Move-In Deep Cleaning 101 for Your New Home

Move-In Deep Cleaning 101: What’s Included, What’s Extra?

We recently got a call from a new homeowner — let’s call her Lauren — who was about to move into a large, 7-bedroom home, roughly 8,000 square feet including the basement. She wanted the whole place spotless before a single box crossed the threshold.

Lauren asked a question we hear all the time: “What exactly is included in a move-in deep clean, what counts as an extra, and how do I know I’m getting my money’s worth?” We walked her through our checklist, talked about things like fridges in pieces, garages, and multiple washer–dryer sets, and by the end of the call she had a clear picture of what to expect.

In this post, we’ll share the same breakdown we gave Lauren, so you can choose the right move-in cleaning service for your new home with confidence.

What’s Usually Included in a Move-In Deep Clean

Move-in and move-out cleanings are very different from a standard weekly clean. With Lauren’s home, we focused on all the areas that are often missed in routine cleaning and that you really want fresh and disinfected before you move in.

Here’s what a true move-in deep clean typically includes inside the main living areas:

• Whole-home dusting and detailing
  Walls (as needed), light fixtures, ceiling fans, vents, window sills, blinds, doors, and door frames.
• Baseboards and trim
  Thoroughly wiped throughout the home — something that’s usually skipped in standard cleans.
• Cabinets and drawers
  Inside and outside of kitchen, bathroom, and built-in cabinets and drawers emptied, vacuumed if needed, and wiped clean.
• Hard surfaces disinfected
  Counters, vanities, shelves, and other hard surfaces wiped with appropriate cleaning solutions.
• Bathrooms top to bottom
  Toilets, tubs, showers, sinks, faucets, tile, and glass scrubbed and disinfected; mirrors polished; fixtures wiped.
• Kitchen surfaces
  Countertops, backsplash, sink, faucet, range hood exterior, and appliance exteriors cleaned.
• Floors throughout
  Thorough vacuuming and mopping of all accessible floors, including finished basement areas.

In Lauren’s case, her basement was included as part of the move-in clean because it was part of the finished square footage. That’s something you should always confirm when you’re comparing quotes.

Appliances, Fridges, and Laundry: What’s Extra?

Appliances are where things can get confusing, and Lauren’s questions were ones we hear a lot — especially about fridges and washer–dryer sets.

With most professional cleaners, here’s how it typically breaks down:

• Usually included:
  • Microwave interior and exterior
  • Oven and stovetop (standard cleaning, not a full oven degrease in all cases)
  • Dishwasher exterior and quick wipe of the interior lip
• Often considered an extra:
  • Inside of the refrigerator (including drawers, shelves, and bins)
  • Mini-fridges and beverage fridges
  • Inside of washer and dryer (drum, gasket, detergent trays, lint areas)

When we talked with Lauren, she mentioned that the main fridge was “in pieces” — a main unit with drawers on the bottom — and there might also be a mini beverage fridge. We treated that main unit as one fridge and added a separate line item for the mini fridge, with the understanding that if we found more fridges on the day of service, we’d adjust the total then.

We handled her two washer–dryer sets as another extra. For her, it was important that every appliance felt brand-new, so including those made sense. For another homeowner on a tighter budget, we might recommend prioritizing the fridge and oven and leaving laundry appliances for later.

Garages, Basements, and Other “Gray Areas”

Another big question from Lauren was about the basement and garage: “Does the move-in cleaning include those?” The answer can vary a lot from company to company.

Here’s how we typically see it handled — and what you should ask any cleaner:

• Finished basements are usually included in the overall square footage and cleaned like other living areas: dusting, wiping surfaces, and floors.
• Unfinished basements may be limited to cobweb removal and floor sweeping, or may be priced as an add-on.
• Garages are very commonly not included by default and are added as an extra per car space.

For Lauren, we added her two-car garage as an extra. The service covered dusting, sweeping or vacuuming the floor, and general cobweb removal. She also asked if we could clean any cabinets in the garage; we made a note for our cleaners to wipe down cabinet interiors and exteriors there as well.

How Long Does a Move-In Deep Clean Take?

Time was also important to Lauren because she was working around a tight move-in date. For a large home like hers, a full move-in deep clean with extras can take many hours and usually requires a team.

In general, you can expect:

• Small homes or apartments (1–2 beds): 3–6 hours with a team of 1–2 cleaners.
• Medium homes (3–4 beds): 5–8 hours with 2–3 cleaners.
• Large homes (5+ beds): 8+ hours with a larger team, especially if you add appliance interiors and garage cleaning.

The more extras you add — multiple fridges, washer–dryer sets, extra bathrooms, and garages — the more time you should budget. When you call a company, ask how many cleaners will be onsite and for their best estimate of how long they’ll need.

How to Prepare Your New Home Before Cleaners Arrive

Lauren’s home was completely empty, which is ideal. Cleaners can move quickly and reach every corner. If your home won’t be totally empty, a little preparation can make a big difference.

We usually suggest homeowners:

• Confirm access – Make sure keys, door codes, or lockbox instructions are sorted out ahead of time.
• Keep it as empty as possible – Try to schedule cleaning before furniture and boxes arrive, or at least keep them out of kitchens and bathrooms.
• Remove obvious trash and debris – Construction debris or old belongings may need a different type of service.
• Share any preferences – If you prefer certain products, or want extra attention on specific rooms (nursery, primary bath, etc.), let the company know in advance.

Lauren wanted everything “really, really clean” and was open about not necessarily needing specific products, just a genuinely deep clean. We took note of that so our team could plan enough time and focus for baseboards, cabinets, and hard-to-reach spots.

Choosing Extras When You’re on a Budget

Not every homeowner has the budget for the kind of full-house service Lauren booked, and that’s okay. If you need to prioritize, we usually recommend focusing on:

• Kitchen and bathrooms first – These are the most used and hygiene-critical spaces.
• Inside of the fridge – Food is going in there on day one; it should be spotless.
• Cabinets and drawers – Anywhere you’ll store dishes, food, towels, or toiletries.
• Floors in main living areas – Especially if you have kids or pets.

If budget is tight, consider leaving garages, extra fridges, or laundry appliances for a later date and invest in the areas that most affect your daily comfort and health.

What to Expect on Cleaning Day

Finally, Lauren asked us how she could be sure we’d do a thorough job, since her weekly cleaners at her current home charged much less. The key difference is scope and quality control.

On a move-in deep cleaning with us, homeowners can expect:

• A detailed checklist – So you know exactly what’s being cleaned and what counts as an extra.
• A focus on overlooked areas – Baseboards, cabinet interiors, and those hard-to-reach corners standard cleaning often misses.
• A final walkthrough – Our team walks the home at the end, and if you’re present, you can point out anything that needs more attention.
• Satisfaction guarantee – If a reasonable area was missed, we address it before we leave whenever possible.

That level of detail and time investment is why a move-in deep clean will cost more than a weekly maintenance visit — but it also sets you up to move into a home that feels truly fresh and ready.

Questions to Ask Before You Book

To wrap up, here’s a quick list of questions you can use with any company you call, the same way Lauren did with us:

• Is this a move-in deep clean or a standard cleaning?
• Are cabinet and drawer interiors included?
• Is the inside of the fridge included, and what about mini-fridges?
• Can you clean the inside of washer and dryer, and is that extra?
• Are basements and garages included, or are they add-ons?
• How long will the cleaning take, and how many cleaners will be there?
• Do you provide a checklist and satisfaction guarantee?

If you get clear, straightforward answers to these questions, you’ll be in a great position to choose the right move-in deep cleaning service and walk into your new home with confidence.