A move out clean covers the inside of the home room by room: inside the oven, fridge, cabinets and drawers, then the bathrooms, baseboards, fixtures, closets, window sills, tracks and floors. It does not usually include carpet shampoo, washing whole walls, trash or furniture removal, repairs, pest treatment or anything hazardous. Plan those separately so they are done before the walkthrough.
What is usually included
- Kitchen: inside the oven, racks and broiler drawer, inside the fridge and freezer, cabinets and drawers, range hood and dishwasher door
- Bathrooms: toilet, tub, shower, tiles and grout, vanity, exhaust fan cover and mildew spots on caulk and ceilings
- Every room: baseboards, doors, switches, closets, window sills, tracks and blinds, ceiling fans and AC vent covers
- Floors vacuumed and mopped
Ask your cleaner to confirm the list when they call, as each local business sets its own.
What is usually not included
| Job | Why it is separate | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Carpet shampoo or steam cleaning | Specialist equipment and drying time | Ask when your cleaner quotes, or see rent a machine or hire a pro |
| Washing whole walls | Spot cleaning marks can be asked about. Washing every wall is a bigger job and some paint does not take it | Ask for spot cleaning, and test a hidden area first |
| Inside windows, patio, balcony or garage | Extras priced on top | Mention them when you send the request |
| Trash, furniture and belongings | Usually a separate removal service | Clear them before the clean (see below) |
| Repairs and painting | Cleaners clean; they do not patch holes, fix blinds or paint | Check your lease, then a handyman before the clean |
| Pest treatment | Florida requires pest control businesses to be licensed | Report pests to your landlord in writing |
| Mold from leaks, biohazards and chemicals | Needs specialist cleanup or safe disposal | Report leaks to your landlord. Take chemicals to a drop off center |
| Pressure washing outside | Separate equipment | Usually quoted separately |
Clearing things out before the clean
- Bulk items in West Palm Beach. The city collects up to 3 bulk items a week from single family homes on your bulk pickup day, such as furniture and mattresses. More than 3 needs a special pickup for a fee. In an apartment building, ask the manager how bulk items are handled
- Paint, pesticides, batteries and chemicals. The city does not collect them. The Solid Waste Authority's Home Chemical and Recycling Center at 6161 N Jog Road takes them free from Palm Beach County residents
- Moving boxes. Break them down and recycle them, or ask whether your building has a place for them
Pests and mold
For apartments and other homes that are not a single family house or duplex, Florida law says the landlord must make reasonable provision for extermination of rats, mice, roaches, ants, wood destroying organisms and bedbugs, unless agreed otherwise in writing. If you see pests or a leak before you move out, report it to your landlord in writing. The EPA says you can usually clean mold patches smaller than about 10 square feet yourself. Larger areas, a lot of water damage or anything from sewage need more than a cleaning visit.
The order that works
- Clear out belongings, trash and bulk items
- Repairs and touch up painting, if your lease allows you to do them
- The move out clean
- Carpets last, once everything else is clean
- Dated photos and video of every room. See photos for your final walkthrough
Use our move out cleaning checklist to check what is left. Send a request for a move out clean with any extras you need, and a local cleaner will call you to quote.
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Laws change, and your lease may add terms. For advice on your situation, speak to a Florida attorney or the Legal Aid Society of Palm Beach County.
Sources
- City of West Palm Beach: yard waste and bulk collection
- Solid Waste Authority of Palm Beach County: West Palm Beach Home Chemical and Recycling Center
- 2026 Florida Statutes, section 482.071: licenses for pest control businesses
- 2026 Florida Statutes, section 83.51: landlord obligation to maintain premises
- US EPA: A brief guide to mold, moisture and your home