Moving day is already the hardest day of the month. The last thing you want to think about while hauling boxes into a truck is scrubbing an oven at midnight.

Move-in and move-out cleaning exists so you never have to.

Who books a move clean?

Four types of client call us, for different reasons.

Landlords and property managers call for rental turnovers — the tenant has left, the unit has been inspected, and it needs to be ready for the next tenant, often on a tight window.

Sellers call before they list, or right before closing. A show-ready home photographs and stages better, and a spotless final walkthrough is one less thing for the buyer's lawyer to flag on the closing call.

Buyers call before they move in. There is no better time to clean a home than while it is empty, because you never get that access again once the furniture is in place.

Realtors call to gift the clean to a client at closing.

What a move clean actually covers

Our move cleans use the full scope of a regular clean plus the move-in/out add-on. The add-on unlocks two categories of work you would never book on an ordinary recurring visit.

1. Inside all appliances — oven, fridge and freezer, dishwasher, microwave, washer and dryer if present. This is deep work: racks come out, seals get wiped, interiors get degreased. 2. Inside all kitchen cabinets and drawers. Because the home is empty, every door can be opened and every interior shelf wiped. On a regular clean, with groceries and dishes in place, this is simply not possible.

Beyond those two, the clean covers everything a First Time Clean would: baseboards, door frames, light switches, interior windows and sills, high dust, top-to-bottom bathroom sanitising, and full floor care throughout.

What is not included: exterior windows, chimney sweeping, carpet steam extraction, mould remediation and hoarder-scale cleanup. If a rental turnover is on the extreme end — heavy grime, long-term neglect, extreme pet damage — we will tell you before you book and quote accordingly, rather than surprising you on the day.

The furniture rule

One rule matters more than any other: the home must be empty of furniture on the day we arrive.

That single condition is the whole reason a move clean is so much more thorough than a regular one. With no couch to work around, no bed to shift and no dresser blocking the wall behind it, the team can reach every corner and baseboard that furniture has been hiding for years. It is why a move-in clean is the best clean a home ever gets.

For move-outs we work after the moving truck is gone. For move-ins we work in the gap between you getting the keys and the new furniture arriving.

What it costs in Peterborough

The formula is simple:

> Flat rate for your home size + $200 move-in/out add-on

The flat rate scales with bedrooms, bathrooms and whether the home has a basement. You see the full number on the booking page the moment you enter your home details, with the add-on applied automatically when you pick move-in or move-out as the service type.

For rental properties in rough shape we sometimes also add the First Time Clean surcharge of $125, because the property genuinely needs the deeper effort to reach a rentable baseline. We flag that in advance, never as a surprise on the invoice.

Roughly where prices land here:

A two-bedroom apartment move-out: $325 to $450.
A three-bedroom family home: $400 to $550.
A four-bedroom home with a basement: $500 to $650.
Rough-condition rental turnovers add the $125 First Time Clean surcharge on top.

When to book

Book as early as you can. The most competitive dates fill first, and month-ends in spring and fall are the busiest windows in Peterborough. Move season here concentrates around July 1, September 1 for the Trent and Fleming student turnover, and the tail end of each month as real estate closings cluster.

For move-outs, we clean after the truck is gone and the home is fully empty — usually the day of your final walkthrough or the day before. For move-ins, we clean the day you get the keys, before the truck arrives.

If your dates are tight, say so on the booking form or call. There is often some flexibility around month-end.

The realtor gift

A number of Peterborough realtors have started gifting a move-in clean to their buyer at closing.

Here is why it works. Your client has just spent months on a bidding war, inspections, financing calls and packing. On closing day they get the keys, open the front door, and walk into a home that has been fully deep cleaned before their first box arrives. That is a moment people remember and tell their friends about — and it comes back as referrals.

Realtors can use code Realtor15 at booking for 15% off the first clean.

What to have ready on the day

1. The home is fully empty of furniture. This is the big one; it unlocks access a regular clean never gets. 2. Utilities are on. We need water — especially hot water — and electricity for the appliances. 3. Access is sorted. Someone home, a keybox code, a lockbox, or a clear key handoff we can rely on. 4. Anything left behind is out. Bulk items, garbage, forgotten possessions. 5. Fridge and freezer are emptied. We clean them running, so no need to defrost — we just need the contents out.

If any of those will be a problem, tell us in advance and we will make a plan. What we cannot do is arrive to a house full of furniture and hope for the best.

Move-in versus move-out

They are the same clean. The scope, price and checklist are identical. What differs is timing — move-outs happen after your furniture leaves, move-ins before yours arrives — purpose, and who books it. The work inside the home is the same either way.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a move-in or move-out clean cost in Peterborough? The flat rate for your home size plus a $200 move-in/out add-on. That typically puts a two-bedroom apartment in the $325 to $450 range, a three-bedroom home in the $400 to $550 range, and a four-bedroom home with a basement in the $500 to $650 range. Rental properties in rough shape may also get the $125 First Time Clean surcharge, flagged in advance.

Do I need to empty the house of furniture before the clean? Yes. The home must be fully empty on the day. It is what makes a move clean the most thorough clean your home will ever get.

When should I book? As early as you can. Month-ends in spring and fall are busiest in Peterborough, along with the July 1 and September 1 turnover around Trent and Fleming.

What does a move clean include that a regular clean does not? Inside all appliances — oven, fridge and freezer, dishwasher, microwave, washer and dryer if present — and inside all kitchen cabinets and drawers. Everything in a First Time Clean scope is also included.

Do you offer move-in cleans as a closing gift for real estate clients? Yes. Use code Realtor15 at booking for 15% off the first clean.

Move-In and Move-Out Cleaning in Peterborough: What to Expect and What It Costs