Move In Cleaning 101: What Happens During a Move In Cleaning?

So you’ve found a great new house or apartment, signed the rental lease agreement (or bought the place), and notified your previous landlord. You’ve packed all your belongings, made arrangements with the movers, and now all that’s left is to ensure your new home is fresh and spotless before you arrive.

This is easier said than done. Chances are, you’re going to be too stressed out and strapped for time to really give your new place an in-depth cleaning. Luckily, a professional apartment move in cleaning service in San Francisco, CA, can take care of your cleaning needs while you focus on making sure your big moving day goes off without a hitch.

But what exactly is included in a move in cleaning service? How early should you book your cleaners? How much time does it take to perform a move in cleaning? Read on to learn more!

What does a move in cleaning include?

Move in cleanings are essentially deep cleanings that are performed on an empty or mostly empty property. They’re usually a lot more extensive than regular cleanings and they enable cleaners to deal with areas that wouldn’t otherwise be accessible due to furniture, carpeting, and other bulky furnishings being in the way.

A move in cleaning may include:

  • Dusting and wiping down doors
  • Cleaning window blinds
  • Cleaning sinks and removing build-up
  • Cleaning handles and sills
  • Cleaning window interiors
  • Cleaning large appliances (washing machine, fridge, dishwasher, etc.)
  • Cleaning the stove (top, front, control panels, burners, interior)
  • Cleaning light switches and door knobs
  • Cleaning tables and chairs
  • Mopping floors
  • Cleaning backsplash and countertops
  • Cleaning window ledges
  • Polishing stainless steel
  • Cleaning the interior and exterior of the microwave
  • Vacuuming floors and floor coverings
  • Cleaning the cabinets inside and out
  • Cleaning walls
  • Cleaning ceiling fans and light fixtures
  • Throwing out the trash
  • Cleaning toilet bowls, showers, and bathtubs, and removing build-up
  • Polishing wooden furniture
  • Cleaning and polishing hood vents
  • Shining chrome
  • Cobweb removal
  • Dusting shelves
  • Cleaning mirrors
  • Dusting baseboards
  • Cleaning sink counters

How long does a move in cleaning take?

Where can I schedule a top-notch apartment move in cleaning service in San Francisco, CAAs with other types of cleaning, there are quite a few factors that can determine how long a move in cleaning will take.

These factors include:

  • Size of the property. The larger the area that needs to be cleaned is, the longer it’s going to take to clean.
  • How dirty it is. If the previous tenants have left the home in an excessively grimy state, the move in cleaning will naturally take more time, especially when cleaning an old home.
  • Special requests. Many cleaners treat certain kinds of cleaning, (such as cleaning the interior of the oven or removing tile grout) as extras that aren’t included in a move in cleaning unless the client specifically requests them. Since these tasks take a lot of time and energy, they can easily prolong the whole cleaning.

How far in advance should I book a move in cleaning?

Successful cleaning companies tend to have busy schedules, especially during summer as that’s when most people move. Because of this, you should strive to book your move in cleaning at least a week or two in advance.

Where can I schedule a top-notch apartment move in cleaning service in San Francisco, CA?

At Mythical Maids, we team up with San Francisco’s premier cleaning experts who boast the training, the experience, and the cutting-edge products necessary to deliver the complete range of residential and commercial cleaning services.

By booking our services, you’ll not just be getting a professional-grade cleaning, you’ll also be reclaiming the free time you need to deal with the other details of your move, or simply enjoy a relaxing afternoon at the San Francisco Zoo with your family. Reach out to us today!

What Are Move In Cleanings and Why Are They Needed?

A move in cleaning in San Francisco, CA, is a specialized type of cleaning that aims to ensure a property is spotless before the tenants arrive. It’s essentially a deep cleaning that is performed on an unfurnished or mostly unfurnished home.

But why are these cleanings necessary? Can you perform an in-depth move in cleaning yourself, or do you have to hire the pros? In what ways are move in cleanings different from regular cleanings?

Keep reading to learn the answers to these questions!

What is the first thing to do when moving into a house?

As with most things in life, it’s always better to identify potential problems early on and deal with them long before they can become a serious issue. When performed by highly trained cleaners, a move in cleaning can be a great way to simplify your move and protect your loved ones.

Here’s why booking a move in cleaning is a great idea:

It keeps you and your family safe

It’s an unfortunate reality that not everyone gives personal hygiene the attention it deserves. When you move into a new home, there’s always the risk that the previous tenants have contaminated it with all sorts of nasty microbes, parasites, fungi, pests, and even COVID-19 before they moved out.

Even if you’re moving into a brand new house, you can still never be sure that the construction workers who built it hadn’t brought in a bunch of dangerous pathogens. Luckily, an extensive move in cleaning will make short work of any germs that may be lurking in your new home.

It makes your move easier

The last thing you want to do at the end of a long moving day is to spend hours mopping and vacuuming your new apartment. By having the property professionally cleaned before you arrive, you’ll be able to settle in and start enjoying your new home right away.

It saves you time and energy

A move in cleaning offers a unique opportunity to clean surfaces and areas that would otherwise be hard to access or blocked off completely by bulky furniture. This ensures your new home will stay cleaner for longer and that you won’t have to perform an extensive deep cleaning a few months after your move.

Should you clean a house before moving in?

Absolutely! However, this is often easier said and done. Chances are, you’re already preoccupied with packing, arranging transportation, dealing with your previous landlord, and juggling a hundred other details and responsibilities related to your move.

Under these circumstances, devoting an entire day to cleaning is simply not practical. Luckily, by having a reputable cleaning company take care of your move in cleaning, you’ll not only be getting top-notch results, but also making your move less stressful and tiring overall.

Where can I book a superb move in cleaning in San Francisco, CA?

Should you clean a house before moving inMoving is already stressful enough as it is without also having to worry about giving your new place a thorough cleaning. That’s where Mythical Maids comes in! We work with the top cleaning pros in San Francisco who can make sure your new home is 100% pristine and germ-free before you move in.

Every maid we send you has been thoroughly interviewed and background checked to ensure maximum reliability. They will happily take care of your cleaning needs while you focus on the other aspects of your move, or simply catch a much-needed breather by taking a leisurely stroll through Golden Gate Park.

Get in touch with us today and enjoy our 200% satisfaction guarantee!

The Ins and Outs of Move Out Cleanings

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?

What happens if you don't clean the apartment when moving outAside 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!

Move Out Carpet Cleaning: 3 Tried-and-True Tips from the Experts

It’s a well-known fact that hiring an apartment move out cleaning service in San Francisco to extensively sanitize your previous home before you leave is one of the most important things you can do to ensure your move goes smoothly.

We previously wrote about why move out cleanings are necessary and which types of cleaning they include. Now we’ll answer a question that many tenants wonder about: how thoroughly should you clean the carpets and rugs in your old place before moving out of it? Read on to find out.

Do I have to clean the carpet when I move out?

Most landlord-tenant contracts require the tenant to take excellent care of the property and leave it in the same condition it was in when they first entered it (with the exception or regular wear and tear). One of the ways this requirement is met is by giving the home an in-depth cleaning prior to leaving it for good.

If you haven’t damaged or excessively stained the floor coverings, you’ll only have to give them a standard cleaning (vacuuming and blotting out stains) before you move out. However, if the damage is more extensive than that, you may need to go the extra mile to avoid complaints from your landlord.

Here are 3 ways to deal with a dirty carpet before moving out:

Hire a certified cleaner

Pet and baby urine, food and drink spills, and other nasty accidents can all leave stains that can’t be removed with a normal cleaning. If this has happened to you, your best option is to have the carpet cleaned by the experts before your landlord sees it.

Align the carpet cleaning with your moving day

The carpet cleaning should be done after the movers have already taken all of your stuff away, but before your landlord has inspected the property. This will ensure the carpets are 100% dry and as clean as possible when the landlord inspects them.

Stretch the carpets or have them repaired

Bubbles or wrinkles can appear as the carpet ages, or if it has been installed improperly. An effective way to fix this is by stretching the carpet in an empty room. If the carpet has been torn in places or has holes, consider taking it to a professional carpet repair service.

Can my landlord charge for carpet cleaning?

Can my landlord charge for carpet cleaningThe answer to this question depends on whether the condition of the carpet can be attributed to normal wear and tear, or if it goes beyond that.

In most states, basic carpet cleaning is considered to be a part of the overall turnover costs incurred by the landlord. If the costs of the cleaning aren’t higher than a professional cleaner’s regular rate, and the carpet hasn’t suffered any unusual damage, the landlord won’t be able to charge the tenant for carpet cleaning.

However, if the carpet is excessively grimy or damaged, the landlord has the right to deduct the cost of cleaning, repair, or replacement from the tenant’s security deposit. Examples of excessive dirt or damage include burns, holes, tears, stains from oil, paint, pet urine, etc.

Where can I book a top-quality apartment move out cleaning service in San Francisco?

If you want to make your big moving day as stress-free as possible, don’t hesitate to give Mythical Maids a call. Every San Francisco cleaner we work with has been carefully vetted and background checked to ensure maximum dependability.

By outsourcing your move out cleaning to the experts, you’ll not just be avoiding disagreements with your landlord, you’ll also be getting back some of the free time you need to attend to your other obligations or relax with a leisurely walk down Ocean Beach with your loved ones. Book your cleaning today!

Move Out Cleaning 101: What Is a Move Out Cleaning and What Does It Include?

As its name implies, a house or apartment move out cleaning service in San Francisco, CA, is a special kind of cleaning service that aims to make a property that’s being vacated as clean as it was when you initially moved into it, leaving you free to run errands and make the final arrangements prior to your move.

But what exactly does a move out cleaning include, and how is it different from just giving your place a regular cleaning? What are the main reasons to perform a move out cleaning? How long does a typical move out cleaning take? Should you clean carpets before moving out

We’ll be answering some of these questions in the following article. Keep reading to learn more. 

What’s included in a move out clean?

Leaving a dirty house after you move out isn’t just rude: it may also come back to bite you by giving your landlord an excuse to withhold your security deposit. If the property in question belongs to you, and you’re looking to sell it, not cleaning it will put off prospective buyers by making the place look like it hasn’t been maintained properly over the years. 

A move out cleaning solves all those problems by allowing you to present your old home in the best possible light. 

Here’s what’s included in a typical move out cleaning:

  • Dusting shelves
  • Cleaning chairs and tables
  • Polishing wood furniture
  • Polishing stainless steel surfaces
  • Cleaning the fronts of all sills, handles, and cabinets
  • Cleaning and polishing hood vents
  • Cleaning the interior and exterior of the microwave
  • Cleaning and polishing the stove (front, top, and control panels)
  • Cleaning stove burners
  • Cleaning large appliances (eg., fridge)
  • Dusting and wiping the doors
  • Cleaning window ledges
  • Dusting baseboards
  • Shining chrome
  • Cleaning all lights and ceiling fans
  • Dusting and wiping the laundry room
  • Cleaning and drying sink counters
  • Emptying the garbage
  • Vacuuming floor coverings
  • Removing all cobwebs
  • Cleaning entrance glass doors
  • Vacuuming and mopping the floors
  • Dusting blinds and window ledges
  • Scrubbing and cleaning sinks
  • Cleaning mirrors
  • Scrubbing and cleaning bathtubs, showers, and toilets
  • Wiping cabinets
  • Cleaning door knobs and light switches
  • Cleaning countertops and backsplash

Move out cleanings may also include the following extras:

  • Cleaning the interior of the oven
  • Cleaning the interior of the fridge
  • Cleaning the interior of kitchen cabinets
  • Using green cleaning products and techniques
  • Removing pet hairs
  • Cleaning the interiors of windows
  • Cleaning the walls

How long does it take to do a move out clean?

No two residential or commercial properties are quite the same, so it’s impossible to provide a one-size-fits-all answer to this question. How long a move out cleaning takes can vary depending on multiple factors.

These factors include:

  • Size of the property. The larger the place, the more time it’ll take to clean.
  • Amount of dirt. The bigger the mess, the longer it’s going to take to clean it.
  • Presence of pets. Picking up cat and dog hair can add a lot of extra time to a cleaning.
  • Types of cleaning included. Degreasing the inside of an oven or cleaning the interior of a fridge can be time-consuming. 

Where can I schedule a quality apartment move out cleaning service in San Francisco, CA?

cleaning a san francisco apartment before moving out (1)Moving can be extremely stressful during the best of times, but it can become downright unbearable when you also have the coronavirus pandemic to worry about. Luckily for you, help is just a quick call away! 

At Mythical Maids, we team up with San Francisco’s top cleaning pros who specialize in providing the full range of residential and commercial cleaning services. Whether you’re looking for a standard cleaning, or you need to have your previous home in Anza Vista thoroughly cleaned before you move out, you can’t go wrong by giving us a call today!