Move Out Cleaning NYC: Cost, Checklist, Deposit Back (2026)
Every move out cleaning NYC renters book with us is priced the same simple way: a flat $70 per hour — the one rate Superb Maids NYC charges for every cleaning service. A move-out clean usually costs more than a regular visit not because the rate changes, but because the job is bigger: it returns an empty apartment to the condition a landlord or management company expects at handover, including the inside-everything work a normal clean skips. Against a security deposit often worth one to two months' rent, it's cheap insurance.
Here's what's in a real move-out clean, what drives the hours, and the checklist that gets deposits returned instead of docked.
Why a move out cleaning NYC job takes more hours (and how the price is set)
A regular clean maintains a lived-in home. A move-out clean is done on an empty apartment and is judged against a walkthrough — so it reaches everywhere: inside the oven and fridge, inside every cabinet and drawer, baseboards, closets, and the spots furniture was hiding. More reach means more hours at the same $70 rate.
When you book, a manager talks through the specifics with you — apartment size, condition at move-out, and which add-ons you need (interior windows, wall spot-cleaning, carpet treatment) — and gives you a suggested price range and time frame up front, before cleaning day. Three things move the hour count most:
- Apartment size — the biggest factor; more rooms, more surfaces.
- Condition at move-out — a well-kept apartment needs fewer hours than one with buildup to work through.
- Add-ons — inside the oven and fridge are usually standard for move-outs; get anything extra into the scoped estimate up front.
The move-out cleaning checklist
This is what a real move-out clean typically covers — your manager confirms your exact scope when you book. Use it to check any company's quote: if items are missing, the price should reflect it (and so might your deposit).
Kitchen
- Inside + outside of oven, stovetop, and range hood
- Inside + outside of refrigerator (defrosted if needed)
- Inside all cabinets and drawers
- Counters, backsplash, sink descaled
- Floor cleaned, including under where appliances sat
Bathrooms
- Tile and grout scrubbed; tub, shower, and glass descaled
- Toilet, sink, and fixtures
- Mirror, cabinet interiors, floor
All rooms
- Inside closets and shelving
- Baseboards, door frames, window sills hand-wiped
- Light fixtures, switch plates, vents dusted
- Interior windows (if included in your scope)
- Floors vacuumed and mopped throughout
Final walkthrough
- Spot-check the high-visibility areas a landlord inspects first: oven, fridge, bathroom grout, floors, and corners.
How do you actually get your deposit back?
- Book the clean for after everything is moved out — cleaners can't reach what furniture and boxes are covering.
- Match the clean to your lease's condition clause — most NYC leases require the unit "broom clean" or better; a professional move-out clean clears that bar with room to spare.
- Keep proof — dated photos after the clean, and a receipt from an insured service, are your evidence if a deduction is disputed. (Insurance and bonding are two of the four non-negotiables in our guide to choosing a cleaning service in NYC.)
- Give the building notice — book the service elevator and check in with the super if your building requires it, so the clean isn't blocked on moving day.
The bottom line
A move-out clean is inspection-driven work: $70 an hour × the hours an empty, handover-ready apartment takes, with the range and time frame suggested by a manager before cleaning day. Book it for after you've moved out, match it to your lease, keep dated photos and a receipt, and you've turned a stressful handover into a clean one. If you're comparing scopes, our deep clean cost guide and full deep cleaning guide cover what the non-move-out versions include.
Superb Maids NYC provides move-out cleaning across Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens. Book a move-out clean or see all our cleaning services.