Apartment Cleaning Checklist
Pick a weekly, deep or move-in clean and your rooms to get a cleaning checklist, room by room. Check off tasks as you go, then print it or download the PDF.
By Tess Mullins · Updated
Checklist preview
Weekly cleaning checklist
Name: [Your name]Date: [Date]
The weekly basics, room by room. Check off each task as you finish it, and print a fresh copy each week.
Kitchen
- Wipe the counters and stovetop
- Scrub the sink and faucet
- Wipe the fridge, microwave and cabinet handles
- Wipe out the microwave
- Toss old food from the fridge
- Swap the dish towels and sponge
- Take out the trash and recycling
- Sweep and mop the floor
Bathroom
- Clean the toilet, inside and out
- Clean the sink, faucet and counter
- Wipe the mirror
- Scrub the tub or shower
- Swap in clean towels and the bath mat
- Empty the trash
- Sweep and mop the floor
Bedroom
- Change the sheets
- Dust the dresser, nightstand and lamps
- Put away clean laundry
- Vacuum or sweep the floor
Living area
- Clear the clutter and recycle old mail
- Dust surfaces and electronics
- Wipe light switches, doorknobs and remotes
- Vacuum or sweep the floors
Never mix cleaning products, and keep the room aired out while you clean.
General information, not legal advice. Check your lease and your state's law before you rely on it.
When to use this checklist
Pick the kind of clean you need:
- Weekly: the basics that keep an apartment clean, room by room. Print a fresh copy each week, or keep a draft on your phone.
- Deep clean: the inside of the fridge and oven, grout, windows, vents and baseboards, for every month or two or before guests.
- Move-in: a clean before you unpack, once the move-in checklist and its photos are done. Empty rooms are the easiest to clean.
Cleaning to get your deposit back is a different job, with photos and keys at the end: the move-out checklist covers it.
How to use the generator
- Pick the kind of clean: weekly, deep clean or move-in.
- Pick your layout: a studio or the number of bedrooms, the bathrooms, and a laundry area, balcony or pets if you have them.
- Check off tasks as you finish them. Use the notes for anything to buy or report.
- Print it or download the PDF to keep on the fridge.
Each kind of clean keeps its own ticks. Your answers stay in your browser, and a draft is saved on this device until you press Clear.
Sample move-in cleaning checklist
Here’s a move-in clean part-way through, made with the generator. The name and notes are made up.
Move-in cleaning checklist
Name: Jordan EllisDate: June 1, 2027
Clean before you unpack, once the move-in inspection and photos are done. Empty rooms are the easiest to clean.
Before you start
- Done: Do the move-in inspection and photos before you cleanNote: Photos saved, emailed to the landlord
- Done: Report pests, leaks or mold to your landlord in writingNote: Slow drain in the tub, reported Jun 1
- Done: Open windows or run fans while you clean
- Test the smoke alarms
Kitchen
- Done: Wipe inside every cabinet and drawer
- Clean inside the fridge and freezerNote: Freezer still defrosting
- Clean the oven and stovetop
- Clean the counters and backsplash
- Scrub the sink and faucet
- Clean inside the microwave
- Wipe the dishwasher door, seals and racks
- Sweep and mop the floor
Bathroom
- Clean the toilet, inside and out
- Scrub the tub or shower
- Clean the sink, faucet and vanity
- Wipe out the medicine cabinet and drawers
- Hang a new shower curtain liner
- Dust the exhaust fan cover
- Mop the floor
Bedroom
- Wipe the closet shelves and rod
- Clean the windows, sills and blinds
- Wipe the light switches and outlet covers
- Vacuum or mop the floor
Living area
- Clean the windows, sills and blinds
- Wipe the light switches and doorknobs
- Dust the vents
- Vacuum or mop the floors
Never mix cleaning products, and keep the room aired out while you clean.
Clean safely
The CDC’s home cleaning guide keeps it simple:
- Clean with soap or detergent and water, and scrub. In most situations, that removes most germs; disinfecting is for when someone is sick, and always after cleaning.
- Clean the high-touch spots regularly: light switches, doorknobs and countertops.
- Use a product made for the surface, and follow its label.
- Never mix products. The CDC warns that mixing bleach or any disinfectant with other cleaners can release vapors that are dangerous to breathe, and the EPA warns that bleach and ammonia make toxic fumes.
- Air out the room: open a window or run a fan while you clean.
Mold, leaks and smoke alarms in a rental
- Small mold patches: the EPA says you can usually handle an area smaller than about 10 sq ft yourself. Scrub hard surfaces with detergent and water, and dry them completely. In a bathroom, running the fan or opening a window and cleaning more often usually keeps mold from coming back.
- Bigger patches, leaks or water damage: tell your landlord in writing. The repair request letter puts it on record.
- Smoke alarms: the U.S. Fire Administration says to test them every month. If one doesn’t work, report it in writing.
Moving in or out
- Before you move in: record the unit’s condition with the move-in checklist first, then clean with the move-in list. Once the fridge is clean, the first apartment grocery list covers the first trip to the store. Setting up a first place? The first apartment checklist includes the cleaning supplies.
- When you move out: follow the move-out checklist, which adds what protects your deposit: your lease’s cleaning rules, dated photos and the keys.
Work from the top down and from dry to wet: dust shelves and fixtures before you vacuum, and vacuum before you mop, so dust ends up on a floor you haven’t cleaned yet.
Frequently asked questions
What should be on an apartment cleaning checklist?
Every week: the kitchen counters, sink and floor, the toilet, sink and shower, fresh sheets and towels, dusting, the floors, and the high-touch spots like light switches and doorknobs. A deep clean adds the inside of the fridge and oven, grout, windows, vents, baseboards and the mattress.
How do I clean a new apartment before moving in?
Do the move-in inspection and take dated photos first, so the record shows the unit as you got it. Report pests, leaks or mold to your landlord in writing. Then clean while the rooms are empty: the inside of every cabinet and drawer, the fridge and oven, the bathroom, windows, switches and floors.
How often should I deep clean my apartment?
There's no official schedule. The deep clean list is meant for every month or two, before guests or at the change of seasons, with the weekly list in between. Test the smoke alarms when you do: the U.S. Fire Administration says to test them every month.
Is it safe to mix cleaning products?
No. The CDC says never to mix household bleach or any disinfectant with other cleaners, because it can release vapors that are dangerous to breathe, and the EPA warns that bleach and ammonia make toxic fumes. Use one product at a time, follow its label, and open a window or run a fan.
Do I need to disinfect, or is cleaning enough?
Usually cleaning is enough. The CDC says cleaning with soap and water removes most germs in most situations, and that disinfecting at home is likely not needed unless someone is sick. Clean first, then disinfect if you need to.
What should I do about mold in my apartment?
The EPA says you can usually handle a patch smaller than about 10 sq ft yourself: scrub hard surfaces with detergent and water and dry them completely. For more than that, or after water damage, follow the EPA's guidance. In a rental, tell your landlord about mold and leaks in writing.
Next step
Move-In Checklist for TenantsPick your rooms, check each item and note any damage to make a move-in checklist you and your landlord can sign. Download the PDF or print it.
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