Think Clean. Think Pristine.

The majority of lease agreements require you to accept that you will leave the property in a similar condition compared to when you moved in. This often involves having to arrange for professional carpet cleaning to be able to receive a portion of your deposit back. You can use these four tips to make sure that you follow this process properly so that you meet the final requirements for a successful move-out.

Find Out What Is Required

Every landlord and property management company is different. Your lease might require you to have all of the carpets in the house cleaned. Alternatively, you might only need to plan for stain removal or to clean the areas where a pet stayed. Before your move-out, ask to have a pre-inspection that allows you to know exactly where you stand regarding the condition of the carpet. If you cannot do this in person, then ask your property manager for a detailed list of what they consider to be necessary carpet cleaning services.

Try to Plan for the Cleaning After Your Main Move

For the best results, the floors should be as clear as possible. If you lack time after your main move out to get the carpets cleaned, then try to move as much of the furniture out of the space as possible. For instance, you may want to move your couches to the garage while you have the living room cleaned. Once the cleaning is done, avoid having too much traffic walk on the carpet. This helps to preserve the fresh and clean look that the property manager is looking for during their final walk-through. If necessary, try putting down plastic sheeting for the movers to walk on if you did have to schedule the cleaning before the final move-out.

Provide the Required Documentation

Most leasing companies also require proof that the carpets were cleaned by a professional since they know that a deep cleaning done by an expert company is superior compared to what most people can do on their own. Professional cleanings also prevent damage from improper methods that could leave soap residue and moisture in the carpet fibers. Most likely, you will need to present a receipt from the cleaning company to the property manager as part of your final move out documents.

Be Present During the Final Walk-Through

Finally, you should strive to be there for the final walk-through. This helps to make sure that you don't get hit for things such as the inspector's muddy shoes leaving prints on the carpet after you are already gone. If you cannot be there for the final walk-through, then take before and after pictures with a time and date stamp for proof. The differences should be noticeable between the two.