What move-in and move-out cleaning includes
Once the furniture is gone, every surface is exposed: dust lines along baseboards where a dresser stood, grease on the wall behind the stove, crumbs in kitchen drawers and hair in closet corners. A move-out cleaning is designed for that empty-space condition. We clean inside cabinets, drawers and closets, inside the fridge and oven, all bathroom fixtures, window sills, radiators, doors and floors throughout.
A move-in cleaning covers the same ground before your boxes arrive. Even apartments that look clean at the showing often have residue in the fridge, dust on top of cabinets and a bathroom that was only wiped down. It is far easier to clean shelves and closets before you fill them, especially in apartments with limited storage.
Lease-end walkthroughs and building rules
Landlords and management companies usually inspect the unit at the end of a lease, and the condition of the kitchen, bathroom and floors matters most. Schedule the cleaning after the movers leave and before the walkthrough, so nothing gets tracked back in. We cannot promise any specific outcome with your landlord or deposit, but we focus on the areas walkthroughs typically check.
Many NYC buildings have rules for move days, such as reserved freight elevator times, specific service entrances or weekday-only work hours. Some building managers also require vendors to provide a certificate of insurance before entering. If your building has any of these requirements, tell us when you request a quote so we can confirm the details in advance.
Timing, access and preparation
The cleaning works best in a fully empty unit, with utilities still on: we need running water and electricity, and lights in rooms without windows. If the cleaning has to happen while a few items remain, let us know so we can plan around them. Leave the keys with the super or doorman, or meet us at the door; we can lock up when we finish.
Time on site depends on the size and condition of the apartment; we confirm it in your quote. A studio in an elevator building is a different job from a four-floor brownstone or a walk-up after a long tenancy, so tell us the layout, the number of bathrooms and anything unusual, like a very greasy kitchen or a pet that lived there.