Cleaning Guide

The following guideline is provided to assist our residents in cleaning their leased home prior to vacating and to convey our expectations on how the property should be cleaned prior to final inspection day.


The premises are to be left clean and ready to be reoccupied. Never is the need for cleaning considered as “normal wear and tear”. If we need to send in our cleaning person to clean areas that you missed, the cost will be deducted from your security deposit. In our business, we often hear “it was left cleaner than we got it” or “it was clean enough for me” and that is not acceptable. We expect the property to be clean and ready for new residents to move in. If you follow the guidelines closely, the chances are very good that you will not experience a cleaning deduction from your deposit. This checklist applies to all of our properties and may include cleaning of items that are not present in your home.


If you would like to have the home professionally cleaned, we recommend the following vendors: Monica Residential Cleaning 719-323-0183, Bob Carman 719-331-6369, or Nick and Susan 719-464-9558.

  • Entry Way:
    • Remove cobwebs
    • Wipe light fixture /globe
    • Wipe marks on door
    • Wash windows / screens / tracks
    • Sweep steps
    • Wipe down closets
    • Replace light bulbs as needed (must match)
  • Kitchen:
    • Clean stove and oven interior & exterior
    • Clean refrigerator and freezer interior & exterior
    • Clean dishwasher interior & exterior
    • Wipe out cupboards / cabinets /drawers
    • Wipe exterior of cupboards /cabinets
    • Wipe exhaust fan
    • Wash light fixtures/globes
    • Remove any marks from walls
    • Clean switch plate covers
    • Scrub / vacuum floor
    • Clean food out of disposal
    • Wash windows /screens/ window tracks inside & out
    • Check corners for cobwebs
    • Replace light bulbs as needed (must match)
  • Living Room/Family Room
    • Wash windows /screens/ window tracks inside & out
    • Wipe light fixture /globe
    • Vacuum carpet
    • Clean wood floors
    • Clean fireplace
    • Replace light bulbs as needed (must match)
    • Clean mini-blinds /screens
    • Wipe walls/ remove marks
  • Garage:
    • Sweep floor and power wash floor if dirty
    • Remove oil spots
    • Remove cobwebs
    • Clean trashcans
    • Wash windows/screens/window tracks inside &out
  • Miscellaneous:
    • Replace batteries in smoke alarms
    • Replace batteries in carbon monoxide detectors
    • Replace furnace filter
    • Have carpets professionally cleaned
    • Remove all pet excrement from the yard
  • Bathrooms:
    • Clean shower/bathtubs
    • Clean all faucets/shower head
    • Clean toilets
    • Clean shower door/tile
    • Clean sinks
    • Clean vanity/mirror/medicine cabinet/drawers
    • Clean windows/screens/window tracks inside & out
    • Clean floors
    • Wipe walls/remove marks
    • Clean light fixtures
    • Replace light bulbs as needed (must match)
    • Clean mini-blinds
  • Laundry Room:
    • Clean shelves
    • Clean doors
    • Clean floors
    • Washing machine and dryer exteriors
    • Clean windows/screens/window tracks inside & out
    • Clean light fixtures
    • Replace light bulbs as needed (must match)
  • Bedrooms:
    • Clean light fixtures
    • Replace light bulbs as needed (must match)
    • Wash windows/screens /window tracks inside & out
    • Wash screens
    • Wash mini-blinds
    • Wipe out closets
    • Vacuum carpet
    • Clean mirrors
    • Clean window and patio door tracks
    • Make sure screens are not ripped or have holes
    • Check that baseboards are clean
    • Clean out heat registers and cold air returns
  • Landscape:
    • It is a tenant’s responsibility except for some tenants that reside in townhomes or condominiums.
    • The yard must be freshly mowed and raked.
    • The shrubs must be trimmed neatly, flower beds weeded, and the grounds picked up of all trash and debris.
    • Damage to landscape from not watering, fertilizing and aerating according to your rental agreement can be charged back to the tenants.

This cleaning guide is not intended to be a conclusive cleaning sheet, only as a guide as to our expectations. You may find items not listed here will need to be cleaned. Please take an objective look at the property to ensure that everything is clean and ready for the new resident to take possession.

**The minimum charge from our maintenance vendor is $75.00 per hour, plus the cost of materials. For house cleaning services, the minimum charge is $260 per job for a standard 2-bedroom home. This rate will increase for larger homes based on the size and scope of the cleaning required.**