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Move-out cleaning checklist for Virginia renters

A room-by-room move-out cleaning checklist for Virginia renters, plus what state law says about getting your security deposit back and how to document it.

By Northern Virginia Housekeeping · 6 min read · Updated

Your security deposit is money you have already paid. Getting it back usually comes down to two things: how clean you leave the place, and how well you can show the condition it was in. This checklist covers both, room by room, along with the parts of Virginia law that matter when you move out.

What Virginia law says about your deposit

Most residential leases in Virginia are covered by the Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act. A few of its rules matter at move-out:

  • The move-in report. Within five days after you move in, your landlord must give you a written report of any damage already in the unit. The report counts as correct unless you object to it in writing within five days after you receive it.
  • The deadline. Your landlord generally has 45 days to return your deposit, minus any allowed deductions. The 45 days start when your tenancy ends or when you move out, whichever comes later.
  • The itemized list. Any deductions must be listed, item by item, in a written notice to you.
  • What can be deducted. Unpaid rent and late fees set out in your lease, the cost of damage beyond reasonable wear and tear, and other charges your lease allows.
  • The inspection. You have the right to be present at the move-out inspection. To use it, tell your landlord in writing that you want to be there. The inspection must take place within 72 hours after you hand back the unit.
  • Your side of the deal. The Act requires tenants to keep the unit as clean and safe as its condition allows. It also requires tenants to remove trash and garbage.

The move-in report is in § 55.1-1214 of the Code of Virginia. The deposit rules are in § 55.1-1226, and the tenant's upkeep duties are in § 55.1-1227. This is general information, not legal advice. Some rentals fall outside the Act, and your lease may add its own move-out rules. If you are in a dispute over your deposit, talk to a lawyer.

Before you clean: gather your paperwork

  1. Read your lease again. Look for move-out cleaning terms, carpet cleaning, notice periods and where to return the keys.
  2. Find your move-in report. Keep it with any written objection you sent, and with the photos you took when you moved in. Compare all of it with the unit now.
  3. Ask for the landlord's move-out checklist. Many property managers have one. It shows you what they plan to check.
  4. Ask in writing to attend the inspection. Check your lease for how notices must be sent. Keep a copy.
  5. Give your forwarding address in writing. Your landlord then knows where to send your deposit and any itemized list.

The checklist, room by room

Kitchen

  • Inside the oven, the racks and the door glass
  • Stovetop, knobs and drip pans or burner grates
  • Range hood and its filter
  • Inside the fridge and freezer, including the drawers and door shelves
  • Inside the microwave
  • Inside every cabinet and drawer, plus the fronts and handles
  • Dishwasher door edges and filter
  • Sink, faucet and the rim around the disposal
  • Counters and backsplash
  • Under and behind the fridge and range, if they slide out easily

Bathrooms

  • Toilet, top to bottom, including the base and behind it
  • Tub, shower, tile and grout, free of soap scum and hard water marks
  • Shower glass, doors and tracks
  • Mirror, sink and faucet
  • Inside the vanity and medicine cabinet
  • Exhaust fan cover
  • The floor, including the edges and behind the door

Bedrooms and living areas

  • Inside every closet: shelves, rods and floor
  • Blinds, slat by slat
  • Windowsills, tracks and the inside of the window glass
  • Baseboards, doors and door frames
  • Light switches and outlet covers
  • Ceiling fans and light fixtures
  • Carpet vacuumed edge to edge, hard floors mopped

Everything else

  • Washer and dryer, if they came with the unit: the lint screen, the door seal and the tops
  • Balcony or patio, swept
  • Storage unit, assigned parking space or garage, emptied and swept
  • Burned-out bulbs, replaced
  • All trash out, following your building's rules
  • Keys, fobs, garage remotes and parking tags, returned

Walls, scuffs and nail holes

Walls are where many deposit disagreements start. Clean scuffs gently with a damp cloth and a little mild soap. If you use a melamine cleaning sponge, test it in a hidden spot first, because it can leave a shiny patch on flat or eggshell paint.

Ask your landlord before you patch nail holes. Some prefer to do it themselves, and a patch in the wrong shade can look worse than the hole.

Wear and tear, or damage?

Where the line falls is not always clear, and your landlord may see it differently than you do. As a rough guide:

  • Often treated as wear and tear: paint faded by the sun, light scuffs, carpet worn along the walkways, light wear on busy stretches of hard floor
  • Often treated as damage: large holes, burns or deep stains in the carpet, broken blinds, pet damage

Grime is a different story. A greasy oven or a shower coated in soap scum is usually not seen as wear and tear. It is also the easiest thing on this list to fix.

Apartments and townhouses in Northern Virginia

Many apartment and condo buildings in places like Arlington, Reston and Tysons ask residents to reserve the elevator or loading dock for move day. Ask whether your cleaners also need a reservation, a parking pass or their names on the front desk list. Book the clean for after the movers finish, so your team works in empty rooms.

Renting in an HOA community, as in Brambleton and much of Ashburn? Check the trash and bulk pickup rules before you leave boxes at the curb. Guest parking rules apply to your cleaners, too.

When to book your move-out clean

  • After everything is out. Cleaners cannot clean inside a closet full of boxes.
  • Before you hand back the keys. Leave a little time in case something needs a second look.
  • With the utilities still on. Cleaners need lights, power and hot water.
  • With enough hours. An empty unit cleans faster than a full one, but inside every cabinet and appliance still takes time.

If you are not sure what to do before the team arrives, our guide on getting ready for a house cleaner helps.

After you hand back the keys

  • Put a reminder on your calendar for 45 days after you move out
  • Keep the receipts for cleaning, and for any carpet cleaning your lease required
  • If the itemized list includes a charge you disagree with, reply in writing, with your photos and your move-in report

A clean unit and a good paper trail are the two things you control. Do both, hand back the keys on time and mark day 45 on your calendar.

How we can help

Compare your landlord checklist with our moving-cleaning scope, and tell us what will be empty and accessible. We discuss the included work, extras, price and available dates personally. Repairs, leftover belongings and deposit decisions need separate arrangements. Request a quote without a payment or card; the request does not book an appointment.

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