Moving is stressful in any market. In the Florida Keys, it comes with a few extra layers: tight inventory, properties that have absorbed years of salt air and humidity, and the reality that most rentals expect the place left in excellent condition or risk losing a deposit. Whether you’re moving out of a home you’ve lived in for years or moving into a new place that needs a thorough reset before you settle in, a proper move-in/move-out clean is one of the most important things you can do.
This post covers what a professional move-in/move-out clean should include, how to handle it yourself if you’re going that route, and how to get it done professionally without the hassle of calling around and waiting for callbacks.
Move-Out Cleaning: Protecting Your Deposit and Your Reputation
If you’re leaving a rental in the Keys, you have real financial skin in the game. Security deposits here can be significant, and landlords in a tight market have options. Leaving the property clean, thoroughly clean, is the single best thing you can do to get your full deposit back and leave on good terms.
Even if you own the property and are selling or handing it off, the condition of the home at handover matters.
Here’s what a complete move-out clean should cover:
Kitchen
- All countertops cleaned and sanitized
- Stovetop and burners scrubbed (grease buildup must come off completely)
- Interior of the oven cleaned, including racks
- Interior of the refrigerator cleaned, including all shelves, drawers, and door bins
- Inside all cabinets and drawers, wiped down and cleared of crumbs and residue
- Exterior of all appliances cleaned
- Sink scrubbed and sanitized, faucet and fixtures polished
- Exhaust fan filter cleaned or wiped down
- Trash emptied, bin cleaned
Bathrooms
- Toilet cleaned inside and out, tank wiped down
- Shower and/or tub scrubbed thoroughly, tile and grout cleaned
- Sink and vanity cleaned, faucet and fixtures polished
- Mirror cleaned streak-free
- Inside of medicine cabinet wiped down
- All surfaces wiped including towel bars, toilet paper holder, light fixtures
- Floor scrubbed and mopped
- Exhaust fan wiped down
- Trash emptied
Bedrooms
- All closets emptied and wiped down, shelves and rods cleaned
- Ceiling fans cleaned on both sides of each blade
- Windows cleaned inside (sills, tracks, and glass)
- Baseboards wiped down
- Floors vacuumed and mopped
Living Areas and Common Spaces
- All ceiling fans cleaned
- Baseboards throughout the home wiped down
- Window sills and tracks cleaned
- Light switches and outlet covers wiped down
- Door frames and door handles cleaned
- Walls spot-cleaned (scuffs and marks where visible)
- Floors vacuumed and mopped throughout
- Any built-in shelving or storage wiped down
Garage (if applicable)
- Swept clean
- Any grease stains addressed if possible
- Walls and shelving wiped down
Outdoor Areas (if included in lease responsibility)
- Patio or lanai swept and hosed down
- Any outdoor furniture wiped or cleaned per lease terms
Move-In Cleaning: Starting Fresh in Your New Home
Moving into a property someone else just vacated, even if they cleaned it themselves, usually means you’re inheriting residual grime you didn’t create. Professional move-out cleans vary in quality. The previous tenant’s “clean” might mean they ran a vacuum and wiped the counters. That’s not the same as what you want to live in from day one.
A move-in clean before you unpack gives you a genuinely clean starting point. Everything you set down, put in a drawer, or hang in a closet starts from a clean baseline. In a Keys home especially, where humidity and salt air mean more buildup, that matters.
The checklist for a move-in clean mirrors the move-out list above: full kitchen interior including all appliances and cabinets, full bathroom scrub, baseboards, ceiling fans, window sills, floors, and all surfaces throughout. The goal is that by the time your boxes go in, the home feels completely fresh.
The Keys Environment Makes This Especially Important
Florida Keys homes develop specific kinds of buildup that homes in other climates don’t. Salt air leaves a film on surfaces over time. Humidity accelerates mold and mildew in bathrooms, on grout, and in any areas with limited airflow. Cabinet interiors develop musty odors.
When you’re doing a move-in/move-out clean in the Keys, these areas need real attention. A light wipe won’t get rid of grout mildew. A shower that looks passably clean might have a mildew problem behind the curtain or in the corners that will show up in weeks. The properties that come out looking their best, and that have the cleanest smell, are the ones that got thorough attention to these specifically Keys-related issues.
Should You Clean It Yourself or Hire a Professional?
Honest answer: it depends on the size of the property and how much time and energy you have in the middle of an already exhausting move.
For a small one-bedroom in Key West or a compact cottage in Islamorada, a thorough DIY clean is doable if you’re detail-oriented and have a full day to commit. Work top-to-bottom, room by room, and don’t skip the interiors.
For a 3-bedroom-plus property, or any property where deposit return is a real concern, or any home that’s been occupied for more than a year without a deep clean, professional cleaning is worth the cost. A professional move-in/move-out clean takes more time than a standard clean. It’s priced accordingly. But the alternative, losing part of a deposit or moving into a home you never quite feel settled in, costs more in the long run.
What Florida Keys Cleaning Co. Covers
Florida Keys Cleaning Co. offers move-in/move-out cleaning for residential properties across the Keys, from Key Largo through Key West. Michael Moore runs the company as a local, owner-operated business. We know these homes, we know the Keys environment, and we take the detail work seriously.
Our move-in/move-out service covers all the items on the checklist above. Add-ons like interior fridge cleaning ($25), interior oven cleaning ($15), interior window cleaning ($4 per window), and laundry service ($15) can be added to customize the service for your specific situation.
You don’t have to call, leave a message, and wait for someone to get back to you with a price. Go to floridakeyscleaning.com, enter your property details, choose your clean type, add any extras, and get your real price in under a minute. Book directly from the same page.
A Quick Note on Timing
Move-in/move-out cleaning availability is best secured as early as possible, especially during the Keys’ busy season (roughly November through April) and during peak summer travel weeks. Last-minute booking may be available, but don’t leave it to chance when your move date is set. Book early.
Get Your Move-In/Move-Out Quote Right Now
Whether you’re leaving a home in Marathon or moving into a new place in Tavernier, we’ve got you covered. Get your instant quote at floridakeyscleaning.com or call Michael at 305-745-7450. No payment required to book, no waiting around for a callback. Just your price, your date, and one less thing to worry about on moving day.
Cleaning Across the Florida Keys
Florida Keys Cleaning Co. serves the entire island chain. Find local cleaning in your town: