In the chaos of moving, it’s tempting to think you can save money by doing the final move-out clean yourself. But as many Toronto renters have learned the hard way, this is often a false economy. A move-out clean is not a regular weekly tidy; it’s a deep, forensic clean where every flaw is visible. Here’s a reality check.
The Hidden Costs of DIY
- Supplies: A proper deep clean requires more than just a multi-purpose spray. You’ll need oven cleaner, grout cleaner, microfiber cloths, heavy-duty degreasers, and more. The cost of these single-use supplies can easily exceed $50-$75.
- Your Time: Your time is valuable, especially during a move. What is your time worth per hour? A thorough move-out clean can take a non-professional 8-10 hours. That’s a full day you could be spending on your new home.
The “Empty Room” Challenge When a room is empty, every single scuff on the baseboard, every bit of dust in the corner, and every streak on the window is magnified. There’s no furniture to hide imperfections. This is what landlords see, and it’s a much higher standard than your regular weekly clean.
The Energy Drain After days of packing and hours of heavy lifting, do you honestly have the physical and mental energy to spend an entire day on your hands and knees scrubbing an empty apartment? Most people are completely exhausted, which leads to cut corners and missed spots.
The Security Deposit Gamble This is the biggest risk. A professional cleaning service knows exactly what landlords look for. We follow a comprehensive checklist designed to pass inspection. By doing it yourself, you’re gambling a security deposit worth hundreds or even thousands of dollars to save a much smaller amount on a professional fee.
Don’t let your last memory of your old home be one of exhaustion and a lost deposit.
Make the smart choice. Get a free quote from My Canada Cleaning and let us guarantee a perfect move-out clean while you focus on your new home.