How to remove tough stains when you move out
To remove tough stains when you move out, start with the mildest thing that works and step up only if you need to: warm water and dish soap first, then a baking soda paste, then a cleaner made for that stain. Test anything stronger on a hidden spot. Work once the unit is empty, and take dated photos of every room when you're done.
The goal is to leave the place the way the lease asks. Scrubbing so hard that you strip the paint or dull a counter does the opposite.
What do you need?
- Dish soap and warm water
- Baking soda
- White vinegar, for hard water and soap scum
- A melamine sponge, used gently
- Microfiber cloths, a non-scratch scrub pad and an old toothbrush
- A degreaser for the kitchen
- Rubber gloves, and a window open while you work
Never mix bleach with vinegar, ammonia or any other cleaner.
How do you get marks off walls?
Rental walls are often painted flat or eggshell, which scuffs easily and goes shiny if you scrub it.
- Dust the wall with a dry cloth first.
- Wipe the mark with a damp cloth and a drop of dish soap.
- If it stays, rub very gently with a damp melamine sponge. Test it somewhere low first: on flat paint it can leave a shiny patch that looks worse than the scuff.
- Crayon and marker: a little baking soda on a damp cloth, light pressure.
- Tape and sticky residue: warm soapy water, then a little rubbing alcohol on a cloth.
Nail holes, chips and stains that bled through the paint are repair and paint jobs. Check your lease to see if you're supposed to fill and touch up, or leave them.
How do you get grease off kitchen cabinets and walls?
Grease sets near the stove and on the cabinets above it. Wipe with warm water and a good squeeze of dish soap, with the grain on wood. For thick, sticky buildup, use a paste of baking soda and a little water on a soft cloth, or a degreaser made for the surface. Rinse with a clean damp cloth, then dry. Our cabinet cleaning guide goes cabinet by cabinet.
How do you remove hard water and soap scum in the bathroom?
- Faucets and shower heads: spray vinegar and water, half and half, let it sit 10 to 15 minutes, scrub with an old toothbrush and rinse.
- Tub and shower: a baking soda paste and a non-scratch pad for soap scum, or a bathroom cleaner made for it.
- Toilet ring: a pumice stone made for toilets, kept wet, on porcelain only.
- Natural stone: no vinegar or acid. Use a stone-safe cleaner.
How do you treat carpet stains before you go?
Blot, never rub. Match the cleaner to the stain: cold water and a drop of dish soap for food and drinks, an enzyme cleaner for pet accidents. Vacuum the whole carpet once it's dry. Our carpet stain guide goes stain by stain. If the lease asks for a professional carpet cleaning, keep the receipt.
How do you clean marks off floors?
Black scuffs on vinyl and tile usually lift with a dry tennis ball or a damp cloth and a little baking soda. On hardwood, use a soft cloth and a cleaner made for wood, and don't scrub hard. Sticky spots from furniture pads come up with warm soapy water.
What should you do when you're done?
Walk every room with your phone and take dated photos and a short video: walls, floors, the inside of the oven and fridge, the bathroom. Keep them with your move-in photos. Then go through the full move-out cleaning checklist to catch anything you missed.
Want help with the move-out clean?
Book Move-In / Move-Out Cleaning online. If there are stains or spots you're worried about, ask about them when you book and put them in your booking notes.
FAQ
How do you get scuff marks off walls before moving out? Start with a damp cloth and a drop of dish soap. If that doesn't lift it, rub very gently with a dampened melamine sponge, testing a hidden spot first, because it can take the sheen off flat paint.
How do you remove hard water stains from a tub or faucet? Spray white vinegar and water, half and half, let it sit 10 to 15 minutes, then scrub with a non-scratch pad and rinse. Skip vinegar on natural stone, which it etches.
What removes old grease from kitchen cabinets? Warm water with a good squeeze of dish soap, on a soft cloth, wiped with the grain. For thick buildup, a paste of baking soda and a little water loosens it. Rinse with a clean damp cloth and dry right away.
Will cleaning stains get my security deposit back? Nobody can promise that. Your deposit depends on your lease, the condition of the unit and the landlord's walkthrough. Cleaning, plus dated photos of every room, puts you in a better position to show how you left it.
Book a cleaning
Our service area: every Philadelphia neighborhood, plus the Pennsylvania suburbs within about 30 miles of Center City, in Montgomery, Delaware, Bucks and Chester counties. Book online at phillyscleanteam.com/book-now, or call or text (215) 798-7576, 9 AM to 9 PM, every day.
