November 11, 2025

Landlord Turnover Cleaning Checklist

As you prepare for new tenants to move into your unit, it’s critical that you take the time to clean and get it ready. However, it can be difficult to know where to begin, especially if the previous tenants of your NYC apartment lived there a long time.

Never fear – we put together a landlord turnover cleaning checklist to help guide you through the process. It provides a step-by-step look at what you should clean and the steps you should take prior to your new tenants moving in. 

If you don’t have time to get your unit into shape, consider investing in professional cleaners to help. They can effectively and efficiently clean your space and have it move-in ready in no time.  

Pre-clean Walk Through and Damage Documentation 

Before you do anything, you need to do a pre-clean walkthrough. You can complete a preliminary walk-through after your tenants have given notice to assess the lay of the land and identify any repairs that may be needed.

After they move out, walk through again. Take photos of any damage within the unit or items left behind. Depending on the terms outlined in your security deposit policy, you may need to make deductions based on the state of the unit. 

Once you know what needs to be done in the space, you can start to tackle repairs and cleaning. 

Room-by-room Cleaning Scope 

You should tackle the apartment turnover room by room so that you don’t quickly get overwhelmed by all the different tasks. 

While each room has its own cleaning requirements, every space will need the following cleaned.

• Floors, including vacuuming, steaming, carpet cleaning, and more, depending on the type of floors in the room.
• Dusting: Vents, baseboards, doors, lights, windows, blinds, and trims. If applicable, you should also change any necessary filters. 
• Disinfecting: Light switches and other high-touch surfaces should be disinfected between tenants.  

Work from top to bottom so that any dust and debris can be removed at the end instead of multiple times throughout the cleaning process. 

Kitchen 

Within the kitchen, you need to take care to clean all surfaces and appliances, making sure there are no items left behind. 

• Kitchen appliances: Wipe down the inside and out of refrigerators, ovens, microwaves, dishwashers, and other standard kitchen appliances. Degrease all surfaces to remove built-up grime and include all drawers and compartments.
• Cabinets: Clean the inside of cabinets and drawers. Wipe down the outside, taking care of any stubborn stains or grease. Also, be sure to get the top and the bottom of the cabinets as applicable. 
• Countertops and Sinks: Clean then disinfect counters and kitchen sinks, paying special attention to surfaces that were used to cook. Test the garbage disposal if applicable. 
• Windows: Wipe down and dust the inside and outside of windows, including the window sills. Dust or wash any standard window treatments, like blinds or curtains. 
• Light fixtures and fans: Dust the inside and outside of any light fixtures or fan blades.

End with the floors, sweeping and steaming the surfaces for maximum cleanliness.

Bathrooms

NYC bathrooms may be small, but that doesn’t mean they don’t require a lot of cleaning to keep them in top shape. 

• Shower: Clean the shower walls and doors, including completing descaling and treating the grout for any mold and mildew. Be sure to include the faucet and showerhead in the cleaning, as they can be overlooked.
• Toilet: Apply toilet bowl cleaner to the inside and let it sit. As it works its magic, wipe down the outside of the toilet, behind it, and the toilet seat. You may want to replace it if it is too dirty or damaged. 
• Mirror: Use glass cleaner on the surface of the mirror, but also dust the edges, including the top and bottom
• Medicine cabinet/vanity: Wipe down the inside and out of all shelves, drawers, and cabinets. Make sure to include the top and bottom, as dust can build up there. 
• Towel holders and fixtures: Clean and disinfect any fixtures within the bathroom, including towel holders, light fixtures, drying racks, etc. 

Living Room and Sleep Areas

The apartment’s living room and sleeping areas should be cleaned thoroughly. These are often high-traffic areas, so you may notice additional wear and tear in the space that you need to address, like wall gouges and paint touch-ups. 

• Windows: Clean the surface, tracks, and sills to remove grime. 
• Dust: Baseboards, light fixtures, fans, trim, blinds, and other fixtures within the room, including any stationary heaters. 
• Disinfect: Light switches, thermostats, doors, and handles to make sure all high-touch areas are clean. 
• Closets: Make sure to clean out any closets and dust any shelves to ensure the room is fully empty. 
• Floors: Clean any carpet to remove stains, especially if the previous owner had pets. 

Most living rooms and sleeping areas should be open, so you can quickly run through the rooms when there are no items in the space. 

Miscellaneous

Once you’re done cleaning, there are a few miscellaneous steps you should take before the unit is ready to turn over. 

• Conduct safety and compliance checks. Ensure that all smoke and carbon dioxide detectors have batteries and are in working order. Additionally, your unit should also have ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs) that will shut off power if a problem is detected to prevent electrocution. 
• Inspect for pests. Make sure there are no bugs or rodents in your apartment. If there are, take steps to work with an exterminator to take care of the issue. 
• Change the locks. As a best practice, you should change the locks, keys, and passcodes between residents. That way, unauthorized visitors won’t have access to the unit after they’ve moved out.
• Adjust exterior or common areas. Remove the previous tenant from mailboxes and other identifying lists. If you own the building, inspect the exterior or common areas if you need to clean or fix anything.
• Transfer utilities. Make sure that all utilities and bills are transferred out of the previous tenant’s name to ensure there is no service disruption. 

Your apartment should be ready for its next tenant when you follow this overview. 

Cleaning Checklist 

Here’s a landlord cheat sheet you can use as your cleaning checklist:

• Do a pre-walk-through and document any damage. Take pictures and check against your lease to see if the previous tenant should be held accountable for damage. 
• Clean each room, one by one. Kitchens and bathrooms will often take more time to clean than living rooms and sleeping spaces. 
• Start from the top and work your way down. That way, you won’t have to reclean areas that you previously cleaned because there is more dust and debris. 
• Inspect the apartment. Ensure there is no visible dust, debris, or damage. If there’s not, it is move-in ready for your next tenant. 

You should also have the following cleaning supplies on hand to make the cleaning go smoothly.

• Broom/Dustpan
• Vacuum
• Carpet cleaner 
• Dusters
• Rags 
• Multipurpose cleaners. These can be store-bought, or you can make your own with dish soap and water, vinegar and water, or citric acid and water. Just make sure they are safe to use on all surfaces. 
• Disinfectants. They should be certified by the EPA for efficacy 
• Degreasers 
• Personal protective equipment, like masks and gloves 

You don’t have to use harsh cleaning chemicals if you don’t want to. You can use baking soda, white vinegar, and other standard home products to clean. They are just as effective but can be more environmentally sustainable and cause less of an odor while cleaning. 

Some apartments have fast turnover, so you may not have a lot of time to clean in between tenants. If that’s the case, you may want to hire a professional cleaner in New York City. They can clean your apartment within a few hours, so you can focus on other priorities. 

This is especially important if you need a deep clean, carpets scrubbed, oven or hood cleaning, or a post-paint clean. Professional cleaners have the tools and resources on hand to tackle any type of clean. 

Invest in the Best NYC Cleaners 

The best thing you can do during a landlord turnover is invest in a professional cleaner like White Glove Cleaner in NYC. They are skilled professionals and can tackle any job with ease, no matter the size or time crunch. 

Whether you are looking for a residential clean or an Airbnb or Vrbo cleaning, White Glove Cleaner has you covered. Our cleaning services are amongst the best in NYC, and we can work together to develop a cleaning process and checklist that works for you.
Contact us today to schedule your appointment and get started.