Rental Turnovers · Cambridge

Move-In & Move-Out Cleaning in Cambridge

The gap between one tenant moving out and the next moving in is often two or three days. In that window the unit has to go from lived-in to ready, and in Cambridge the age of the building decides how much work that is.

Why the building's age changes the job

Cambridge has a wide spread of housing ages. Galt and Preston have units in buildings that are many decades old, with original tile, painted-over trim, older cabinets and bathrooms that have seen years of hard water. East Galt, Hespeler, Saginaw and Fiddlesticks have far newer subdivisions and rental townhouses, with smoother surfaces and less build-up.

That is why we never quote by square footage alone. A two-bedroom in an older Preston fourplex can take longer than a larger unit in a newer Hespeler complex, because grease in the range hood, scale on the tub and grime in the cabinet corners has had longer to set.

The checklist, room by room

Kitchen

• Inside and outside of the fridge and freezer, shelves and drawers removed and washed
• Inside the oven, racks, door glass and the drawer underneath
• Inside the dishwasher and microwave, including the filter and turntable
• Range hood and filter degreased
• Inside every cabinet and drawer, shelf liners removed if the tenant left them
• Counters, backsplash, sink and faucet

Bathrooms

• Tub, shower walls and glass descaled, grout scrubbed
• Toilet inside and out, including the base and behind it
• Vanity inside and out, mirror, medicine cabinet
• Exhaust fan cover and the floor along the tub

Every other room

• Baseboards, door frames, doors and handles
• Light switches, outlet covers and vent covers
• Windows inside, sills and tracks
• Closets, including shelves and the floor
• Floors vacuumed and washed, edges and corners included

Move-in cleans

A move-in clean is the same idea for a different reason. A new tenant, or an owner taking possession of a resale or a new build, wants the unit clean before boxes arrive. New builds in Fiddlesticks or Saginaw usually need construction dust removed from inside cabinets, window tracks and vents, plus sticker and adhesive residue from fixtures. An older unit that was cleaned at move-out may only need a lighter pass to deal with dust from the vacancy period.

How landlords hand us the unit

Most landlords are not on site, and they should not have to be. The usual arrangement:

1. You send the address, unit size and the date the unit is empty.
2. We confirm a fixed per-unit price before booking.
3. The key goes in a lockbox, or is left with the superintendent or property manager.
4. We clean, lock up and return the key the same way.
5. You get photos of every room the same day.

The photos are useful twice: for advertising the unit, and as a record if the condition of the unit is disputed later. If we find something cleaning will not fix, such as a burnt counter or a broken blind, it is noted with a photo.

What to sort out before we arrive

A clean goes faster, and costs less, when the unit is truly empty. Before the cleaning day:

• Have the tenant's belongings, furniture and garbage removed. Leftover items are not part of a cleaning quote.
• Make sure the water and power are on, since appliances and lights need to work.
• Schedule painting and repairs before the clean if you can. Drywall sanding after a clean puts fine dust back on every surface.
• Tell us about pets the last tenant had, so we bring what is needed for hair in vents and carpet.

Older details we watch for

Units in older Galt and Preston buildings often have features that need a careful hand: cast iron tubs with worn enamel, original hardwood under area rugs, painted radiators, plaster walls and wooden window frames. We use non-scratch pads on old enamel, keep water off old hardwood, and wipe painted trim rather than scrubbing it, because some surfaces only have so many cleanings left in them.

Timing in Cambridge

Cambridge is not driven by the student calendar the way parts of Waterloo are, so turnovers come through the whole year. They still bunch up at the last and first days of each month. Book about a week ahead for a normal turnover, and earlier if you need a specific day at month-end. Property managers with several units a month can set up a standing arrangement through our property management cleaning service.

For typical per-unit ranges, see the Cambridge commercial cleaning cost guide. To book a unit, use the contact page.

Frequently asked questions

Serving Cambridge and surrounding areas. Contact us for a no-obligation quote specific to your property.