How do I clean an apartment to get my security deposit back?

The deposit question is mostly decided by two things: the condition the home was in when you moved in, and the condition you leave it in. At the end of a tenancy, Virginia law requires the tenant to vacate promptly, remove all personal property and leave the premises in good and clean order, reasonable wear and tear excepted.^[1] During the tenancy the tenant must keep the part of the home they use as clean and safe as the condition of the premises permits, and keep all plumbing fixtures as clean as their condition permits.^[2] When you leave, the landlord may apply the security deposit to damages caused by a tenant's failure to meet those duties, less reasonable wear and tear, and to other damages or charges provided for in the rental agreement.^[3]

So the goal is not a showroom. It is a home that is empty, clean and in the same condition it was in when you arrived, apart from ordinary wear.

Before you start

Read your lease. Look for anything about cleaning at move-out, such as professional carpet cleaning, a cleaning checklist or an expected condition for appliances. Those terms decide part of what can be charged.

Find your move-in report. Within five days after you moved in, the landlord had to give you a written report itemizing damage that already existed.^[4] Anything on that report is not yours to fix or clean away.

Ask to be at the inspection. Once you give notice that you are leaving, the landlord must give you written notice of your right to be present at the move-out inspection.^[3] If you tell the landlord in writing that you want to attend, the inspection must be made within 72 hours of delivery of possession.^[3]

Empty the home first. Cleaning goes faster and better with nothing in the way. Plan the clean for after the furniture and boxes are out, not the same afternoon.

Supplies and safety

An all-purpose cleaner, a bathroom cleaner, a kitchen degreaser, glass cleaner, plenty of microfiber cloths, a non-scratch scrub pad, an old toothbrush for grout and tracks, rubber gloves, a vacuum with attachments and a mop cover nearly every move-out clean.

Read each label and follow it. Never mix different chemicals, such as bleach with ammonia: they do not make each other stronger and can cause serious harm.^[5] Open windows or run the exhaust fans while you work.

Leftover cleaners, paint and similar products can count as household hazardous waste. Improper disposal can include pouring them down the drain, on the ground or into storm sewers.^[7] Your county or city solid waste office can tell you where to take them. The tenant must remove all garbage, rubbish and other waste in a clean and safe manner and in the receptacles the landlord provides,^[2] so do not leave bags by the door or furniture on the curb unless the landlord agrees.

Room by room

Work top to bottom. Dust ceiling fans, light fixtures, vents, the tops of door frames and cabinets, blinds and window sills before counters, and do floors last, so dust falls onto surfaces you have not cleaned yet.

Kitchen. This is where inspections usually find the most. Clean the oven inside, including the racks and the glass door, and check its manual first: self-cleaning ovens often come with their own instructions about which cleaners are safe. Wash the refrigerator and freezer inside, drawers and shelves out, and wipe the door seals. Wipe every cabinet and drawer inside and out, degrease the range hood, its filter and the stovetop, clean the dishwasher's door edges and filter, and scrub the sink and faucet. For a fuller method, see how to deep clean a kitchen.

Bathrooms. Scrub the tub or shower walls and grout, remove soap scum and hard-water film from glass and fixtures, and clean the toilet inside, outside and around the base. Clean the sink, mirror, medicine cabinet and vanity drawers, and wipe the exhaust fan cover.

Walls, doors and windows. Wipe scuffs, fingerprints and splashes from walls, doors, switches and outlet covers. Test any cleaner or melamine sponge on a hidden spot first, because flat paint can turn shiny or lighter where it is rubbed. Clean window glass, sills and tracks.

Floors. Vacuum carpets slowly, including the edges and closet floors, and treat spots. Sweep and mop hard floors, and wipe the baseboards. If stains are set in, see how to get pet stains out of carpet.

Everything else. Closets, shelves, the laundry area, the balcony or patio, and any storage unit included in the lease.

Things not to do

Do not treat mold as only a cleaning job. For a moldy patch smaller than about 10 square feet, EPA says most people can handle the job themselves: scrub hard surfaces with detergent and water, then dry them completely.^[6] Virginia law also requires a tenant to promptly tell the landlord about moisture buildup or any visible mold,^[2] so report it in writing as well as cleaning it.

Do not pull smoke alarm batteries. A tenant may not remove or tamper with a working smoke alarm or carbon monoxide alarm the landlord installed, including taking out working batteries.^[2] Dust the covers gently instead.

Do not paint without asking. In a home built before 1978, if the landlord gave you lead-based paint disclosures and the lease requires written approval, you may not paint or disturb painted surfaces without it.^[2]

Document and hand over

When the clean is done, take dated photos or a video of every room, inside the oven, refrigerator and cabinets, and the floors. Keep any cleaning invoices. Return every key and give the landlord a forwarding address in writing.

The landlord must send an itemized written notice of the deposit and any deductions within 45 days after the tenancy ends or you move out, whichever is later.^[3] If no forwarding address is provided, the landlord may continue to hold the deposit in escrow.^[3] To see what the landlord can and cannot charge, read can my landlord charge me for cleaning when I move out, and for the walk-through itself, what landlords check on a move-out inspection.

Stop and call a pro if

• Mold covers more than a small patch, comes back after cleaning, or there are signs of a leak. Tell the landlord in writing; that is a repair, not a cleaning task.
• You find insects or pests. Tell the landlord promptly rather than spraying on your own.
• Carpets have deep pet stains or odors, or the oven and range hood have years of baked-on grease you cannot shift. A professional cleaner is often faster and cheaper than a deduction.
• Something is broken, such as a cracked tile, a hole in a wall or a damaged appliance. Ask the landlord how they want it handled before you try a repair.

Getting help with the clean

If you would rather hand it off, see what move-out cleaning costs in Virginia, browse move-out and turnover cleaners, look up cleaning businesses around Blacksburg, or read more cleaning answers. When you are ready, describe the move-out clean on Loclis and businesses will quote.