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An empty, freshly cleaned San Antonio apartment on move-out day, sun on the wood floors and moving boxes by the door

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The move‑out checklist
that gets your deposit back.

Room by room, the way landlords check it. It is the same list our professional cleaners work from, made for renters across San Antonio. Tick it off on your phone or print it.

Start the checklist
  • 63 tasks in 5 stops
  • Saves your progress
  • Texas deposit rules

Start two weeks out.

A move-out clean is a full day of work in an empty home. Spread the planning and it stops being a panic on moving day.

  1. 1 Two weeks out

    Plan it

    • Reread the move-out section of your lease
    • Book your walkthrough date with the landlord
    • Book a move-out clean, or pick up supplies if you are doing it yourself
  2. 2 Moving week

    Empty as you go

    • Clean the fridge and freezer once the last groceries are gone
    • Patch small nail holes if your lease allows it
    • Clean closets and cabinets as each one is packed
  3. 3 Moving day

    The final pass

    • Start once the truck is loaded and the rooms are empty
    • Work top to bottom, room by room, floors last
    • Photograph everything before you lock up

Empty home, every inch.

Work top to bottom in each room and do the floors last. Your ticks save on this device, so you can come back to it.

0 of 63 done

An empty, freshly cleaned kitchen with every cabinet door open and the shelves wiped bare
1Kitchen

Kitchen

The room landlords check first. Open every door and drawer, because that is exactly what they will do.

A spotless empty bathroom with a polished vanity, clear mirror and gleaming tile
2Bathrooms

Bathrooms

Limescale, grout and the base of the toilet are the deductions people do not see coming.

An empty bedroom with clean carpet, wiped baseboards and a dusted ceiling fan
3Bedrooms and living areas

Bedrooms and living areas

With the furniture gone, every baseboard, blind and carpet edge is on show.

4

And in every room

The jobs that run through the whole home. Work top to bottom, and do the floors last.

A set of apartment keys left on a spotless quartz counter in an empty, freshly cleaned kitchen
5Hand back the keys

Before you hand back the keys

Not cleaning, but this is the part that decides the deposit. Do it last, on the way out.

Getting your deposit back in Texas.

Three rules worth knowing before your walkthrough.

  1. 30 days to refund

    Your landlord has 30 days after you move out to return your deposit or send a written, itemized list of any deductions.

    Texas Property Code 92.103

  2. Normal wear and tear is not on you

    A landlord cannot keep your deposit for normal wear and tear, like faded paint or carpet worn by everyday use. Dirt, grease and damage are a different story, which is what this checklist is for.

    Texas Property Code 92.104

  3. Put your new address in writing

    The landlord does not have to send the deposit until you give a forwarding address in writing, so do it on move-out day.

    Texas Property Code 92.107

General information, not legal advice. Your lease may add its own move-out requirements, so read it alongside this list.

Rather hand over the keys and walk away?

We do this exact list in empty homes across Northwest San Antonio, inside every cabinet, drawer, appliance and closet. Covered by our 24 hour Happiness Guarantee.

See the move-out clean Call (210) 880-9541

For realtors, property managers and leasing offices.

Hand this to your tenants and clients, add it to your move-out packet, or link to it from your site. It is free to share, and it stays up to date.

Link to this checklist
Or add this to your website

Questions, answered.

How long does a move-out clean take?

Longer than most people plan for. A professional move-out clean of a typical three bedroom home is about a full working day for one cleaner, because every cabinet, drawer and appliance is cleaned inside and out.

What do landlords check at move-out?

Inside the oven, fridge, cabinets and drawers, the bathrooms, baseboards, blinds, ceiling fans, floors and walls. Anything left behind, from trash to a forgotten box, can come out of the deposit too.

Do I need to clean the carpets?

Read your lease. Some require a professional carpet cleaning with a receipt. A standard move-out clean vacuums carpets and edges but does not shampoo them.

Can MaidThis do the move-out clean for me?

Yes. We clean empty homes across Northwest San Antonio, inside every cabinet, drawer, appliance and closet, and it is covered by our 24 hour Happiness Guarantee.