Clean Before You Move Furniture In
Moving into a new home is one of the few times you have complete, unobstructed access to every surface — floors wall-to-wall, the inside of every cabinet, closet shelving, all corners, and every inch of bathroom and kitchen. The window between key possession and moving-day delivery is the single best opportunity to clean a home you'll have for the duration of your tenancy or ownership. Most Ontario residents underutilize it.
Why Empty Is Better
Cleaning around furniture is fundamentally less effective than cleaning without it. Vacuuming, mopping, and washing floors with furniture in place leaves significant unclean areas under and around every piece. Cabinet interiors that are cleaned before contents go in don't need to be emptied again for years. Closet shelving cleaned before clothing goes in stays cleaner longer. The mathematics are stark: a thorough pre-move clean takes 3–6 hours in an empty home and produces a result that would take 8–12+ hours to match once the home is furnished.
What to Clean Before Moving In
- Kitchen: Inside every cabinet and drawer, all countertops, oven interior, refrigerator interior, range hood filter, backsplash — all easier without appliances or contents blocking access
- Bathrooms: Grout, caulk lines, inside vanity cabinets, toilet base and behind toilet, exhaust fans
- All floors: Vacuum baseboards and corners, mop or steam all hard floors — wall-to-wall with nothing blocking
- All closets and storage: Shelving and rod areas, floor corners
- Light fixtures and ceiling fans
Professional Move-In Cleans in Ontario
Professional move-in cleaning in Ontario typically runs $228–$468 depending on home size, and includes all interior surfaces, appliances, and cabinets. Most Ontario cleaning services recommend scheduling 1–3 days before moving day to allow time for any follow-up before furniture arrives. Ontario HST (13%) applies.