Whether you're moving out of a rental and hoping to protect your security deposit, buying an apartment in "as is" condition, preparing a home for sale, or handing over the keys to a new owner, hiring a professional cleaning service can be money well spent.
While most cleaning companies offer standard move-out services, some situations require considerably more work. Estate sales, long-neglected apartments, and homes being prepared for market may call for organizers, junk removal specialists, or multiple rounds of deep cleaning. Depending on the apartment and its condition, costs can range from a few hundred dollars to several thousand.
In this article:
Move-Out Cleaning Services for Renters
Unless you're exceptionally tidy and have time to pack up your apartment and deep-clean it yourself, a move-out cleaning service is often worth considering. Most cleaners offer move-out packages, but before hiring one, ask for a written checklist so you know exactly what is included.
At a minimum, a thorough move-out cleaning should address:
- Floors, countertops, and other surfaces
- Interiors of cupboards and closets
- Refrigerator, dishwasher, and oven interiors
- Windows and window sills
- Baseboards
- Kitchen and bathroom tile
- Fixtures and other frequently touched surfaces
Keep the receipt after the cleaning is complete in case you need documentation showing that the apartment was professionally cleaned.
ust as important, make sure the apartment is completely emptied. That old bookshelf or unwanted sofa may not be worth moving across the country, but leaving furniture or other belongings behind can result in removal costs that may ultimately be charged back to you. If you cannot remove larger items yourself, consider a junk-removal service or a contractor who can haul them away.
Leaving a Sold Property in "Broom-Clean" Condition
New York City real estate contracts frequently require sellers to leave an apartment in "broom-clean condition." Exactly what that entails can vary, but sellers should generally plan to remove their belongings and leave the property clean and presentable for the new owner.
In some cases, that may require more than hiring a cleaner. If a fixture, appliance, or other feature needs attention before closing, a handyman, electrician, or other professional may also be necessary.
On the cleaning side, sellers will generally want to go beyond a quick surface cleaning. In addition to cupboards, closets, appliances, windows, baseboards, and tile, pay particular attention to areas behind appliances and other hard-to-reach spaces.
On the cleaning side, sellers will generally want to go beyond a quick surface cleaning. In addition to cupboards, closets, appliances, windows, baseboards, and tile, pay particular attention to areas behind appliances and other hard-to-reach spaces.
After spending hundreds of thousands, or even millions, of dollars on a home, few buyers want their first experience in the apartment to involve discovering grease behind the stove, fingerprints on doors, or other traces of the previous owner.
Sutton Hall, 350 East 57th Street, #15A | https://www.cityrealty.com/nyc/midtown-east/sutton-hall-350-east-57th-street/8345/15A/sdoBzhdqID
Preparing for an Estate Sale
Estate sales can present some of the most complicated cleaning and move-out scenarios. Before a conventional cleaning company can come in, family members or a professional organizer may first need to sort through photographs, jewelry, financial records, sentimental items, furniture, and decades' worth of other belongings.
If the owner occupied the home for many years, this process can take weeks rather than days. Once important belongings have been sorted and removed, a deep-cleaning company can begin its work.
For apartments that have not been regularly maintained or are in significant disrepair, look for companies that specifically offer estate cleanout services. These jobs can require more time, larger crews, junk removal, and specialized cleaning.
For apartments that have not been regularly maintained or are in significant disrepair, look for companies that specifically offer estate cleanout services. These jobs can require more time, larger crews, junk removal, and specialized cleaning.
In many cases, professional cleaning may be needed twice: once before the apartment is staged and listed for sale, and again before the final closing and key exchange.
How Much Does Apartment Cleaning Cost in NYC?
Doing the work yourself is obviously the least expensive option upfront, but failing to properly empty and clean a home can create additional costs later. Renters may face deductions associated with cleaning or removing abandoned belongings, while sellers may find themselves paying for last-minute cleaning before closing.
As a general guide, expect costs in the following ranges:
- Typical one-bedroom move-out cleaning: approximately $250-$350
- Heavily soiled apartments: additional charges may apply
- Special services: some companies charge separately for tasks such as oven cleaning
- Larger apartments: pricing generally increases with the number of rooms and overall square footage
- Professional organizers: approximately $75-$150 per hour
- Junk removal: anywhere from a few hundred to several thousand dollars, depending on the volume
Estate cleanouts can become significantly more expensive. A large organizing job may require a team working 40 hours or more, meaning organization alone can cost several thousand dollars. Add junk removal, an initial deep clean, and a final cleaning before closing, and the total expense can easily reach the thousands.
For particularly large or neglected apartments, the complete process can exceed $10,000. Ultimately, the price depends on the size of the home, how much needs to be removed, its condition, and how much professional help is required.
For particularly large or neglected apartments, the complete process can exceed $10,000. Ultimately, the price depends on the size of the home, how much needs to be removed, its condition, and how much professional help is required.
1170 Fifth Avenue, #6A (Compass) | https://www.cityrealty.com/nyc/carnegie-hill/1170-fifth-avenue/5547/6A/NTHJoiCzB
Top-Rated Apartment Cleaning Services in NYC
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Wizard of Homes
Manhattan below 110th Street and surrounding areas
Manhattan below 110th Street and surrounding areas
646-606-2726
Best for deep cleans, move-outs, and more complicated cleaning jobs
Wizard of Homes is especially well suited to apartments that need more than a standard once-over. In addition to basic and deep cleaning, the company offers move-in/move-out cleaning, extreme cleaning, organizing, post-construction cleaning, and customizable detail services. Its website currently shows a 4.8-star rating across more than 700 reviews, with customers frequently highlighting thorough work, responsiveness, and attention to detail.
Cleany
167 Madison Avenue, Suite 202, New York, NY 10016
167 Madison Avenue, Suite 202, New York, NY 10016
212-851-6134
Best for convenient booking and move-in or move-out cleaning
Cleany combines professional apartment cleaning with an easy-to-use booking system, making it a particularly convenient choice for New Yorkers on a tight moving schedule. The insured and bonded company offers standard, deep, recurring, and move-in/move-out cleaning throughout New York City, and its website currently advertises a 4.9-star rating and more than 15,000 customers.
Sparkly Maid NYC
447 Broadway, 2nd Floor, Suite 523, New York, NY 10013
447 Broadway, 2nd Floor, Suite 523, New York, NY 10013
646-585-3515
Best for intensive deep cleaning and move-in/move-out jobs
Sparkly Maid NYC offers apartment, deep, move-in/move-out, and extreme deep-cleaning services, making it a good option for homes that need extra attention before a move or sale. The company says its cleaners are vetted and background-checked, and its Sparkly Guarantee provides a complimentary re-clean if a customer reports an issue within 72 hours.
Active Estate Sales and listings sold in "As Is" condition in NYC
2928 West 5th Street, #2C
$340,000 (-13.9%)
Coney Island | Cooperative | 2 Bedrooms, 1 Bath | 1,150 ft2
2928 West 5th Street, #2C (Douglas Elliman Real Estate)
54 East 8th Street, #1S (Brown Harris Stevens Residential Sales LLC)
The Forester, #7K (Douglas Elliman Real Estate)
The Whitby, #601 (Brown Harris Stevens Residential Sales LLC)
Woodhaven Towers, #3-F (BC Realty Group LLC)
The Carlton Park, #11D (Corcoran Group)
Lenox House, #10E (Corcoran Group)
The John Murray House, #3Q (Brown Harris Stevens Residential Sales LLC)
The Corniche, #21A (Corcoran Group)
Sutton Hall, #15A (Brown Harris Stevens Residential Sales LLC)
310 Windsor Place, #32 (Compass)
212 Condominium, #28F
$1,400,000
Turtle Bay/United Nations | Condominium | 3 Bedrooms, 2 Baths | 1,160 ft2
212 Condominium, #28F (Compass)
The Netherlands, #5A
$1,400,000
Riverside Dr./West End Ave. | Condominium | 3 Bedrooms, 1 Bath | 1,571 ft2
The Netherlands, #5A (Brown Harris Stevens Brooklyn LLC)
475 Park Avenue, #3A (Sothebys International Realty)
91 East End Avenue, #A
$2,150,000 (-4.4%)
Yorkville | Cooperative | 4 Bedrooms, 3.5 Baths | 2,500 ft2
91 East End Avenue, #A (Compass)
15 West 81st Street, #8F (Brown Harris Stevens Residential Sales LLC)
1170 Fifth Avenue, #6A (Compass)
165 East 72nd Street, #17-DE (Maxwell Jacobs Inc)
Contributing Writer
Cait Etherington
Cait Etherington has over twenty years of experience working as a journalist and communications consultant. Her articles and reviews have been published in newspapers and magazines across the United States and internationally. An experienced financial writer, Cait is committed to exposing the human side of stories about contemporary business, banking and workplace relations. She also enjoys writing about trends, lifestyles and real estate in New York City where she lives with her family in a cozy apartment on the twentieth floor of a Manhattan high rise.
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