Getting your deposit back in Seattle: the move-out cleaning checklist.
What Washington law lets a landlord charge for, the room-by-room checklist to work through before you hand back the keys, and which parts a professional move-out clean takes off your list.
Three Washington rules every Seattle renter should know.
Deposits in Seattle follow the state Residential Landlord-Tenant Act. In plain terms:
After you move out, your landlord has 30 days to return the deposit or give you a full and specific statement of why they kept any of it, with copies of the estimates or invoices behind each charge. Miss that, and in most cases they owe you the full deposit. RCW 59.18.280
for wear from ordinary use of the home. Carpet cleaning can be charged only if the landlord documents wear to the carpet beyond ordinary use. RCW 59.18.280
A landlord cannot collect a deposit without a written checklist of the home's condition and cleanliness at move-in, signed and dated by both of you. That checklist is the yardstick at move-out. RCW 59.18.260
This is a plain-language summary, not legal advice. For a dispute, the Tenants Union of Washington State deposit FAQ and the City of Seattle's Renting in Seattle office can help.
Room by room, before you hand back the keys.
Items marked We clean this are part of our move-out clean: a full deep clean plus the inside of the fridge, oven, cabinets and interior windows. Everything else is yours to do.
Before anyone cleans
- Find your signed move-in checklist and compare each room against it. If you paid a deposit, Washington law says your landlord had to give you one at the start of the tenancy.
- Take dated photos of every room once it is empty and clean, including inside the fridge, oven and cabinets.
- Remove everything you own: food, shelf liners, nails and hooks you added (if your lease says so), and trash.
- Book the clean for after the movers leave. An empty home is the only way to reach baseboards, floors and cabinet interiors.
Kitchen
- Inside the refrigerator and freezer, including drawers and door shelves We clean this
- Inside the oven We clean this
- Inside every cabinet and drawer We clean this
- Counters, backsplash, sink and faucet We clean this
- Appliance exteriors, microwave inside and out We clean this
- Cabinet fronts, handles, light switches and baseboards We clean this
Bathrooms
- Tub, shower and shower door, with extra time on soap scum and hard water We clean this
- Toilet inside and out, including the base and behind it We clean this
- Vanity, counter, sink, mirror and towel bars We clean this
- Inside the vanity cabinets and drawers We clean this
Bedrooms, living areas and laundry
- Interior windows and window sills We clean this
- Light fixtures, ceiling fans and vents We clean this
- Doors, handles, light switches and baseboards We clean this
- Inside cabinets and drawers We clean this
- Inside closets
- Vacuum carpets and mop hard floors We clean this
- Top of the washer and dryer, laundry sink and counters We clean this
Your job, not a cleaning job
- Patch nail holes and touch up paint only if your lease asks for it
- Replace burned-out bulbs and missing smoke detector batteries
- Return every key, fob and garage remote, and get a receipt
- Give your landlord a forwarding address in writing. The statement is mailed to your last known address.
The cleaning part, done to the move-in checklist.
A move-out clean is built on our full deep clean, plus the inside of the fridge, the oven, the cabinets and the interior windows. We bring all the supplies and equipment and use green, eco-friendly products for almost everything. If something is missed, tell us within 24 hours and we will come back and re-clean it, within the service you booked, at no charge.
A professional clean cannot promise your whole deposit back, because damage and unpaid rent are separate from cleaning. What it does is take cleanliness off the list of reasons to keep it.
Seattle deposit and move-out questions.
How long does a Seattle landlord have to return my deposit?
Thirty days after the tenancy ends and you move out, under RCW 59.18.280. Within that time they must return it or send a full and specific statement of what they kept and why, with copies of estimates or invoices.
Can my landlord charge me for normal wear and tear?
No. Washington law does not allow a landlord to keep deposit money for wear from ordinary use of the home.
Can my landlord charge for carpet cleaning?
Only if they document wear to the carpet beyond ordinary use. A routine carpet cleaning charge on its own is not allowed.
What if I never signed a move-in checklist?
A Washington landlord may not collect a deposit without a signed, dated move-in checklist. If they did, the Tenants Union or the City of Seattle Renting in Seattle office can tell you what to do next.
When should I book the move-out clean?
After the movers leave and the home is empty, before the walkthrough. An empty home lets the team reach baseboards, floors and the inside of every cabinet.
Does a professional clean guarantee my deposit back?
No cleaner can promise that, because damage and unpaid rent are separate from cleaning. A thorough clean removes cleanliness as a reason to keep it, and if we miss something you can tell us within 24 hours and we will re-clean it, within the service you booked, at no charge.
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