Before moving in, inspect the property, take photos, and clean from top to bottom, leaving the floors until last. Focus on cupboards, appliances, bathrooms, bedrooms, and storage areas before the boxes arrive.

Getting the keys to a new home is exciting. Finding crumbs in the kitchen drawers? Not so much.

Even when a property looks tidy, it may still have dust on high surfaces, grease around appliances, marks inside cupboards, or grime left by previous occupants. A move-in cleaning checklist helps you handle those jobs before boxes and furniture block your access.

If possible, clean while the property is empty. You’ll move faster, reach more areas, and avoid dragging a sofa across a freshly mopped floor. You don’t want that plot twist on moving day.

Table of Contents

Inspect the Property Before Cleaning

Don’t reach for the mop immediately. Walk through every room first and work out what actually needs attention.

A pre move in cleaning checklist should begin with a proper inspection:

Photograph stains, damage, mould, and faulty fixtures.
Check inside cupboards, drawers, and wardrobes.
Test the lights, taps, appliances, and exhaust fans.
Look behind doors and around window frames.
Identify delicate surfaces that need specific products.
Note leaks, signs of pests, or visible mould.

If you’re renting in Melbourne, compare the property with your condition report before unpacking. Consumer Affairs Victoria recommends recording anything that’s unclean, damaged, or not working, along with dated photographs of existing problems. Cleaning is one thing. Accidentally taking responsibility for somebody else’s mystery carpet stain is another.

Arrange repairs, pest treatment, or mould assessment before cleaning where necessary.

Pack a Separate Cleaning Kit

Cleaning products buried beneath twelve boxes of kitchenware aren’t much use. Keep your equipment together and transport it separately.

Your move in cleaning supplies checklist should include:

A vacuum with brush and crevice attachments
A broom, dustpan, mop, and bucket
Microfibre cloths and a non-scratch scrubber
Rubber gloves and rubbish bags
Mild detergent and multipurpose cleaner
Bathroom cleaner and kitchen degreaser
Glass cleaner
A toilet brush and grout brush
A stable step stool

Give the label a quick read before you start, and make sure the cleaner won’t damage the surface. Trying something new? Test it on a hidden spot first, open the windows if the product calls for ventilation, and keep curious kids and pets out of the way. Above all, don’t play mad scientist with the bottles, as Healthdirect warns that mixing cleaning chemicals can create dangerous gases.

Clean in the Right Order

A move in deep cleaning checklist works best when it follows a clear sequence. Randomly bouncing between rooms wastes time and can make clean areas dirty again.

Use this order:

Remove rubbish and loose debris.
Dust fans, vents, shelves, and high surfaces.
Wipe cupboards, doors, fixtures, and washable wall marks.
Complete the kitchen and bathrooms.
Vacuum carpets, corners, and floor edges.
Mop hard floors, working towards the exit.

Start high and finish low. Dust and crumbs will fall as you work, so there’s no point cleaning the floor twice.

Work Through Each Room Once

This move in house cleaning checklist divides the work by room. Complete one room before moving to the next so nothing gets missed.

Kitchen

Start with the cupboards before filling them with plates, groceries, and the collection of containers nobody can find lids for.

Wipe cupboard and drawer interiors, fronts, and handles.
Clean benchtops, splashbacks, taps, and the sink.
Degrease the cooktop and rangehood exterior.
Clean removable rangehood filters according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
Clean the oven according to its manual.
Wipe the fridge interior, shelves, seals, and handle.
Check and clean the dishwasher filter.
Vacuum accessible gaps beside appliances.
Dry food-contact surfaces before using them.

Don’t move a built-in, plumbed-in, or heavy appliance unless it’s safe.

Heavy grease and burnt food can turn the oven into the longest job in the house. If it needs specialist attention, our team offers dedicated oven cleaning in Melbourne.

Bathrooms and Toilets

Bathrooms can look fine from the doorway while hiding soap residue, hair, and grime in all the usual spots. Give the room a proper once-over rather than trusting that first glance.

Clean the shower, bath, basin, taps, tiles, and splash areas.
Use products suited to the surface, especially on natural stone, coated screens, and delicate finishes.
Clean the toilet bowl, rim, seat, hinges, exterior, and surrounding floor.
Wipe mirrors, vanity drawers, handles, and accessible exhaust-fan covers.
Check grout and silicone for mould, cracks, or signs of leaking.
Ventilate the room when you’ve finished.

A small patch of surface mould may be manageable with a suitable product. Widespread or recurring mould can point to a moisture problem and may require professional assessment. Sometimes it’s more than an ugly spot with bad timing.

Bedrooms, Living Areas, and Hallways

These rooms usually need less scrubbing, but they’re great at collecting dust in places nobody thinks to check.

Begin with ceiling fans, light fittings, vents, curtain rods, and ledges.
Wipe wardrobes, shelves, doors, handles, switches, and skirting boards.
Vacuum window tracks before wiping accessible glass and frames.
Spot-clean wall marks only after checking the paint finish.
Vacuum carpets slowly, including the edges and corners.

Aggressive scrubbing can turn one wall mark into a pale patch, which might actually make things worse. Stained carpets may also need more than standard vacuuming.

Laundry, Storage, and Garage

Clean the laundry trough, taps, splashback, cupboards, and appliance spaces.
Remove accessible lint and dust.
Check that water drains freely and the exhaust fan runs properly.
Wipe linen cupboards, shelves, and built-in garage storage before filling them.
Sweep the garage floor and remove reachable cobwebs.
Let storage areas dry before putting anything away.

Optional Outdoor Touchpoints

Indoor cleaning should remain the priority, but entrances and small outdoor areas may need attention. After all, the front door gets seen before your spotless kitchen does.

Wipe the front door, handle, doorbell, and accessible porch fixtures.
Sweep entrances, steps, balconies, decks, and patios.
Remove reachable cobwebs.
Book professional window cleaning if you need the experts to step in.

You’ll want to leave pressure washing, gutter cleaning, and elevated work to properly equipped professionals. Moving day is already enough of a workout.

Do a Final Walk-Through

Before declaring the job done, take one slow lap around the property in natural light. It’s amazing what suddenly appears when you stop looking through cleaning-mode eyes.

Check corners, thresholds, and hallway edges for missed debris or streaks.
Remove used cloths, rubbish, and empty containers.
Close the windows, turn off the taps, and unplug any cleaning equipment.
If you’re renting, photograph the finished property for your records.
Put out hand soap, toilet paper, towels, and bin liners before the removal team arrives.
Keep one clear route through the home so nobody has to dodge supplies or step across wet flooring.

Think of it as the final sweep before moving-day chaos gets the keys.

cleaning materials in an empty living room

Start Fresh Without Doing It All Yourself

Moving day already comes with enough heavy lifting. If the property needs a deep clean, specialist equipment, or more time than you have, Simone’s can tailor house cleaning service for tenants moving into or out of homes across Melbourne’s western suburbs.

Whether it’s move in cleaning or end of lease cleaning, the team can also handle ovens, fridge interiors, carpets, ground-floor windows, balconies, decks, and patios. Products and equipment are supplied, or you can request your own. Our trusted cleaners are trained, police-cleared, and identity-checked cleaners.

Book a clean with Simone’s Cleaning Services today!

Explore other guides: