Move-out cleaning checklist

Move-out cleaning checklist — what Finnish landlords actually check

A practical handover checklist from a Helsinki-area cleaning company that has done hundreds of muuttosiivous visits since 2012.

When you move out of a Finnish rental apartment, the lease almost always requires you to return the property clean. A standard vuokrasopimus (rental contract) from the Finnish Tenancy Board template states the apartment must be handed over in the same condition it was received — accounting for normal wear. Landlords and housing managers (isännöitsijät) inspect routinely, and a failed handover can mean withheld deposit or a re-cleaning invoice.

Here’s what they actually look at, the spots where tenants most commonly lose the deposit, and when it makes sense to hire a professional.

The full handover checklist

Kitchen (the #1 failure zone)

Oven — inside, racks, door glass (both sides), seal
Stovetop and rangehood — including the rangehood filter (often the single dirtiest item in an apartment; must be degreased or replaced)
Fridge and freezer — emptied, defrosted, interior wiped, back ventilation dust removed, door seals cleaned
Inside cabinets and drawers — empty, wipe, check for crumbs and cooking grease on underside of shelves
Sink and faucet — descaled, drain strainer cleaned
Dishwasher — filter cleaned, interior wiped, rubber seal
Floor including under the fridge and behind the stove if accessible

Bathroom

Toilet — bowl including under the rim, base, flush mechanism
Shower/bath — full descaling of glass, tiles, grout; drain cover removed and cleaned
Sink, faucet, and mirror — descaled
Fixtures — soap dish, towel rails, shelves
Floor drain — strainer lifted, hair and debris removed
Ventilation grille — dust removed
Washing machine if left behind — filter, detergent tray, rubber seal

Rooms and living areas

Walls — obvious marks and scuffs wiped where possible (a magic eraser works on most walls; don’t try to repaint unless the landlord requests it)
Doors and door frames — fingerprints, handle area
Light switches and outlet covers — wiped
Baseboards — dusted and wiped (a rag-on-a-broom works well)
Window sills — inside
Radiators — dust behind/underneath
Floor — vacuum + mop, including edges and under any remaining furniture

Windows

Interior glass all windows
Between panes if the frame opens (often the case in older Finnish windows) — dust, dead insects, sill inside
Frames and sills
Handles and locks

Closets, storage, and balcony

Wardrobes — fully emptied, shelves and rails wiped
Hallway storage (eteinen) — shoe area, hat shelf, any built-ins
Balcony / terrace — swept, floor washed, balcony door glass both sides, railing wiped
Storage cage (varasto) if you have one — empty and dust
Sauna if in the apartment — benches, floor drain, walls as needed

Where tenants most often fail the handover

Inside the oven — grease on the top interior face is the single most common deposit-withholder we see
Rangehood filter — if it’s the original and years old, it may need replacement, not cleaning
Bathroom grout and silicone seal — black mould around the shower edge needs specific product, not just surface wipe
Behind and under white goods — fridge, stove, washing machine floors
Between window panes — skipped because people don’t realize the frame opens
Floor drain in the bathroom — hair and soap scum build up out of sight

When to book the clean

Ideal timing: the day before the handover, after the moving van has left. Cleaning an empty apartment is faster and more thorough. If your handover is early morning, book the clean the previous afternoon/evening. If you have a tight schedule, two cleaners working in parallel can finish a standard 2-bedroom apartment in about 3–4 hours.

Coordinate with your landlord or housing manager to confirm the inspection time — some expect the outgoing tenant present, others do the inspection solo with the incoming tenant present.

DIY vs professional

A careful tenant can absolutely DIY this — but it typically takes a full weekend for a 2-bedroom apartment and you’ll need specific products (oven cleaner, descaler, grout product). A professional muuttosiivous takes 4–8 hours with the right equipment and a handover-ready result.

Financially: muuttosiivous from Prime Cleaning runs 32 €/hour + 24 % ALV. A typical 2-bedroom apartment is 5–6 hours labour = 192–230 €, plus VAT. After kotitalousvähennys (35 % deduction, once you clear the 150 € annual threshold), the effective net cost is around 25,80 €/hour labour. A withheld deposit over a failed handover can easily exceed that full cost.

What Prime Cleaning brings

Full equipment, professional-grade cleaning products, descaler, grout treatment
Experience with Helsinki-area rental standards — we know what isännöitsijät inspect
Full vastuuvakuutus (liability insurance), Y-tunnus 2486114-7
Handover-ready invoice for kotitalousvähennys
If the landlord flags something after inspection, we return within a few days at no extra charge

Book a muuttosiivous

Prime Cleaning Services serves Helsinki, Espoo, and Vantaa. Call Eric 040 670 25 77 or Kareen 040 670 25 75, or email info@primecleaning.fi with your apartment size (m²), handover date, and whether it will be empty.

Full service details on the move-in/out cleaning page. See also the kotitalousvähennys guide for tax deduction details.

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