How long does a move-out clean take?

Why it matters

A move-out clean takes longer than a regular clean because it covers everything a landlord or buyer will look at: inside the oven and fridge, inside every cabinet and drawer, baseboards, door frames, light switches, windowsills and tracks, and closets.

Here are our own job times for a crew of two, for an empty home:

• 1-bed / 1-bath: about 3 h 30 min
• 2-bed / 1-bath: about 4 h 05 min
• 2-bed / 2-bath: about 4 h 40 min
• 3-bed / 2-bath: about 5 h 15 min

The single biggest thing that slows a move-out clean down is furniture still in place. Cleaners have to work around it, and the areas under and behind it can't be done at all. The second is the kitchen: an oven that hasn't been cleaned in years can take an hour on its own.

We also learned to add a buffer from experience. After a large deep clean took about 16% longer than we'd estimated, we raised all our job estimates. Booking realistic time is what stops a crew from rushing the last rooms before a handover.

Move-out cleaning in BC: what landlords check

In BC, the Residential Tenancy Act requires tenants to leave a rental reasonably clean and undamaged, apart from normal wear and tear. "Reasonably clean" is where most deposit disputes start, so a proper move-out clean is the best protection for your deposit.

Landlords and property managers usually check the same places: inside the oven, the stovetop and range hood, inside the fridge, inside kitchen and bathroom cabinets, the bathtub, shower and toilet, floors, baseboards, windowsills and tracks, and walls around light switches.

Timing matters too. The move-in and move-out condition inspection report is what the landlord compares against, so book the clean for after everything is out and before that inspection. Take your own photos once the clean is done, room by room, including inside the appliances.

If you're a landlord preparing for a new tenant, the same timing applies: clean after the old tenant is out and any repairs are done, so the new condition report starts from a clean home.

The less furniture left in place, the faster and more complete the clean, so coordinate with your movers.

How Honourable Cleaning helps

We price move-out cleans as a flat rate from your home's size, so you know the cost and roughly how long it will take before you book. Our move-out checklist follows what landlords and property managers actually inspect, and supplies are included.

Book it for after the movers have gone and before your key handover. If anything is missed, tell us within 24 hours and the same crew comes back free, which matters when a deposit is on the line.

Data point: a 2-bed, 2-bath move-out clean takes our crew of two about 4 hours 40 minutes and costs $335 before GST at our Abbotsford rate.

Key takeaways

• Book the clean for after the movers leave. An empty home is faster and gets a more complete clean.
• Leave at least a day between the clean and your inspection or key handover, in case anything needs a touch-up.
• Tell the cleaners about problem areas up front, like the oven, the fridge or a heavily used bathroom.
• Use your landlord's inspection checklist if you have one, and share it with the cleaning crew.

Related pages

Move-out cleaning in Abbotsford → Move-out cleaning in Langley →

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