find a way to reward yourself for the work, like going out on a short walk or ordering some excellent NYC takeout.

Invite Some Friends to Help You With the Chores

If you need help or want to have some fun while tidying up the place, why not invite some friends to assist you? Having a few extra hands will allow you to save a ton of time, which is particularly useful when relocating in a hurry. You could even turn the entire thing into a cleansing going-away party, with each person picking a specific task or sticking to a single room.

Feel free to ask your family members to assist you with the cleanup. They'll be more than happy to help

Make the Living Room and Bedroom Look Fresh

Considering most of your day-to-day activities occur in the living room and bedroom, the cleansing session should be focused on making the entire place seem as fresh as possible. Once you pack books, clothes, and box up the TV, start vacuuming, dusting, and wiping all the surfaces, as dust bunnies can quickly form underneath even some more commonly used belongings. This is particularly true for those relocating with pets, as the hair they shed quickly attracts dust and other particles. With that out of the way, mop the floors and wash carpets, or find a service that will do it for you. If you want to go the extra mile, applying some wood polish will make even some scratched surfaces look like they were just set up.

Vacuum all the dust bunnies that have accumulated under the furniture

You’ll Need a Lot of Time to Deep Clean the Entire Kitchen

Unless you kept the kitchen tidy during your whole tenancy, getting it in decent shape will likely require a significant amount of time. Before you can even begin the cleanse, check if all the cabinets and drawers have been emptied. After you finish packing plates and removing all the pots and pans, get rid of any food crumbs you can see. Don’t forget to check inside and behind the counters, as these spots easily get overlooked. Once that’s done, continue by dusting and wiping all the surfaces using the principles we mentioned earlier. The sink will also need to be scrubbed, but remember that the agent works best when left to react for a few minutes. Now that all surfaces have been cleaned, take out the trash and go over everything with a disinfectant.

Don’t Forget to Cleanse and Wipe All the Home Appliances

Seeing how most apartments in NYC come with built-in kitchen appliances, you’ll also have to ensure that they have been adequately cleaned. Most cooking and food stains are very hard to remove, meaning you’ll have a lot of work cut out for you. The oven and stove will take the most time to cleanse, but the fridge also has to be cleared of all food and defrosted a day before the relocation. Lastly, wipe the microwave or any other appliances that were in the unit before you moved in.

Removing stains from the stove is one of the more challenging tasks

Leave the Bathroom Cleansing for Last

Considering you’re going to use the bathroom until the very last minute, it’s probably best to leave it for later. Although most people dread this part of the process, it’s much easier than it looks. After all, you won’t have to move that many belongings to get to most of the important surfaces. Start by scrubbing the shower and clearing the drain, then repeat the process with the sink. Just like how the kitchen sink was cleaned, you’ll want to leave the cleaners for a few minutes before rinsing or wiping them. Move on to the mirror, and wipe off all the stains and fingerprints. Once everything else was cleaned, finish the day by scrubbing the toilet and mopping the tiles. To see how all of this would look in action, check out the video below.

Getting Professional Cleaning Services Could Help You With All These Tasks

Although this checklist should allow you to spruce up your place reasonably quickly, sometimes, you might not have the time to finish all the tasks properly. Thankfully, just like you can book New York City movers to assist you with the move, you have the option to hire some professional NYC cleaners. With the sheer number of these companies operating in the city, you shouldn’t have a problem finding these services without even leaving the neighborhood. However, be aware that not all professional cleaners can provide everything you might require, so remember to check that before hiring anyone. Look up Molly Maid, the White Glove Cleaners, Lazy Susans Cleaning Service if you’re looking for a high-quality service.

How Much Does it Cost to Have Your Whole House Cleaned in NYC With Professional Services?

While the price can vary significantly between different companies, typical professional housekeeping services in NYC cost between $22-$28 per hour. However, that’s only the starting point, as many other factors influence the final price of the service:

  • Square footage – This is pretty straightforward, as the bigger the home, the larger the bill will be.
  • Location – If you’re living in Manhattan and hiring a cleaner that lives in Brooklyn, the price will increase to compensate for the travel costs.
  • Specialization – As we already mentioned, not every cleaner is going to know how to do everything. In fact, there are different types of professionals you can run into.
  • Professional’s experience – Just like you would pay more for experienced New York movers, you can also expect higher rates for a cleaner with years of experience.
Don't hesitate to contact professional cleaners. They will have all the necessary supplies and equipment

Do Yourself a Service and Let One of the Best New York City Moving Companies Handle the Rest of Your Relocation

As you can see, it takes quite a bit of time and effort to finish sprucing up the place before the relocation. With all the other things people have to do when relocating within NYC, many end up overwhelmed long before the big day even arrives. Fortunately, our local movers in New York can help you with all your relocation needs.

As one of the best moving companies in New York City, Twin Brothers Movers provides high-quality services throughout the metropolis. This means that you can get our excellent packing service no matter which borough you live in. If you have a good reason for relocating out of your current apartment, booking our residential relocation will allow you to move to the next almost instantaneously. Lastly, we also offer commercial relocations, allowing entrepreneurs to move their businesses without any delays. If you require any assistance with relocating, don’t hesitate to contact our New York moving company. Our representatives will provide you with a free quote and help you book a move right away.

Get free quote