Georgia Move-Out Cleaning Checklist and Deposit Rules

What a move-out clean in Georgia has to cover, what state law says about deposits, cleaning and wear and tear, and a room-by-room checklist to follow.

By Bozman CleaningOctober 18, 202612 min read

Move-out cleaning in Georgia: vacuuming the carpet of an empty apartment before handing back the keys

A move-out clean in Georgia has to reach the places an occupied home hides: inside the oven, the refrigerator, every cabinet and drawer, plus the bathrooms, baseboards, blinds and floors. Under O.C.G.A. § 44-7-34 the landlord has 30 days after getting the unit back to return the deposit or state in writing why part of it was kept, and may not keep it for ordinary wear and tear. Dirt beyond wear and tear is judged under your lease, and the inspection rules do not apply to some small landlords.

This is general information, not legal advice. Your lease controls what your landlord expects on the last day.

Do it yourself or book it

Moving day already holds the truck, the boxes, the utilities and the keys, and an empty-home clean is a separate job that can only start once the rooms are bare.

	Doing it yourself	Booking our move-out visit
Oven and refrigerator	You clean both inside, by the product label	Both are cleaned inside and out
Cabinets and drawers	You empty and wipe each one, kitchen and bathrooms	All cleaned inside and outside
Blinds, baseboards, switches, window glass	On your list, after the furniture is out	On the visit list
When it happens	After the truck is loaded	At a fixed start time on the day the home is empty

What you still do yourself either way: empty the home, take out your furniture and bagged trash, keep the power and water on, read the move-out clause of your lease, take photos and hand back the keys.

If you would rather spend that time on the move itself, book the move-out cleaning online. You pick the size by bedrooms and baths, the total shows before you confirm, and no payment is taken when you book. The full do-it-yourself checklist is below.

What our move-out visit covers

Move-out cleaning checklist in action: wiping inside the empty lower cabinets with the oven door open

This is the list the team works from at a move-out booking.

Entire home

Dust all ceiling fans, vents and blinds
Clean mirrors, all glass shelves and surfaces
Clean the baseboards and light switches with a damp cloth
Collect and dispose of all trash to your trash bin
High-dust the whole home
Vacuum the entire floor and carpets with two vacuum cleaners
Use a wet and dry mop to clean and shine floors
Wipe the inside of the windows and blinds with a damp cloth
Dust and wipe doors, door frames and door knobs

Bathrooms

Thoroughly clean showers, sinks, tiles, toilets, doors, furniture and all cabinets (inside and outside)
Polish all glass surfaces, shower doors and taps
Disinfect surfaces with antibacterial spray

Kitchen

Clean the microwave inside and out
Clean the inside and outside of the cabinets and drawers, and countertops with a wet cloth
Clean the outside, top, front and sides of the dishwasher
Clean and polish the stove top
Clean the refrigerator inside and outside, top and sides
Clean the oven inside and out

Bedrooms

Clean all surfaces from dust

Laundry and pantry

Wipe laundry and pantry surfaces and shelves with a wet cloth

What it is not: a paint job, a haul-away of furniture or bagged trash left behind, or a clean of a home someone still lives in.

What can be added: carpet cleaning, by room, stairs or hallway, in the same booking. Sizes run from one bedroom and one bath to four bedrooms and two and a half baths; for a larger empty home, call or email with the ZIP and the room count.

Access: write in the notes field where the keys are, such as a lockbox code or the hours of a leasing office, and confirm that the power and water stay on.

Whether any of your deposit is kept is your landlord’s decision under the lease and the law below.

Georgia security deposit rules for cleaning

Ordinary wear and tear is the deterioration that comes from using a home for its intended purpose. The Georgia Landlord-Tenant Handbook describes it as the expected slight damage that happens over time from ordinary use by tenants and guests.

Rule	What the law says	Source
Return deadline	The landlord returns the deposit within 30 days after obtaining possession of the unit, whatever the number of units owned. If part is kept, a written statement of the exact reasons comes with the balance	§ 44-7-34; DCA handbook, p. 16
Wear and tear	No deposit may be kept to cover ordinary wear and tear, unless it came from negligence, carelessness, accident or abuse by the tenant, the household or guests	§ 44-7-34(a)
What may be kept	Unpaid rent and late fees, unpaid utilities, unpaid pet fees, cleaning or other work the tenant contracted for with third parties, and actual damages from a breach of the lease, if the landlord tries to limit them	§ 44-7-34(a)
Move-in list	Before taking the deposit, the landlord gives the tenant a list of existing damage, which the tenant signs or disputes in writing	§ 44-7-33(a)
Move-out list	Within three business days after the lease ends and the tenant leaves, the landlord inspects and lists the damage with an estimated dollar value. The tenant may inspect within five business days and signs or dissents in writing	§ 44-7-33(b); DCA handbook, p. 15
Small landlords	The escrow, inspection-list and penalty sections do not apply to a person who, with a spouse and minor children, owns ten or fewer rental units, unless a third party manages them for a fee	§ 44-7-36
Penalty	A covered landlord who wrongly withholds may owe three times the sum plus reasonable attorney’s fees, unless the withholding was a bona fide error	§ 44-7-35(c)
Deposit limit	A landlord cannot require a deposit of more than two months’ rent	DCA handbook, revised August 29, 2024, p. 8

Section 44-7-34 does not set a cleaning standard. It bars keeping a deposit for ordinary wear and tear and allows keeping it for actual damages caused by the tenant’s breach of the lease. If your lease says the unit must come back clean, or names carpet cleaning, read that clause before you start.

Under § 44-7-33(c), a tenant who signs the move-out list without dissenting in writing generally cannot later recover the amounts on it.

Move-out cleaning checklist, room by room

Start when the home is empty. Work top to bottom, because dust falls, and dry before wet, because wet dust smears. Do the kitchen first, since the oven and refrigerator need time to soak and dry. Leave the bathrooms and floors for the end: you use the sinks and walk the floors until then.

Supplies

Vacuum, broom, mop and bucket
Microfiber cloths, non-scratch sponges, a scrub brush
All-purpose cleaner, bathroom cleaner, glass cleaner, dish soap
Oven cleaner that suits your oven
Rubber gloves, trash bags, a step stool

Safety. Open windows or run the fans. Wear gloves. Use one product at a time. Never mix bleach with ammonia or with acids such as vinegar or toilet bowl cleaner: the first produces chloramine gases, the second chlorine gas. Follow each product label.

1. Whole home, dry pass

Dust ceiling fans, vents, light fixtures and the tops of door frames, and knock down cobwebs.
Dust the blinds slat by slat.
Empty every closet, shelf and drawer.

2. Kitchen

Empty the refrigerator and freezer. Pull out the shelves and bins, wash them in the sink, wipe the interior and the door gasket, then dry everything.
Check the oven before you spray: the Easy-Off Heavy Duty label, for one, says not to use it on self-cleaning or continuous-cleaning ovens, aluminum or chrome. Apply a cleaner your oven allows for the time its label gives, then wipe the walls, door glass and racks.
Clean the microwave inside and out.
Wipe every cabinet and drawer inside, then the fronts and handles.
Degrease the stove top, the knobs and the range hood.
Wipe the outside of the dishwasher and clear its filter of food.
Clean the countertops, the backsplash and the sink.

3. Bedrooms and living areas

Wipe closet shelves and rods.
Wipe doors, door frames and knobs.
Wipe light switches and outlet covers with a barely damp cloth.
Spot-clean wall marks with a soft cloth. Stop if paint comes off on the cloth.
Wipe window sills, tracks and the inside of the glass.
Wipe the baseboards.

4. Laundry area

Wipe the washer and dryer outside and the shelves above them.
Empty the lint trap.

5. Bathrooms

Spray the shower and tub and let the cleaner sit for the time on its label.
Scrub tile, grout lines, glass and fixtures, then rinse.
Clean the toilet inside, outside, at the base and behind it.
Empty and wipe the vanity and the medicine cabinet inside.
Clean the sink, the taps and the mirror.
Wipe the exhaust fan cover.

6. Floors, last

Vacuum every room, edges and closets included.
Mop hard floors, working toward the exit door.
If your lease names carpet cleaning, that is a separate job: carpet cleaning.

7. Outside the door and trash

Sweep the patio, balcony or front step and wipe the outside of the entry door.
Take every bag to the bin or dumpster. Leave nothing in the unit.

If you still live in the home on cleaning day, the cabinets and closets are full and this list cannot be finished. A deep cleaning fits an occupied home.

What to document before you hand back the keys

Photographing a clean, empty bedroom on move-out day to document its condition for the security deposit

Photograph every room after cleaning. Include the open oven and refrigerator, the inside of cabinets, the tub and the floors. The law does not require photos; they are your own record.
Find your move-in list. It records the damage that existed before you paid the deposit (§ 44-7-33(a)).
Ask when the move-out inspection is, and read the list before signing. Write down each item you disagree with and sign your dissent.
Give a forwarding address in writing. Under § 44-7-34(a) the landlord mails the deposit and statement to your last known address. If it comes back undelivered and you cannot be found after reasonable effort, the money becomes the landlord’s 90 days after mailing.
Return every key and note the date.

Kennesaw: the July 31 move-out

Kennesaw State University’s housing office set noon on July 31, 2026 as the move-out deadline for residents on academic-year-and-summer agreements. Its move-out page tells residents to clean their room and the common spaces, and says all roommates are charged when common areas are left uncleaned. Those are university housing rules; an off-campus lease sets its own date. See move-out cleaning in Kennesaw.

Frequently asked questions

Can a landlord charge for cleaning in Georgia?

Georgia’s deposit statute sets no cleaning standard. Under O.C.G.A. § 44-7-34 a landlord may not keep a deposit for ordinary wear and tear, but may keep it for actual damages from a breach of the lease. If your lease requires the unit returned clean, that clause decides it.

How long does a landlord have to return a deposit in Georgia?

The landlord has 30 days after obtaining possession of the unit, under O.C.G.A. § 44-7-34(a). The Georgia Landlord-Tenant Handbook says this applies to all landlords, whatever the number of units. If part is kept, a written statement of the reasons comes with the balance.

What do landlords check when you move out?

A covered Georgia landlord inspects the unit within three business days after the lease ends and lists the damage with an estimated dollar value, under § 44-7-33(b). What counts as clean is set by your lease or the move-out instructions, so ask for them in writing.

What is normal wear and tear in Georgia?

The Georgia Landlord-Tenant Handbook describes normal wear and tear as the expected slight damage that happens over time from ordinary use of the unit by tenants and guests. Section 44-7-34 excludes wear caused by negligence, carelessness, accident or abuse, which a landlord may charge for.

Do I have to hire professional cleaners when I move out?

Georgia’s deposit statute, O.C.G.A. § 44-7-34, does not require it. A lease may ask for professional or carpet cleaning, so check its move-out clause. If nothing there requires it, cleaning the unit yourself to the same standard is your choice.

Does a move-out cleaning get my deposit back?

No cleaning decides that. A move-out visit covers a fixed list: oven, refrigerator, cabinets, bathrooms, baseboards, blinds, windows inside and floors. The landlord decides on the deposit under the lease and O.C.G.A. § 44-7-34, and damage is a separate question from dirt.

How we made this guide

Written by the Bozman Cleaning team in Winder, Georgia. The visit checklist is the one used at booking. The legal points were checked against the linked official sources in October 2026. A research draft was assembled with AI assistance. The statute pages we link are a published copy of the Georgia Code, cross-checked with the state handbook. This is not legal advice.

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