Printable: This checklist is designed to be printed room by room. Use the section headers to work through the property systematically before handing over the keys.
Moving out is the one time the standard of cleaning in your home is someone else's problem to evaluate and yours to pay for if it falls short. Landlords in Illinois are legally entitled to deduct cleaning costs from your security deposit if the property is not returned in a clean condition. Buyers completing a final walk-through before closing will notice things that have been ignored for months.
The areas that cause most security deposit disputes are not the obvious ones. Grout that has never been scrubbed. The inside of an oven that was wiped on the surface but never degreased. Cabinet interiors cleaned around rather than cleaned out. Baseboards dusted but not washed. Window tracks ignored entirely.
This checklist covers every room and every area a landlord or buyer will check. Work through it room by room before the keys change hands.
The kitchen is the room most likely to generate a cleaning deduction. Inside the oven and inside the refrigerator are the two most common sources of security deposit disputes. Both must be cleaned, not just wiped.
Complete this checklist for every bathroom in the property. Grout that has never been scrubbed will be noticed.
Complete this checklist for every bedroom. Closets are consistently overlooked and consistently checked.
This area is frequently overlooked entirely.
These items apply to every room and are consistently missed on self-performed move-out cleans.
We have cleaned enough move-out properties to know exactly what landlords find first. These are the areas that most frequently generate cleaning deductions because they are consistently overlooked on self-performed move-out cleans.
Not wiped down. Degreased — every surface including the door glass, racks, and bottom pan. An oven that has been used for years without a thorough clean takes significant time and specific products to address properly.
Not wiped. All shelves and drawers removed and washed individually, door seals cleaned, and the top of the refrigerator wiped. Landlords open the refrigerator on every inspection.
Grout that has discolored over months or years does not clean with a surface pass. It requires a grout brush, the right product, and time. A bathroom that looks clean from the door may fail inspection once the landlord looks at the tile closely.
Shelves, rods, walls, and floors. The closet floor in a bedroom used for storage for two years that was never mopped will be noticed.
Window sills are usually wiped. Window tracks — the channel the window slides in — accumulate years of debris and are almost never addressed in a self-performed clean. Landlords check them.
The floor behind the refrigerator, behind the stove, and under the washing machine has often not been mopped since the tenant moved in. In a longer tenancy this can be significant.
Dusted is not the same as washed. Baseboards at floor level accumulate residue that requires wiping with a damp cloth, not just passing a duster over the top edge.
Any surface above eye level that is horizontal collects dust and debris. The top of kitchen cabinets, the tops of door frames, and the top of the refrigerator are all checked by thorough landlords.
Register covers and return air grilles collect dust and grime and are visible in every room. They are almost never addressed in a self-performed move-out clean.
Not just the fronts. The interior of every cabinet and every drawer wiped clean. Crumbs and residue in kitchen drawers are among the most common specific cleaning deductions in residential rental disputes.
This section is general information only. It is not legal advice. For specific questions about your lease or a deposit dispute, consult an attorney or contact the Illinois Attorney General's office.
Under Illinois law, landlords can deduct cleaning costs from a security deposit if the property is not returned in the same clean condition it was provided, accounting for normal wear and tear. The distinction matters: a scuff on a baseboard from furniture is wear and tear. A bathroom with grout that has not been cleaned in two years is a cleaning issue.
If a landlord makes cleaning deductions from your security deposit, they are required to provide you with an itemized written statement of deductions within 30 days of your move-out date. Landlords who fail to provide this statement within the required timeframe may lose the right to retain any portion of the deposit.
To protect yourself before move-out: photograph every room, every appliance interior, and every area of the property in its cleaned condition. Time-stamped photos taken on move-out day are your documentation if a dispute arises later.
For renters in Downers Grove, Naperville, Wheaton, and the surrounding DuPage County communities: the Illinois Residential Tenants and Landlords Act applies to most residential rental agreements and sets out the rights and obligations of both parties around security deposits. Reviewing it before move-out is worth the time.
The honest answer depends on your situation.
Small property — one bedroom or studio
Sufficient time before handover
Home has been reasonably well-maintained throughout tenancy
Comfortable completing every item on this checklist including oven, refrigerator, bathroom grout, and window tracks
Larger than a one-bedroom apartment
Tight timeline between possession and key handover
Home has not been thoroughly cleaned during tenancy
Security deposit is substantial relative to professional cleaning cost
Want documented proof of professional cleaning
In DuPage County, a professional move-out clean for a 2,000 square foot home typically runs $250 to $400 depending on condition. For a tenant with a $2,000 security deposit, that cost is a straightforward investment against a deduction that could be significantly larger. Standard Home & Space provides move-out cleaning throughout Downers Grove, Naperville, Wheaton, and the surrounding DuPage County communities. Inside oven, inside refrigerator, inside all cabinets and drawers, and full bathroom grout scrubbing are all standard scope on every move-out job.
Standard Home & Space provides move-out cleaning throughout Downers Grove, Naperville, Wheaton, and 30+ DuPage County communities. Inside appliances, cabinets, and drawers are standard on every job. We work around your timeline and handover date. Request a free quote and we will follow up to discuss your property and schedule.