Move-In Cleaning: Preparing Your New Auckland Home Before You Unpack

Your move-in cleaning checklist

Work top to bottom and finish with the floors. Doing it in this order means nothing you clean gets dirtied again by the next job.

1. Ceilings, cornices and light fittings — cobwebs, then a damp cloth on fittings and fan blades.
2. Walls and switches — sugar soap on scuffs; wipe every switch, socket and door handle.
3. Kitchen — inside every cupboard and drawer, rangehood filter, oven and racks, behind and under the fridge space, the dishwasher filter, tap aerators.
4. Bathrooms — extractor fan cover, shower glass and tracks, grout, toilet base and cistern, the cabinet under the basin.
5. Bedrooms and living — wardrobe shelves and rails, window tracks, curtain rails, skirting boards, heat-pump filters.
6. Laundry — washing-machine seal and detergent drawer, dryer lint duct, the floor behind the machines.
7. Floors — vacuum, then either mop hard floors or book a carpet clean before the furniture arrives.

Timing it with your move

The best window is between settlement (or key handover) and the truck arriving — usually one to two days. A professional team can clean an empty 3-bedroom home in 4–6 hours, so booking the morning before your move day works for most families. If the carpets need cleaning, allow 2–4 hours' drying time on top; we can schedule both on the same day.

What it costs

An empty-property move-in clean in West Auckland is typically quoted as a fixed price rather than by the hour: expect roughly $250–$600 depending on size and condition, with carpet cleaning and exterior windows as add-ons. A property that has just had a proper end of tenancy clean will sit at the low end; a home that has been empty for months or was owner-occupied for years sits at the top.

Buying vs renting: who pays?

If you are renting, the previous tenant was required to leave the property "reasonably clean and tidy" and the landlord should hand it over in that state — photograph anything that isn't and raise it at the initial inspection so it can't be deducted from your bond later. If you have bought, there is no cleaning obligation on the vendor beyond what the sale and purchase agreement says, so a move-in clean is on you — and well worth it before the furniture goes in.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I clean before or after moving furniture in?
Before. An empty house takes half the time to clean and lets you reach inside wardrobes, behind appliances and along every skirting board.

How long does a professional move-in clean take?
Around 4–6 hours for an empty 3-bedroom Auckland home with a team of two; larger or very dirty properties take longer and are quoted after a quick walkthrough or photos.

Do you clean inside the oven and cupboards on a move-in clean?
Yes — inside cupboards, drawers, oven, rangehood and appliances are all standard on a Fizzy Cleaning move-in clean.