Why clean before moving in?
Even if the previous owner or tenant cleaned before leaving, an empty home is the easiest it will ever be to clean. You have access to every corner, every cabinet, and every floor surface without furniture in the way. Cleaning before unpacking means you're starting with a truly clean slate — and you know exactly what was done because you were there.
Kitchen move-in checklist
Start with the kitchen since you'll want to unpack food and kitchen items first.
- Inside refrigerator — shelves washed and sanitized
- Inside cabinets and pantry — shelves wiped before stocking
- Inside dishwasher — filter checked and rinsed
- Stovetop and oven — degreased before first use
- Sink scrubbed and sanitized
- Countertops wiped and sanitized
- Backsplash wiped
- Floors swept and mopped
Bathroom move-in checklist
Bathrooms should be sanitized before you use them for the first time.
- Toilet cleaned and sanitized — inside and out
- Tub/shower cleaned and sanitized
- Tile grout scrubbed
- Sink and vanity sanitized
- Mirror shined
- Inside medicine cabinet and vanity drawers wiped
- Floors swept and mopped
Throughout the home
With the home empty, tackle these whole-home tasks that are much harder once furniture is in place.
- Baseboards wiped — every room and hallway
- Window sills and tracks cleaned
- Door frames and doors wiped
- Light fixtures and ceiling fans dusted
- Vents and registers dusted
- Closet interiors — shelves and floor vacuumed
- All floors vacuumed and mopped
- Cobwebs removed from all ceiling heights
Tackle it before unpacking
The key to a successful move-in clean is timing. Clean before you unpack — ideally before your belongings even arrive. Once boxes and furniture fill the space, cleaning around them is significantly harder, and many areas become inaccessible. An empty home takes less time to clean thoroughly than a furnished one.
Consider professional help
If you're coordinating a move, unpacking, and trying to clean all at once, a professional move-in cleaning can make the transition smoother. A cleaning team can handle the detail work while you focus on settling in. With a qualifying Move-In cleaning, you can also receive complimentary ReTote reusable moving totes for your move.