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Commercial Move Out Cleaning Checklist
Moving a business takes weeks of planning. Leases, movers, internet, signage, telling your customers. Cleaning usually ends up as the very last job, squeezed into the final day before you hand back the keys. Then the landlord walks through, spots grease in the break room and marks on every wall, and suddenly your handover is on hold.
This checklist covers what to clean, what landlords usually look at, and how to time the clean so it never holds up your move. It works for offices, retail units, clinics and small shops in Fort St. John and across the Peace Region.
Start With Your Lease
Most commercial leases include a clause about the condition the space must be returned in. Some only ask for the unit to be left “broom clean”. Others ask for professional cleaning, carpet cleaning or a return to the original condition.
Read that clause before you book anything. If the wording is vague, ask your landlord or property manager to confirm in writing what they expect. Cleaning to a known standard is far easier than guessing, and it gives you something to point to if there is a disagreement later.
Get the Timing Right
- Book the clean for after the movers and any trades are finished, and before the final walkthrough.
- Leave a buffer day between the clean and the inspection. Things always come up.
- Make sure power, water and heat stay on until the cleaning is done.
- The end and start of each month are the busiest times for move cleaning in Fort St. John, so book one to two weeks ahead.
The Checklist, Room by Room
Entrance and Reception
- Glass doors and storefront windows, inside
- Entry mats removed or cleaned
- Reception counter, ledges and light switches
- Tape, sticker and signage residue on doors and walls
Offices and Workspaces
- Scuff marks where desks and chairs touched the walls
- Baseboards, door frames and doors
- Window sills, interior glass and blinds
- Outlet covers and light switches
- Carpets vacuumed and hard floors mopped edge to edge
Kitchen and Break Room
- Inside the fridge, freezer and microwave
- Inside every cabinet and drawer
- Counters, backsplash and sink
- Inside and outside the dishwasher, if there is one
- Garbage and recycling bins emptied and washed
Washrooms
- Toilets, urinals, sinks and partitions
- Mirrors, dispensers and fixtures
- Grout, floors and floor drains
Storage, Back Rooms and Loading Areas
- Shelving wiped down
- Floors swept and scrubbed, including oil spots where possible
- Leftover packing material and light debris removed
Final Details
- Light fixtures and vent covers dusted
- All garbage removed from the building
- One last walk through every room with the lease clause in hand
What Landlords Usually Check
Every landlord is different, but the same few areas come up again and again during commercial move out inspections: the inside of kitchen cabinets and appliances, washrooms, the condition of the floors, marks on walls, and anything left behind. If those five areas are spotless, most walkthroughs go smoothly.
Sort These Out Before the Cleaners Arrive
- Remove all furniture, equipment and junk. Most cleaners clear light debris, not large items.
- Book any wall patching, painting or repairs first. Cleaning comes after trades, not before.
- Note any existing damage with photos so it is not confused with something missed in the clean.
- Arrange key and alarm access for the cleaning crew.
Do It Yourself or Hire a Professional?
A small office with light use can often be handled by your own team over a weekend. Larger spaces, units with kitchens, or leases that ask for professional cleaning are usually worth handing off. A professional crew brings the right products and equipment, works to a checklist, and finishes in hours instead of eating into your first week in the new location.
Need a Hand With Your Move Out Clean?
Charmy Cleaning Services provides commercial move out cleaning in Fort St. John, Taylor, Dawson Creek and Charlie Lake. Send us your move date, the size of the space and your lease cleaning clause, and we will build the clean around it, including evenings and weekends. Once you are settled in your new space, we also offer regular janitorial services. Contact us for a free quote.
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