Move Out Cleaning Checklist for Miami Renters: Get Your Deposit Back

Your Miami security deposit is probably $2,000 to $6,000 depending on your rent, and cleaning issues are among the most common reasons landlords withhold part or all of it. This checklist covers exactly what needs cleaning before your final walkthrough — including the spots most renters miss that landlords always check.

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Print this, work through it room by room, and photograph everything when you’re done. Or use it as a reference when hiring professional move out cleaning so you know exactly what to expect from the service.

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Before You Start

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Remove all personal belongings first. Cleaning around boxes and furniture means cleaning around obstacles. Do your move-out cleaning after everything is out and before your walkthrough.

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Gather supplies: all-purpose cleaner, glass cleaner, degreaser for the kitchen, toilet bowl cleaner, scrub brushes, microfiber cloths, a mop, vacuum, trash bags, and a step stool for high areas.

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Set aside four to eight hours for a thorough job on a one or two bedroom apartment. Larger homes take longer. Work top to bottom in each room so dust and debris fall to areas not yet cleaned.

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Kitchen Checklist

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The kitchen gets the most scrutiny because it’s where the worst buildup happens.

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- Clean inside the oven, including racks — remove them and scrub individually.

- Wipe inside the oven door and around the seal.

- Clean inside the refrigerator: every shelf, every drawer, the drip pan underneath, and the rubber door gasket.

- Pull the refrigerator forward and clean behind and underneath it.

- Pull the stove forward and clean behind and underneath it.

- Clean the range hood and filter — remove the filter and soak if necessary.

- Run the dishwasher empty with a cleaning tablet, then wipe inside.

- Clean inside every cabinet and drawer — wipe shelves and drawer bottoms.

- Wipe cabinet faces and handles.

- Clean countertops and backsplash thoroughly, including grout lines.

- Scrub the sink and faucet, including the base where gunk collects.

- Clean light fixtures.

- Clean baseboards.

- Sweep and mop the floor, including corners and under cabinet edges.

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Bathroom Checklist

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- Scrub the shower and tub, including all grout lines.

- Address any mildew in grout — this is what landlords notice first.

- Clean the toilet completely: inside the bowl, under the rim, the exterior, behind the toilet, around the base, and the tank exterior.

- Clean the sink and faucet thoroughly, including the base and drain.

- Wipe the vanity and any cabinets inside and out.

- Clean the mirror streak-free.

- Remove the exhaust fan cover and wash it.

- Wipe the exhaust fan housing.

- Clean light fixtures.

- Clean inside any medicine cabinet or cabinets.

- Wash baseboards.

- Mop the floor, including behind and around the toilet.

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Bedroom Checklist

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- Dust all surfaces including window sills.

- Clean inside the closet: shelves, rod area, and floor.

- Clean inside any built-in drawers.

- Wipe baseboards throughout.

- Clean light fixtures and ceiling fan blades if present.

- Clean interior windows and sills.

- Vacuum carpet thoroughly (including closets and corners) or mop hard floors.

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Living Area Checklist

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- Dust all surfaces.

- Clean interior windows and sills.

- Wipe baseboards throughout.

- Clean light fixtures, ceiling fans, and any recessed lighting trim.

- Clean sliding door tracks if applicable — use a brush to loosen debris, then vacuum and wipe.

- Clean balcony floor and railing if applicable.

- Vacuum or mop all floors, including under where furniture was.

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Throughout the Entire Unit

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- Interior doors: wipe faces and top edges.

- Light switch plates and outlet covers: wipe with damp cloth.

- Door handles throughout: clean and sanitize.

- HVAC vents and returns: wipe covers.

- Inside the washer and dryer if in-unit: run a cleaning cycle and wipe the drum, gasket, and lint trap.

- The front door, inside and out.

- Check for any scuff marks on walls (Magic Eraser works on most).

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The Spots Renters Always Miss

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- Inside the oven — the number one missed spot.

- Behind and under the stove and refrigerator.

- Exhaust fan covers in bathrooms.

- Top of the refrigerator.

- Inside cabinet drawers (not just shelves).

- Sliding door tracks.

- The area behind the toilet.

- Baseboards behind where furniture was.

- Light fixture covers.

- The top edge of interior doors.

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After Cleaning

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Photograph everything. Every room, every surface, inside every cabinet and appliance. Email photos to your landlord or property manager with a timestamp. Keep receipts if you hired professional cleaning.

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This documentation is your insurance. If there’s a dispute about the apartment’s condition, you have evidence.

Your security deposit is your money. Don’t lose it to a dirty oven or forgotten baseboards.