The best time to clean a new home is before your belongings arrive, while every cupboard, floor and wall is reachable. Inspect first, then clean from the top of each room to the bottom, starting with the kitchen and bathroom, and finish with the floors. This checklist covers each room in that order. It also covers what landlords and tenants can reasonably expect, and when a professional deep clean saves you a weekend.
TL;DR
- Inspect the empty property and note defects before you clean or unpack, so you have a record of the condition you found.
- Clean top to bottom in every room: cobwebs and high surfaces first, floors last.
- Prioritise the kitchen and bathroom: inside the oven, fridge, cupboards, toilet, bath and shower.
- Wipe the high-touch points (door handles, light switches, taps) before you settle in.
- If the home is dirty, newly renovated or you are short of time, a one-off deep clean starts from £135 with us.
Table of Contents
- Inspect first, then clean
- What a clean home should look like on day one
- The order of work: top to bottom, kitchen and bathroom first
- Kitchen checklist
- Bathroom and toilet checklist
- Bedrooms, living areas and hallways
- Floors, windows, doors and high-touch points
- A quick room-by-room summary
- If you are the landlord: handing over a home that is ready to let
- Our perspective on move-in cleaning
- When to book a professional deep clean
- FAQ
- Sources
Inspect first, then clean
It is tempting to grab a bucket the moment you get the keys. Resist for twenty minutes and walk through the empty home with your phone camera.
The National House Building Council (NHBC) advises checking the property carefully and noting defects before your belongings hide them. It also suggests confirming the keys, windows and doors, any extras included in the sale, connected services and meter readings. Its list of things to inspect on moving-in day includes sanitary ware, glass, kitchen fittings and appliances, wall tiling, carpets, floor tiling and laminate flooring.
Why do this before cleaning? Because a stain, chip or burn mark you find after a scrub is hard to tell apart from damage you caused. Photograph anything marked, stained or broken, with the date on your phone, and send the list to your landlord or agent if you are renting. If you have a tenancy inventory, compare it line by line.
While you are walking round, do a quick safety and maintenance pass: leaks, damp, mould, locks on windows and doors, and working smoke alarms. A property viewing checklist is a handy model for the maintenance questions worth asking alongside your cleaning.
What a clean home should look like on day one
Your expectations should depend on who you are renting from or buying from.
For social housing, councils publish their standards. Bristol City Council says its properties are cleared, checked for asbestos hazards, repaired where needed and cleaned, with particular attention to kitchen and bathroom grease and grime, before keys are issued. Norwich City Council says incoming tenants can expect a clean working bathroom and kitchen, safe flooring and stairs, working heating and smoke alarms, with rubbish cleared before move-in.
For private lets, the National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) says a property should be deep-cleaned before a tenant moves in, including carpets, floors, bathrooms and kitchens, with former tenants' debris removed and maintenance completed.
If you bought a home, the previous owner's idea of clean may be very different from yours. Either way, the checklist below gives you a standard to measure against.
The order of work: top to bottom, kitchen and bathroom first
A reliable sequence saves you from cleaning anything twice.
- Open the windows and clear any leftover rubbish or items.
- High level first: cobwebs, light fittings, tops of doors, curtain poles and the tops of wardrobes.
- Walls, windows, frames and sills.
- Cupboards, shelves and drawers, inside and out.
- Fixtures and appliances, starting with the kitchen and bathroom.
- Switches, handles and other high-touch points.
- Skirting boards and radiators.
- Floors last: vacuum carpets, then sweep and mop hard floors, working back towards the front door.
This matches the advice in ECOVACS UK's guide to cleaning before moving in, which recommends a top-to-bottom approach: dust higher surfaces and clean walls, windows and vents first, then closets and cabinets, then disinfect doorknobs, switches and handles, and finish by vacuuming carpets or mopping hard floors. The same guide says to prioritise the kitchen and bathrooms before settling in.
Why floors last? Dust and drips fall downwards. If you mop first and then wipe the shelves above, you mop again.
What to have ready
A short kit keeps you moving: rubber gloves, a bucket, microfibre cloths, a sponge and scourer, an all-purpose cleaner, a bathroom descaler, a degreaser for the kitchen, glass cleaner, a toilet brush, bin bags, a vacuum cleaner and a mop. Bring your own kettle, mugs and a roll of kitchen paper too, because you will not want to hunt through boxes.
Kitchen checklist
The kitchen deserves the most time, since it is where you will store and prepare food. Hoover UK's new-home checklist recommends cleaning the inside and outside of the fridge, freezer, oven and dishwasher, along with cabinets, floors and the sink, and polishing the taps.
Work through it like this:
- Cupboards and drawers: empty or check them, wipe inside and out, including shelves and the tops of wall units. Line the shelves afterwards if you wish.
- Oven and hob: remove the racks and trays, soak them, and scrub the interior. Clean the extractor filter and the glass door. Burnt-on grease is the job people most often hand to a professional.
- Fridge and freezer: switch off, defrost if needed, wipe every shelf and drawer and the door seals, then leave to dry before switching on.
- Dishwasher and washing machine: clean the filter, the seal and the drum or interior. Run an empty hot cycle.
- Microwave: wipe inside, including the ceiling and the turntable.
- Sink, taps and worktops: descale taps, clean the plughole and overflow, and degrease the worktops and splashback.
- Walls, switches and sockets: wipe them down, especially behind the hob.
- Floor: sweep and mop last, including under and beside the appliances you can move.
Council standards back this up. East Devon Council's standard for a new home includes removing rubbish and cobwebs, and cleaning kitchen cupboards and drawers inside and out, sinks, taps, worktops and wall tiles.
Bathroom and toilet checklist
Here you want a hygiene reset, not just a quick wipe.
- Toilet: clean the bowl, under the rim, the seat, the hinges, the base and the back of the pan. Mid Suffolk District Council's lettable standard specifically mentions cleaning toilets around the back and U-bend.
- Bath and shower: remove soap scum, limescale and mildew. Hoover UK suggests cleaning showers and baths to remove soap scum, hard-water stains and mildew. Descale the showerhead and clean the plughole and the shower screen tracks.
- Sink and taps: descale and polish, and clean the overflow.
- Tiles and sealant: scrub grout lines and the silicone seal. Mid Suffolk's standard requires damp and mould to be cleaned with fungicidal cleaner and bathroom fittings descaled.
- Cabinets and mirror: wipe inside and out, and clean the extractor fan cover.
- Floor: mop last, paying attention to the corners behind the toilet.
If you find widespread black mould or damp, do not just scrub it. Tell your landlord or agent in writing, or ask a surveyor about it if you have bought the property, because it points to a moisture problem that cleaning will not fix.
Bedrooms, living areas and hallways
These rooms need less chemistry and more thoroughness.
Bedrooms
- Dust the tops of wardrobes, the picture rails and the light fittings.
- Wipe inside the wardrobes and drawers, including the rails and shelves.
- Clean windows, frames, tracks and sills.
- Wipe switches, sockets, doors and handles.
- Wipe the skirting boards and radiators, including between the fins.
- Vacuum the floors, including under any fitted furniture you can reach. If the mattress stays in the property, vacuum it and let it air.
Living room and dining areas
- Remove cobwebs from ceilings and corners, then dust the light fittings and curtain poles.
- Clean the windows and wipe the sills.
- Wipe skirting boards, radiators, doors and frames.
- Vacuum any fitted upholstery or curtains left by the previous occupant.
- Check fireplaces or flues are clean and leave a chimney inspection to a specialist.
Hallways, stairs and landings
These are the easiest to forget. Wipe the switches, doors, skirting boards, banisters and radiators, and vacuum the carpet on each stair edge. Do the stairs from the top down, then finish at the front door.
Storage spaces
Loft hatches, under-stairs cupboards and airing cupboards often hold the previous occupant's dust. Mid Suffolk's standard requires storage cupboards to be swept and mopped, and it is a sensible bar for your own home.
Floors, windows, doors and high-touch points
Finish with the details that make a house feel like yours.
Windows. Clean the glass, frames, tracks and sills with a mild cleaner. Open each window and check it closes and locks properly.
Doors and handles. Wash the door faces, frames and handles. Disinfect the surfaces everyone touches: door handles, light switches, taps, cupboard handles and the intercom or key-safe.
Carpets. A good vacuum removes surface dust, but it does not remove odours, pet hair deep in the pile or stains. If the carpets look tired or smell, steam or hot-water extraction is a better option. We cover carpet cleaning as a separate service, and it is far easier before the furniture goes in.
Hard floors. Sweep or vacuum first, then mop with a suitable cleaner. Do not soak laminate or engineered wood.
Final pass. Take out the rubbish and recycling, wipe the bins, and leave the windows open for an hour to air the rooms.
A quick room-by-room summary
| Room | Do first | Do not forget | Finish with |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kitchen | Cupboards and appliances inside and out | Extractor filter, fridge seals, oven racks | Mop the floor |
| Bathroom | Descale taps, bath and shower | Toilet back and base, grout, sealant | Mop the floor |
| Bedrooms | Dust high surfaces, wipe wardrobes | Radiators, skirting, window tracks | Vacuum |
| Living areas | Cobwebs, light fittings | Curtain poles, switches, sockets | Vacuum or mop |
| Hallway and stairs | Switches, banisters | Skirting, mirrors, cupboard under stairs | Vacuum, front door last |
| Whole home | Open windows | Door handles, window locks | Rubbish out |
If you are the landlord: handing over a home that is ready to let
If you let the property, a clean handover protects your relationship with the tenant and your own paperwork. The NRLA's move-in guidance says to check for leaks, mould or damp, working fixtures and utilities, secure window and door locks, and functioning alarms before the tenant arrives.
It is worth pairing the clean with a dated record. Photograph each room after cleaning, and keep the cleaning invoice with your inventory. Our guide to pre-tenancy cleaning explains how a clean before the tenant arrives helps you set the baseline, and our end of tenancy checklist shows what the same room will be judged against when the tenant leaves. If the previous tenant left bulky items behind, who clears what is worth settling before the clean.
Our perspective on move-in cleaning
We think a move-in clean is the cheapest piece of insurance you can buy for a new home. It costs a few hours now, and it saves you from scrubbing round boxes for the next month.
What we see most often is that people clean the visible surfaces and skip the places that matter: inside the oven, behind the toilet, the tops of wardrobes and the window tracks. Those are the places a previous occupant leaves the most, and they are the hardest to reach once the furniture is in.
That is why we built our service around clear, upfront pricing, vetted and insured professionals, and supplies included, with eco-friendly options. You book online in minutes, any day of the week, including evenings and weekends. If something is not right, our re-clean guarantee is there for that.
Our advice is simple: inspect, photograph, clean top to bottom, and give the kitchen and bathroom your best effort. When the home is large, in poor condition or newly renovated, let a trained team do the heavy lifting so you can focus on the move itself.
CLEANNY
When to book a professional deep clean
A DIY clean works well for a tidy flat that has been looked after. Consider a professional if any of these apply:
- The home has been empty for a long time, or the previous occupants were heavy smokers or had pets.
- The oven, hob or extractor is coated in burnt-on grease.
- There is limescale or mould in the bathroom that has not shifted with a home cleaner.
- The property has just been renovated and has fine building dust on every surface. Our after-builders cleaning is designed for that.
- You have a short window between getting the keys and the removals van.
Our deep cleaning service starts from £135 as a one-off. You can see the price before you book, our professionals bring their supplies, and the work is covered by our re-clean guarantee. Pick your date and time on our online booking platform and we will cover Greater London, Reading, Oxford and Cambridge.
Once you have moved in, you do not need to start again from scratch. Our domestic cleaning starts from £18 per hour, and it keeps a freshly cleaned home that way on a regular schedule.
FAQ
Should I clean a new home before or after I move my things in?
Before, if you can. An empty home lets you reach inside every cupboard, behind appliances and across whole floors without moving anything. Cleaning afterwards means working round boxes and furniture, and it usually takes longer and gets less done.
What should I clean first when I move into a new home?
Start with the kitchen and bathroom, since they hold your food, your water and your hygiene. Clean the inside of the oven, fridge, cupboards, toilet, bath and shower, then work through the other rooms from the top down and finish with the floors.
Is the landlord responsible for cleaning before I move in?
The NRLA's guidance says a property should be deep-cleaned before a tenant moves in, including the carpets, floors, bathrooms and kitchens. If your home is not clean, photograph the problems on day one and tell your landlord or agent in writing, so there is a dated record. Your tenancy agreement and inventory set out what was agreed.
How long does a move-in clean take?
It depends on the size and condition of the home. A tidy one-bedroom flat can take an afternoon, while a larger family house in poor condition can take a full weekend. If time is tight, a professional team can finish in a day what would take you much longer.
Sources
- NHBC: Guide to your new home (2024)
- NRLA: The Complete Tenant Move-In Day Checklist for Landlords
- Bristol City Council: New Tenants' Handbook
- Norwich City Council: Moving into your council home
- East Devon District Council: What can I expect from my new home?
- Mid Suffolk District Council: Void lettable standard
- Hoover UK: New Home Cleaning Checklist
- ECOVACS UK: How To Clean Your Home Before Moving In?