The Alberta Move-Out Cleaning Checklist
Built around the rooms the Alberta move-out inspection report actually scores. Alberta has no mandatory cleaning form, so this is the practical, close-to-universal standard. Clean to it, photograph it, and you hand over proof instead of hoping for the best.
- ✓Complete BOTH the move-in and move-out inspection reports — deposit deductions for damage legally require them.
- ✓Clean to the rooms the inspection report scores (this checklist mirrors them).
- ✓Photograph every room after cleaning, before furniture is gone — photos are useful evidence of condition.
- ✓Keep your invoice, checklist and photos until your deposit is resolved.
- ✓Give your forwarding address so the deposit and statement of account can reach you (10-day window).
- ✕Don't assume a spotless clean overrides a non-refundable cleaning fee written into your lease — it doesn't.
- ✕Don't hide stains, burns or damage — note them; your move-in report is your defence for anything pre-existing.
- ✕Don't skip the oven, bathroom grout, or floor edges — they're the most-flagged items.
- ✕Don't expect a deduction for normal wear and tear — landlords can't take that from your deposit.
- ✕Don't treat the cleaning report as the official inspection report — it supports it, it doesn't replace it.
Kitchen
- Oven interior, racks, door glass, burners, knobs, drip trays
- Range hood, filter, fan cover, grease residue
- Fridge inside, seals, shelves, drawers; pull out, clean behind/under
- Stove pulled out, cleaned behind and under
- Microwave inside and out (if included)
- Dishwasher door, edges, filter area
- Cupboards and drawers inside and out, handles
- Counters, backsplash, sink, faucet, drain
- Food residue off walls near cooking area
- Floor swept and washed
Bathrooms
- Tub / shower walls, base, glass, tracks, fixtures
- Soap scum and hard-water buildup removed
- Toilet bowl, seat, base, and behind
- Sink, vanity, faucet, drain
- Mirror and medicine cabinet
- Cupboards inside and out
- Exhaust fan cover, towel bars, TP holder
- Tile and grout where accessible
- Floor swept and washed
Bedrooms & Living Areas
- Baseboards wiped
- Visible wall marks spot-cleaned (where safe)
- Closet shelves, rods, doors, tracks
- Light fixtures, ceiling fans, vents dusted
- Burnt-out bulbs replaced (if approved)
- Carpets vacuumed; stains/burns noted, not hidden
- Hard floors washed
Windows, Doors & Tracks
- Interior glass cleaned where reachable
- Window sills, frames, and tracks
- Patio and closet door tracks
- Blinds / coverings dusted (if included)
- Fingerprints off doors and handles
Laundry & Utility
- Washer and dryer exteriors wiped
- Lint trap cleaned
- Laundry sink wiped (if present)
- Floor swept and washed
Entry, Balcony, Garage
- Entry and landing swept
- Inside front door and handles wiped
- Entry closet floor and shelf
- Balcony swept (weather permitting, if included)
- Garage / parking area swept (if in scope)
Final Walkthrough & Handover
- All personal items removed
- Garbage removed (if included)
- Taps off, no appliances left damaged
- Fridge door left open if power is off
- All keys, fobs, and remotes returned
- Move-out inspection report signed with landlord
- Photos taken of every room
- Forwarding address given for deposit return
Oven interior · Fridge interior · Each bathroom · Kitchen sink & counters · Cupboards open · Window tracks · Closets · Main floors · Any pre-existing damage · Full room walkthroughs.
Alberta requires a written move-in and move-out inspection report, but there is no government cleaning form, so every landlord's list is different. A landlord can only deduct from your deposit for cleaning beyond normal wear and tear, and only when proper inspection reports are completed. This document supports the official move-out inspection report — it does not replace it. General information, not legal advice.
Is there an official Alberta move-out cleaning checklist?
No. Alberta requires a written move-in and move-out inspection report, but there's no government cleaning form, so every landlord's list differs. This checklist mirrors the rooms the inspection report actually scores, which makes it close to universal.
Can a landlord deduct cleaning from my deposit in Alberta?
Generally only for damage beyond normal wear and tear or extraordinary/abnormal use, and only when proper move-in and move-out inspection reports were completed. Ordinary cleaning usually can't be deducted — but a non-refundable cleaning fee in your lease is separate. General information, not legal advice.
What should I photograph for proof?
Oven interior, fridge interior, each bathroom, kitchen sink and counters, cupboards open, window tracks, closets, main floors, any pre-existing damage, and full room walkthroughs.
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