Spring Cleaning Your Apartment: A Complete Checklist

Apartment Spring Cleaning Checklist:

1. Wipe down blinds or window coverings. If you have curtains, wash them.
2. Clean the baseboards that line the walls of each room.
3. Perform a deep clean around and inside your oven. Some ovens have a self-cleaning feature, so check for this button before you do the legwork yourself.
4. Clear out your fridge and wipe down all of the shelves.
5. Empty and reorganize your closets.
6. Add a splash of color to your space by switching out couch pillows, curtains, towels, and bedspreads.

Moving out? Go the extra mile and get that deposit back!

If you’ve lived in a few apartments already, you know how hard it is to get your deposit back. You may spend hours cleaning your apartment, but no matter how many square inches of space you leave spotless, it’s still never enough to earn back your full deposit. Is there anything you can do to secure that money this time around?

There may be some areas of your apartment that you’ve missed in the past, or just never thought to clean. Luckily, AllyMaids is here with the full checklist for readers who are planning on moving out of their apartment soon.

What to go over in every room:

• If you’ve hung up picture frames or decorations on the walls, remember to remove any nails or screws and seal the holes left behind. Paint over them too, if you’re able to get your hands on a color that matches your wall.
• Dust any ceiling fixtures like fans, chandeliers, or other lights until they’re spotless.
• Dust all ledges in the space, including those around windows and floorboards.
• Thoroughly clean the windows, even on the outside (if you can do so safely).
• Wipe down all door knobs, doors (front and back!), light switches, outlets, walls, and baseboards.
• Sweep and mop hard floors, and vacuum carpets. If you have any stains that weren’t there when you moved in, do everything you can to get rid of them, even if it means calling in professional maid services.
• If you spot any cobwebs, get rid of them!
• When you’ve emptied out every room, go back again and dust, sweep, mop, and vacuum.

Areas to address in the bathroom:

• If your bathroom is tiled, you’re going to need some elbow grease to work out the soap scum. Remember that your tub and/or shower needs to be spotless if you want that deposit back. Bleach every surface, and don’t forget about the grout!
• Clean and sanitize any drawers or cabinets around the vanity. Vacuum out stray hairs, and if you’ve added in liners during your stay, remove these too.
• Perform an in-depth clean in the main bathroom areas: vanity, toilet, sink, mirror, countertops, and the floor.
• If the exhaust fan looks dusty or grimy, vacuum and wipe down the exterior.