Whether you are handing keys back to a landlord or closing on a sale, the final walk-through comes down to a surprisingly predictable list of places. Miss them and it costs you, either in deposit deductions or in a buyer's confidence. Here is what actually gets inspected.
The kitchen is where deposits are lost
More disputed deductions trace back to the kitchen than any other room, and the oven leads by a wide margin.
- Oven interior — the single most-inspected item in any move-out walk-through
- Refrigerator interior, including underneath the crisper drawers and the door seals
- Inside every cabinet and drawer, not just the fronts
- Range hood and grease filter above the stove
- Dishwasher interior and the filter at the base
Bathrooms
- Grout lines and tile — soap scum is invisible day to day and obvious under inspection lighting
- Toilet base and the floor behind the bowl
- Mirrors, fixtures, and the exhaust fan cover
- Under-sink cabinet, including any water staining
The whole-home sweep
- Baseboards, door frames, and light switch plates
- Inside closets, including shelving and rods
- Window sills and tracks — tracks are commonly missed and commonly checked
- Ceiling fans and light fixtures
- Floors last, vacuumed then mopped, working toward the exit
What tenants most often forget
In our experience the recurring blind spots are window tracks, the top of the refrigerator, inside the washer and dryer, garage floors, and patio or balcony sweeping. None are difficult. They are simply out of the normal cleaning routine, which is exactly why inspectors look there.
Timing it properly
Move-out cleaning should happen after the home is fully empty. Cleaning around furniture and boxes means the areas underneath get missed, and those are the areas that show most clearly in a vacant home. Schedule the clean for the day after the movers finish and before the walk-through.
Or hand it over
Our move-out cleaning service covers every item on this list and adapts to whatever your landlord, buyer, or property manager specifically requires. You focus on the move; we will make the old place inspection-ready.