Move out cleaning costs $150 to $350 for most apartments and $300 to $500 for a typical three bedroom house. The national average lands around $300, with small studios starting near $150 and large or neglected homes climbing past $700. This guide covers prices by home size, what pros actually clean, the add ons that change the bill, and why the math usually beats losing part of a security deposit.
| Price Level | Typical Cost | What It Covers |
| Low | $150 to $250 | Studio or one bedroom in good condition |
| Average | $250 to $400 | Two or three bedrooms, appliances included |
| High | $500 to $800 | Large house, heavy buildup, carpets and add ons |
Move out cleaning is priced higher than a standard cleaning of the same home because the job is deeper. Every cabinet gets emptied and wiped, appliances get cleaned inside and out, and baseboards, doors and switch plates all get attention. The crew is preparing the home for a final inspection, not just tidying it, and that standard takes more hours.
How Much Does Move Out Cleaning Cost?
Most companies price move out jobs by bedroom and bathroom count, with square footage as a backstop for unusually large layouts. Expect roughly $0.20 to $0.50 per square foot, or $40 to $60 per cleaner per hour when a company bills hourly.
| Home Size | Typical Cost | Typical Time |
| Studio or one bedroom | $150 to $250 | 2 to 4 hours |
| Two bedroom apartment | $200 to $350 | 3 to 5 hours |
| Three bedroom house | $300 to $500 | 4 to 7 hours |
| Four bedrooms or more | $400 to $700 | 6 to 9 hours |
It helps to see how move out service compares with the other cleaning levels companies offer. A standard clean maintains a lived in home, a deep clean resets a dirty one, and a move out clean prepares an empty one for inspection. Our guide to apartment deep clean costs breaks down the middle tier in detail.
| Cleaning Type | Typical Cost | Best For |
| Standard cleaning | $120 to $200 | Regular upkeep while you live there |
| Deep cleaning | $200 to $400 | Seasonal reset or first professional visit |
| Move out cleaning | $250 to $500 | Final inspection and deposit return |
Add ons push the price up fast, so ask exactly what your base price includes. Inside the oven and inside the fridge are sometimes standard for move out work and sometimes extra, which makes them the first thing to confirm.
| Add On | Typical Price | Notes |
| Carpet steam cleaning | $75 to $200 | Often required by lease terms |
| Inside oven | $25 to $50 | Heavy grease costs more |
| Inside fridge | $25 to $50 | Must be emptied first |
| Interior windows | $4 to $8 per window | Tracks and sills included |
| Wall spot washing | $30 to $60 per room | Scuffs, marks and fingerprints |
| Garage or patio sweep | $25 to $75 | Cobwebs, dust and debris |
Move Out Cleaning Cost Factors
Two identical floor plans can come back with prices $200 apart. The factors below explain why, and they are worth reading before you request a price, because the details you share up front determine how accurate that number turns out to be on cleaning day.
Home Size and Layout
Bedroom and bathroom count sets the base price, and bathrooms matter most. Each full bathroom adds roughly 45 minutes to an hour of scrubbing, so a three bedroom home with three baths costs noticeably more than the same home with one and a half. Multiple stories add time for stairs, railings and extra baseboards.
Condition When You Leave
A home that was cleaned regularly takes far less work than one that was not. Heavy grease in the kitchen, soap scum in the showers, pet hair and smoke residue can each add $50 to $150 to the final bill. Crews often adjust the price after seeing the property, so honest photos up front get you a more accurate number.
Whether the Home Is Empty
Move out prices assume an empty home. Furniture still in place slows the crew down and blocks the floors, baseboards and closets they are supposed to clean, and many companies add 10 to 20 percent if the movers have not finished. Schedule the cleaning for the day after your belongings are out whenever you can.
Timing and Scheduling
End of month dates book up first because most leases end then, and last minute requests during the final weekend of a month can carry rush pricing of 15 to 25 percent. Booking a week or more ahead locks in normal rates and gives you a buffer day in case the movers run long. Midweek and midmonth slots are the cheapest and easiest to get.
Your Security Deposit
Cleaning charges are one of the most common deductions landlords take from deposits, and a deposit often equals a full month of rent. Spending $250 on a professional move out clean to protect a $1,500 deposit is straightforward math. Documentation seals it, so photograph every room after the crew finishes and keep the receipt. Our move out cleaning checklist walks through exactly what landlords and inspectors look at room by room.
DIY vs Hiring a Professional
Cleaning a home yourself before you hand back the keys is absolutely doable, and for a small apartment in good shape it is often the right call. Budget $50 to $100 for supplies if you are starting from scratch: degreaser, bathroom cleaner, glass cleaner, sponges, a mop and a vacuum you may already own. Renting a carpet cleaning machine adds $35 to $50 per day plus solution. Choosing products from the EPA Safer Choice list keeps the chemistry safer for you and the next tenant while you work through weeks of buildup in a single day.
The catch is time. A proper move out clean on a two bedroom apartment takes one person 6 to 10 hours, and it lands during the most exhausting week of your move. Ovens, blinds, baseboards and shower glass are slow, unpleasant jobs that inspectors check first. If you miss the mark, the landlord hires a cleaner anyway and deducts the cost, often at a higher rate than you would have paid yourself.
DIY makes sense for studios and one bedrooms, for tenants with a few free days before the lease ends, and for homes that were kept clean all along. Hiring a professional makes sense for larger homes, for back to back moving and closing dates, for lease terms that require receipts for professional cleaning, and for anyone whose deposit is worth multiples of the cleaning bill.
Move Out Cleaning Prices by City
| City | Two Bedroom Apartment | Three Bedroom House |
| Dallas | $220 to $340 | $320 to $480 |
| Houston | $220 to $350 | $330 to $500 |
| Miami | $250 to $400 | $360 to $550 |
| Tampa | $210 to $330 | $300 to $460 |
| New Orleans | $230 to $360 | $330 to $500 |
Local labor rates, rental turnover and climate all nudge prices up or down. The same two bedroom job can vary by $80 or more between these five markets, and within each city, dense apartment neighborhoods usually price a little better than outlying suburbs because crews spend less time driving between jobs.
Dallas sits near the middle of the range, with strong competition among cleaning crews keeping prices steady. Houston runs similar, though larger suburban homes push the top end higher. Miami is the most expensive of the five thanks to higher labor rates and heavy rental turnover in condo buildings. Tampa stays the most affordable, helped by a deep bench of crews serving smaller homes. New Orleans prices reflect humidity that accelerates grime and mildew plus an older housing stock that takes longer to detail.
How Booking Through House Fly Works
You tell House Fly what you need, including your home size, your move date and any add ons like carpets or the oven. You get a real, upfront price on the spot, with no hidden fees and no surprises. You pick the day and time that works for you and book it on the House Fly services page. House Fly finds the right trusted local pro for the job and sends them out, then handles everything from booking to completion while you relax. Payment is held until the work is finished, you can chat with your pro any time, and you can cancel for free.
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Move Out Cleaning FAQ
How much does move out cleaning cost?
Move out cleaning costs $150 to $350 for most apartments and $300 to $500 for a typical three bedroom house, with a national average around $300. Add ons like carpet steam cleaning, inside the oven and inside the fridge can add $75 to $300 to the base price.
What is included in a move out cleaning?
A standard move out clean covers floors, baseboards, doors, switch plates, bathrooms, kitchen counters and cabinet interiors, plus dusting throughout. Appliance interiors, carpets, interior windows and wall washing are usually add ons. Ask for the exact task list before you book so the service matches what your lease and your landlord expect.
Is move out cleaning worth it for the deposit?
Usually, yes. Cleaning deductions are among the most common reasons tenants lose deposit money, and a deposit often equals a month of rent. Paying $250 for a professional clean to protect a $1,500 deposit is a strong trade, especially when you keep the receipt and photos as proof of the home condition.
How long does move out cleaning take?
A professional crew of two typically finishes an apartment in 2 to 4 hours and a three bedroom house in 4 to 7 hours. Doing the same work alone takes 6 to 10 hours or more. Homes with heavy buildup, pets or smoke residue can take a crew most of a day.
