Move-out cleaning checklist for Toronto tenants

Leaving your rental clean makes the final walkthrough smoother and helps you leave on good terms with your landlord, which matters when you need a reference for your next place. Under Ontario’s Residential Tenancies Act, tenants are responsible for the ordinary cleanliness of their unit.

Kitchen

• Inside and outside the fridge and freezer
• Oven, stovetop, range hood and filter
• Inside every cabinet and drawer
• Dishwasher, sink, faucet and backsplash
• Counters wiped and degreased

Bathrooms

• Toilet, including the base and behind it
• Tub, shower, grout and glass doors
• Sink, vanity (inside too) and mirror
• Exhaust fan cover dusted

Every room

• Closets and shelves emptied and wiped
• Baseboards, door frames, handles and light switches
• Windows, sills, tracks and blinds
• Scuffs spot-cleaned on walls
• Floors vacuumed and washed, including where furniture stood

Balcony, locker and garbage

• Balcony swept and railing wiped
• Storage locker emptied
• All garbage and recycling removed, following your building’s rules for large items

Three tips that save headaches

Clean after the movers leave. An empty unit is faster to clean, and nothing gets dirty again on moving day.

Take dated photos of every room once the cleaning is done. They are your record of the condition you left it in.

Book early. The end of the month is the busiest time for moves, so cleaning slots fill up fast.