According to recent studies, many Americans feel moving is more stressful than planning a wedding or getting a divorce, and it’s no surprise. Moving requires you to juggle a million little responsibilities, not the least of which is making sure your old home is spotless before you finally leave it for good.
This type of cleaning is called a move out cleaning, and it involves cleaning a property after you’ve taken most of your stuff away, but before you’ve handed the keys back to your landlord. In other words, a San Francisco, CA, move out cleaning is the process of deep cleaning an unfurnished or mostly-unfurnished property.
In previous articles, we explained what move out cleanings are and gave you a rundown of what’s included in a typical move out cleaning. Now we’ll expand on that topic by answering a few common questions people have about these cleanings. Keep reading to learn more.
How clean should your house be when you move out?
You should leave your previous home in the same (presumably excellent) state it was in when you first leased it. Since cleaning is a crucial part of maintaining a house or an apartment, this also includes making sure the place is as clean as possible.
This is because most rental lease agreements signed between tenants and landlords stipulate that it’s the tenant’s responsibility to keep the leased property in good condition for as long as they’re renting it.
It’s important to note that tenants aren’t responsible for the effects regular wear and tear has on the property. Because of this, knowing the difference between normal wear and damage is crucial if you want to avoid disagreements with your landlord when moving out.
Here are some examples:
- Floor coverings such as carpets and rugs fade and develop some worn patches over the years (regular wear and tear). However, tenants are responsible for fixing any stains, ripped carpeting, holes, strange odors, and other unusual damage.
- Tile flooring will naturally develop dirty grout around the tiles (normal wear), whereas chipped, broken, or missing tiles count as damage.
- Countertops inevitably get scratched or lightly watermarked over the years (regular wear). On the other hand, chipped surfaces, burnt areas, and deep stains are categorized as damage.
What happens if you don’t clean the apartment when moving out?
Aside from being an irresponsible thing to do, not cleaning your old place before you move out can cause you to have various problems with your ex-landlord.
Consider the following:
- Landlords can withhold your initial security deposit if they have a legally sound justification to do so, and covering the costs of cleaning is the most common reason landlords cite for holding onto the initial deposit.
- Landlords talk to each other. If a landlord feels you’ve treated their property badly, they will almost certainly warn their colleagues about you. This can make it much harder (and much more expensive) for you to find another home in the future.
Where can I book a first-rate San Francisco, CA, move out cleaning?
As if moving wasn’t already stressful enough, doing it during the COVID-19 crisis adds an extra layer of stress to the whole experience. At Mythical Maids, we can’t make the pandemic go away, but we can make your big moving day less nerve-wracking by introducing you to highly skilled cleaners who can give your old home a truly in-depth move out cleaning.
By having your cleaning needs taken care of by the professionals, you’ll not just be getting a superb service, you’ll also be reclaiming the free time you need to focus on your other responsibilities or simply enjoy a relaxing afternoon at Alamo Square. Contact us today!