The NYC Apartment Cleaning Checklist We Actually Use

New York apartments are small, which sounds easy until you realize every surface is a working surface. A 600 sq ft one-bedroom holds the same kitchen, bathroom and living load as a suburban house — just compressed. This is the order our teams work in on a standard visit, and it is a solid template if you are cleaning your own place between professional visits.

Start high, finish low

Dust falls. Wipe light fixtures, shelf tops, door frames and window sills before you touch the floor, or you will vacuum twice. In older prewar buildings, radiator tops and moulding ledges collect more dust than anything else in the room.

Kitchen

• Clear counters completely, wipe, then put items back
• Degrease the backsplash and the range hood filter area
• Wipe cabinet fronts, especially around handles
• Clean the sink last so it catches the dirty water, then polish the faucet
• Take the trash out before you mop, not after

Bathroom

• Spray tub, tile and toilet first and let the product sit for five minutes while you do mirrors and fixtures
• Scrub grout lines with a stiff brush every few visits, not every visit
• Wash the shower curtain liner instead of replacing it

Living areas and bedrooms

• Change bedding, then dust, then vacuum under the bed
• Vacuum upholstery seams and under cushions
• Wipe switch plates, remotes and door handles — these are the highest-touch, least-cleaned items in any apartment

Small-space details people miss

Radiator covers, the top of the refrigerator, the inside of the microwave door seal, baseboards behind furniture, and the strip of floor under the toe kick of your cabinets. On a standard 60-point clean these are all included; on a deep clean we add inside appliances, cabinet interiors and detailed grout work.

If you would rather hand the whole list to someone else, our flat-rate residential pricing starts at $109 and you can book online in about a minute.