You've got the keys. The landlord said it was "cleaned." You unpack your stuff and settle in. But here's what nobody tells you: a rental's move-in clean is usually just the visible surfaces. There's a whole layer of grime you're living with that you didn't even know about.

Which Areas Need Cleaning When You Move Into a Rental?

Start with the kitchen. Pull open every cabinet and drawer. Previous tenants leave crumbs, and if they did, insects follow. Wipe down the insides—it takes 10 minutes and costs nothing.

The bathroom is a minefield. Most move-in cleans hit the surfaces and call it done. But grout between tiles? It collects moisture and bacteria. Get on your hands and knees and check behind the toilet. That corner gets wet and stays wet. Wipe it down and let it dry completely.

Windowsills and tracks. Dust builds up there fast, and it's where mold likes to start in Victoria's damp climate. Clean the sills and run a cloth down the tracks while they're dry.

Look inside the oven and fridge. If there's leftover food residue, it's not your mess yet—it is now that you've moved in. A quick wipe prevents smells and pests.

Light switch plates and door handles. These are germ hotspots and nobody cleans them between tenants. Grab them with a damp cloth. It takes two minutes.

The Cleaning Supplies to Buy

All-purpose cleaner (generic brand is fine)
Disinfectant wipes (for high-touch surfaces)
Bathroom grout brush (or an old toothbrush works)
Microfiber cloths (reusable, cheap)
Rubber gloves

That's genuinely all you need. You don't need special window cleaner or tile sealer or anything else.

How Can You Document Your Rental's Condition?

Here's something your landlord definitely won't tell you: take photos and video of your place on move-in day. Walk through every room. Show the state of the floors, walls, appliances, everything. Timestamp them if you can. When you move out and you're fighting about your damage deposit, these photos are everything. You'll have proof you didn't cause that stain or dent.

Do this before you clean. Do it before you unpack. Just document the actual condition.

Issues to Report to Your Landlord

Here's what matters: if you see mold (especially black mold), broken fixtures, stains you didn't make, or anything that looks like a previous tenant's damage—don't clean it yourself. Report it to your landlord in writing. Email works. Screenshot their response. This protects you because if you clean it up, you're admitting responsibility.

If the fridge doesn't cool right or a window is cracked, same thing. Document it and report it. Your landlord has to fix it. You're the tenant.

Should You Hire Professional Move-In Cleaning?

You can do a solid move-in clean yourself in a couple hours. But if the place is visibly grimy, if there's pet hair everywhere from the last tenant, or if you're moving four times a year and just need it done—that's when calling a professional is worth it. We can deep clean a whole rental in a day for less than you'd spend on supplies and your time.

It's especially useful if you want that documentation. A professional move-in clean creates a record that the place started in known condition.

Starting Your Rental on the Right Foot

Your first apartment or your fifth one, spending an afternoon cleaning before you unpack changes everything. You start fresh. You know what's actually clean versus what looks clean. And when it's time to move out and you want your deposit back, you've got proof the place started in good condition.

Welcome to Victoria. Let's get your place properly clean.

Move-In Cleaning for UVic and Camosun Students