Should I Clean My Carpets Before Moving Out Of My Rental Unit?

Searching online for the best “carpet cleaners near me”? No doubt A Personal Touch Carpet Cleaning will be at the top of your results, and for good reason. Our talented carpet pros have vast experience in cleaning and repairing carpet, as well as answering questions like, “Should I clean my carpets before moving out of my rental unit?”

Carpets and Rental Units

The best answer to the question of “To clean or not to clean my carpet?” is that you should consult with your landlord. The vast majority of rental leases contain a list of move-out stipulations, stating what you need to clean and what the landlord’s expectations are with regard to cleaning. Often times these stipulations are tied directly to your deposit, and failure to meet the landlord’s expectations results in a reduction in your deposit return.

Specific to carpet, your responsibility to clean/repair/replace it before you move out is sometimes tied to the size of your apartment complex. It’s more likely that the landlord of a large complex will ask that you clean the carpet, and in some cases pay for any repairs or a full-scale replacement if necessary. The bigger the complex, the less time a landlord can dedicate to individual units, and the more expensive it becomes to ensure every tenant’s carpet is in good shape before they move out.

It’s not unheard of for a landlord to hire his own cleaning company to deep-clean a unit before a new tenant moves in, a stipulation that should be mentioned in the lease. In this case, one of two scenarios are possible: the landlord pays for the cleaning out of his own pocket or an “upkeep fund” that every tenant gives a monthly amount too, or the landlord expects the outgoing tenant to pay for the deep-clean. The upside here is that you won’t have to lift a finger, but the downside is you’ll get less of your deposit back.

In the majority of cases, a lease will call out what the landlord’s expectations are regarding move-out condition, and include a note regarding how your deposit-return could be lower if the unit isn’t cleaned to the lease’s expectations. Thus, you’ll have the option to either clean the unit yourself or hire a cleaning company, which comes down to whether you prefer to spend time or money.

Other Items/Areas To Be Cleaned

In addition to cleaning your unit’s carpet and other obvious tasks like wiping down the kitchen counters and scrubbing the toilet, here are some other areas that will require your attention:

  • Tile grout
  • The entire toilet (top, bottom, and back)
  • Oven (some ovens have an auto-clean feature, but these don’t always do a complete, “landlord-friendly” job
  • Cabinet shelves and all drawers, along with the tops of cabinets
  • Refrigerator and freezer, and the top of the fridge

We Have Your Carpet Cleaning Covered

Rather than leave your deposit to the whims of your landlord, contact A Personal Touch Carpet Cleaning and utilize our professional carpet cleaning services. We’ll have your carpets looking great, giving you peace of mind and a better chance of getting your full deposit back.  Remember at A Personal Touch, “We don’t cut corners, we clean them.”

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